Connecticut assisted suicide bill would legalize euthanasia (homicide).

Please vote no on HB5417 which seeks to legalize assisted suicide and euthanasia in Connecticut.

Dear Committee Member,

Nancy Elliott

My name is Nancy Elliott. I am a former 3 term New Hampshire State Representative who served on the Judiciary Committee where I studied bills having to do with assisted suicide. I have been made aware of some disturbing issues with HB5417. I would like to bring to your attention a provision of HB5417 in Section 15 of the bill that would legalize euthanasia.

Sec. 15. (NEW) (Effective October 1, 2018) (a) Nothing in sections 1 to 14, inclusive, of this act or sections 16 to 19, inclusive, of this act authorizes a physician or any other person to end another person's life by lethal injection, mercy killing, assisting a suicide or any other active euthanasia.

The HB5417 states in section 15a that this bill does not authorize mercy killing or assisting a suicide, yet what the bill is authorizing is the exact definition of assisting a suicide, a mercy killing and as the bill rightly equates as active euthanasia. This double talk seems to be reassuring us that mercy killing, assisting a suicide and active euthanasia will not take place yet we know by the bills content that mercy killing, assisting a suicide and active euthanasia will take place and is in fact the intent of the bill.

(b) No action taken in accordance with sections 1 to 14, inclusive, of this act or sections 16 to 19, inclusive, of this act shall constitute causing or assisting another person to commit suicide [meaning active euthanasia] in violation of section 53a-54a or 53a-56 of the general statutes.

The bill states in section 15b again that no action taken will be considered causing or assisting a suicide. We know as already stated that the bill is the exact definition of causing and assisting a suicide. It further rightly defines assisting a suicide as active euthanasia. So if the act of assisting a suicide is legalized by this bill (but not allowed to be called that) then wouldn't active euthanasia also be legalized (but not allowed to be called that). You've heard the expression “a rose by any other name…”. Just because double talk is used to redefine this it does not change that this bill legalizes Assisted Suicide and by the bills own definition euthanasia.

(c) No person shall be subject to civil or criminal liability or professional disciplinary action, including, but not limited to, revocation of such person's professional license, for (1) participating in the provision of medication or related activities in good faith compliance with the provisions of sections 1 to 14, inclusive, of this act and sections 16 to 19, inclusive, of this act, or (2) being present at the time a qualified patient self-administers medication dispensed or prescribed for aid in dying.

Section 15c states that no person can be sued, held criminally liable nor professionally disciplined nor lose their license for doing what is the definition of assisting a suicide or the definition of euthanasia. This bill therefore legalizes euthanasia. It also does not provide for any liability of any person involved in said assisted suicide or euthanasia. I respectfully ask that you reject HB5417.

Sincerely,
Nancy Elliott
Former 3 term NH State Representative
Chair – Euthanasia Prevention Coalition - USA