Great news: New Mexico Senate rejects assisted suicide bill.

Alex Schadenberg
Executive Director - Euthanasia Prevention Coalition

The New Mexico Senate defeated assisted suicide bill SB 252 by a vote of 22 - 20 last night, with 7 Democrats voting with 15 Republicans.

Steve Terrell, writing for the New Mexican stated:

Sen. Craig Brandt, R-Rio Rancho, countered that he couldn’t support the bill because of its inherent risks. Doctors, Brandt said, make mistakes every day. Someone diagnosed as terminally ill could actually recover, he said.

Democrats who voted against Stefanics’ bill were Pete Campos of Las Vegas; Carlos Cisneros of Questa; Richard Martinez of Española; George Muñoz of Gallup; Clemente Sanchez of Grants; Benny Shendo of Jemez Pueblo; and John Arthur Smith of Deming.

One Republican, Sen. Sander Rue, of Albuquerque, voted for the bill.

On June 30, 2016, the New Mexico Supreme Court in a 5 - 0 decision upheld the New Mexico Court of Appeal decision that assisting a suicide is a crime in Morris v Brandenburg. The Supreme Court decision was a response to the activist lower court decision that found a right to assisted suicide in New Mexico.

New Mexico Governor Susana Martinez has said that she would have vetoed the assisted suicide bill.