For those who are following the physician assisted suicide bill (HB 6425) that has again surfaced in the Connecticut legislature, it is scheduled for a hearing this coming Friday, Feb 26th. This is a Zoom meeting and not in person. The latest statistics are that 7,523 deaths have occurred in Connecticut related to the global pandemic, yet in the midst of this, the proponents of this dangerous legislation, which has failed year after year, chose to capitalize on the paralysis in our state to push their deadly agenda. Members of the committee, and other proponents of physician assisted suicide, who would see the deaths in CT go even higher as a result of this bill, know very well that by denying the right of individuals, especially the disabled, to voice their opposition in person because of the pandemic restrictions, they create an unfair advantage and are more than willing to exploit it. If ever one needed an example of discrimination toward the disabled population, this is it. Please let your state senator and representative know of your opposition. Write the members of the public health committee to say no also. Health committee email addresses at: https://www.cga.ct.gov/ph/ Send testimony to: phtestimony@cga.ct.gov

 1/16/2021

If you are a resident of Connecticut and have been aware of the past attempts by the General Assembly to pass legislation legalizing physician assisted suicide (PAS) you will know that we have been able to get this dangerous bill rejected since 2013.

Now in the midst of a global pandemic, they are attempting to ramrod it through again but even quicker.  It is on the public health committee’s agenda Wednesday the 20th for a vote to bring it to a public hearing.

The BIG issue is that they want to have a public hearing but not with the public physically present, but via virtual means.

They know full well that the presence of many, many people present in person, including many representing the disabled community, who are opposed to this have been the reason it has always died in committee.  Now they want to take advantage of the paralysis that is present due to the pandemic and get this passed.

If you are a citizen of Connecticut, TODAY email your local representative and senator to urge stopping these virtual hearings for non-essential bills.  Also email the members of the committee to say the same thing.

Public Health Committee:

https://www.cga.ct.gov/ph/2019-2021%20Committee%20Members.pdf

Don’t delay in this.  Time is precious and they are anxious and aggressive to take advantage of all of us.  Someone once said “never let a crisis go to waste” and they are heeding that advice.  

Jack

A member of President Obama's staff once commented that one should never let a crisis go to waste.

Sen. Haskell from Connecticut has established himself as someone who is in agreement.  Recently, he made the HUGE leap to state that the physician assisted suicide bill should be passed and that the debate has been resolved!!!   Resolved!?   Not even close.
This bill has been defeated since 2013 and because of this coronavirus crisis, the senator has decided that this crisis is the time to ignore the opposition to this dangerous legislation and just go ahead and enact the legislation. 
What a breathtaking leap of logic!!

Take the time to read this news article and let your legislator and the public health committee that this breach of protocol is unacceptable and not to be tolerated.


https://www.ctpost.com/opinion/article/State-Sen-Will-Haskell-State-must-approve-15125818.php

Good morning.  This message is especially to my Connecticut friends as a call to action.  Many of you know I’m involved in public policy issues with the main issue, at this time, being physician assisted suicide.

This dangerous law has been defeated in this state every year since 2013 and last year after it again died in committee, the co-chair stated he would not bring it up this year because the committee makeup is the same and it is a short session year.  Well, he didn’t keep his word and coerced a vote to raise this bill again.

There will be a public hearing next Friday, the 13^th of March, at the state legislative office building.  I will be there again this year to give testimony against it. 

If you want to know a little more about this issue, below are websites to browse a little.

https://ethicalhealthcare.org/aame/end-of-life/

https://cmda.org/position-statements/

https://patientsrightsaction.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/07/Final-Primer.pdf

I would urge you to write your local state senator and representative to urge them to oppose this.  If you feel strongly enough as I do, write or call the Public Health Committee to let them know you oppose this dangerous bill.

https://www.cga.ct.gov/ph/2019-2021%20Committee%20Members.pdf

Thanks for your time.

Jack

CT State Director, American Academy of Medical Ethics

www.ethicalhealthcare.org

Connecticut House Bill 5420 is now on the record for a repeat attempt to legalize physician assisted suicide in this state.
No date has been set for a hearing yet but write your state senator, representative and the members of the Public Health Committee to let them know you do not want this dangerous legislation to get a foothold in this state.

Well, it looks like Connecticut is going to go down the same road again this year.  Last year when the American Academy of Medical Ethics(AAME) along with some wonderful people from Family Institute of Connecticut, Second Thoughts Connecticut, and many others, defeated Physician Assisted Suicide again several years in a row, Rep. Jonathan Steinberg(D), the co-chair of the Public Health Committee, and the strongest proponent of this dangerous policy, stated in a press conference that he would not raise it this year, 2020, because the committee would remain the same and it was a short session.
However, within the last week or so, he managed to strong arm some of the members to raise the bill.  Many of them had concerns because of the short session this year and the anticipated huge turnout by opponents and supporters, but they gave in anyway.  No doubt Rep. Steinberg believes in his cause, however misguided, and no doubt has had much pressure from Compassion and Choices, formerly called the Hemlock Society, to bring it up again.
Just because the vote was in favor, the committee doesn’t have to have a public hearing, but don’t be fooled, it is important that the public be given the opportunity to make its case.
Do not underestimate the power of the proponents of this measure, as well as the liberal media who will give favorable reviews to the supporters of Physician Assisted Suicide(PAS).  It will continue to be called Medical Aid In Dying, to soften the impact.  This euphemistic term is being more widely adopted, including in Canada, where euthanasia is on the rise and gaining ground, not what it started out to be.  This same slippery slope, not a cliche, will continue to take place in our country.
Don’t allow this bill to be slipped through during this short session with the increased frenzied and chaotic activity.  This is very possibly what Rep. Steinberg and his fellow proponents hope will take place.

4/9/2019

Well, the time has passed for the Public Health Committee to report the assisted suicide bill out of committee.  The proponents just couldn't convince enough committee members to vote yes, despite multiple attempts.  The legislative session isn't over but it is very unlikely that this bill would pass as an added on amendment to another bill.   This will be back either in 2020 or 2021.  We can't afford to rest on our laurels.

I'm grateful for the tireless work by the Second Chance Connecticut, Family Institute of Connecticut, as well as others, including the members of Christian Medical and Dental Associations.  I testified on behalf of CMDA but also the American Academy of Medical Ethics. 

One of the things that we often talk about, and is scoffed at, is the subject of the slippery slope, i.e., a bill being extended for other purposes.

Hawaii's PAS bill is four months old, the ink is almost not dry, and they are already discussing extending it to include demential and Alzheimers patients.
https://patientsrightsaction.org/hawaii-hospice-executive-director-already-advocating-for-expansion-of-assisted-suicide-law/?fbclid=IwAR3AlKAy7sDF897yno2nyAS5TJ8ymIzKMtbeaQseVoRqZXZQhUBm9Ta3_xU

Canada is speeding ahead with their "medical aid in dying" for expanding euthanasia to children and mentally ill:

https://patientsrightsaction.org/slippery-slope-to-kids-and-mentally-ill-getting-euthanized-in-canada/?fbclid=IwAR09ri3Vhvq9LSBfcAaXTysa-PK66UhpYnYsFBHROgtXeaed1MDsgJXYJlA

4/1/2019

https://tinyurl.com/y2ztbhv5

This news article from today in the CT News Junkie was very encouraging and I'm so appreciative of everyone who worked tirelessly to defeat this dangerous legislation.  This seems to be no April Fools joke. 

This is no time to take a victory lap but to remain vigilant.  The final day for this to be reported out of committee is Wednesday before it is considered "dead".  Even then, the legislative session goes until June and, theoretically, it could be attached to other legislation.  One would like to think that it would not survive that attempt, but this is Connecticut. 

It was suggested that assisted suicide legislation may not come back until 2021, and this would be great, but those that support this will be back next year or the following. 

We should not become complacent.  Other things happening in the state of Connecticut have the potential to swing the legislature back toward a conservative/red look in 2021 and there is where our efforts should continue. 

There are other important issues:  abortion rights and the assault on crisis pregnancy centers, homeschooling, right of conscience/religious freedom. 

3/12/19

In Connecticut, HB 5898 is in committee for a hearing on the 18th of March.  Once again physician assisted suicide is being touted as the "compassionate" choice for suffering patients. 
Sadly the Connecticut State Medical Society has abandoned its' previous principled, and correct, opposition and adopted a neutral posture.  In states where PAS has passed, the medical societies have went neutral. 

Write the Public Health Committee and tell them that you don't want this dangerous bill moved out of committee for a vote.  Send your comments to phtestimony@cga.ct.gov   
Write or call your state senator and representative and encourage them to oppose this legislation. 
https://www.cga.ct.gov/asp/menu/cgafindleg.asp

Below is a message that went out this morning from the Patients Rights Action Fund regarding the continuing battle against physician assisted suicide.  Another evidence that God is on the throne.  We are thankful and praise God for this victory.  

Many more battles in this war are to come.  I testified this last Tuesday at the Connecticut Public Health Committee hearing and I believe that we will be successful in seeing this bill rejected, but we don't take these victories for granted and continue to work.  

St Augustine has been quoted as saying:  "Work as if everything depended on you and pray as if everything depended on God".   

The Massachusetts Joint Committee on Public Health held a poll vote today and the result is that both the House and Senate assisted suicide bills were sent to a study committee, effectively killing the bills for this legislative session! This is a huge victory – Massachusetts was one of the big targeted states for Compassion and Choices.   

            The odds were formidable:  40 bill sponsors, the media, and four full-time paid employees working for Compassion and Choices in the state.  The Massachusetts Alliance did a commendable job in defeating the bills.   Many testified at a public hearing; 25 doctors held a Doctors' Day at the State House; the doctors and members of the disability community visited committee members on a continual basis; the disability community die legislative briefings; and constituents held district meetings with committee members.  The Patients Rights Action Fund assisted the Alliance in training and strategy and put together the Doctor’s Day.  Aides said that in the end, they were counting calls asking for the bills to be defeated which contributed significantly to the defeat.    Congratulations and kudos to the Massachusetts Alliance Against Doctor-Prescribed Suicide, Second Thoughts Massachusetts and our physicians.

02 March 2018

Physician assisted suicide has again come to the Connecticut legislature as of today.  Raised HB 5417 says it is:  "To allow a physician to dispense or prescribe medication at the request of a mentally competent patient that has a terminal illness that such patient may self-administer to bring about his or her death."

This has been formally defeated three years in a row and advocates stepped back to regroup but are back to push this immoral, unethical and dangerous concept.  

There are many other avenues to pursue for end of life care that don't require making your health care professional complicit in your death rather than the time-honored tradition of being a healer and not your killer. 

https://tinyurl.com/ybhanyfa

Call or write your state senator and representative to tell them that this is a dangerous bill and concept to bring into this state.  

THIS IS RE-POSTED FROM THE PATIENTS RIGHTS ACTION FUND MESSAGE. It is with a heavy heart that we inform you that JJ Hanson passed away on December 30 peacefully at home surrounded by his family and their love.  The world and our cause have lost a courageous, charismatic and inspirational leader whose short life was dedicated to service to others.  To know him was to love him.  JJ is survived by his beloved wife, Kristen, and two young sons, James and Lucas.  The New York Alliance Against Assisted Suicide released the following life summation and tribute to JJ Hanson.  NYAAAS Mourns the Passing of J.J. Hanson Albany, NY - On December 30, 2017, following a valiant battle with cancer, J.J. Hanson passed away surrounded by family and friends.  A U.S. Marine Corps veteran who served in Iraq, J.J. was diagnosed with glioblastoma--an aggressive form of brain cancer--in May 2014. Thirty-three years of age at the time, J.J. was told that he had four months to live; however, he proved the doctors wrong. After J.J. underwent a grueling regimen of surgery, chemotherapy, and an experimental treatment, his cancer subsided.  Following his recovery, J.J. became a national advocate for the terminally ill. In his role as President of the Patients' Rights Action Fund, J.J. worked to prevent the legalization of physician-assisted suicide in New York and other states. J.J.'s experience with cancer, together with his professional background in government, equipped him to be a remarkably effective leader, communicator, and influencer. J.J. also created a blog to share information about his journey with glioblastoma; the blog,YouCantHurtSteel.com, derives its name from J.J.'s family motto, "You Can't Hurt Steel." J.J. Hanson outlived his initial prognosis by more than three years, and his life story has been an encouragement and an inspiration to cancer survivors and many others across the country. He is survived by his wife, Kristen, and their two sons. The New York Alliance Against Assisted Suicide mourns the passing of our treasured colleague and friend. We will miss J.J.'s leadership, his optimism, his selflessness, his tenacity, and his willingness to draw upon his own difficult experiences to advocate for others facing challenging medical problems. We can unequivocally say that J.J. Hanson's life--despite its brevity--made the world a better place for those who will come after him.

Today I was reading John Wesley’s very last letter, written on his deathbed, and it went to William Wilberforce, the Englishman who led an almost 20 year battle to see slavery in England outlawed.  No doubt he often despaired and felt like giving up, but his passion and calling were such, that he continued the fight until the last days of his life saw that realization.  

John Wesley wrote to him: “unless God has raised you up for this very thing, you will be worn out by the opposition of men and devils.  But if God be for you, who can be against you?  Are all of them together stronger than God?  O be not weary of well-doing!  Go on, in the name of God and in the power of His might…”

200 years later, that opposition hasn’t gone away.  To be sure, it has increased exponentially to where Christian witnesses feel more isolated than ever before.  But, be encouraged because we work toward an already assured victory in standing for the truth of Scripture.  

There are many fronts or aspects to the battle with which we fight, whether physician assisted suicide, abortion, right of conscience, sexuality issues, human trafficking and the list goes on, but to echo John Wesley “are all of them together stronger than God?”  Of course the answer is a resounding no!

Stay the course fellow soldiers.  The apostle Paul said that after putting on the full armor of God, having done everything, to simply stand.

http://tinyurl.com/ybds5kke

We need to be in prayer for our Canadian counterparts who are facing battles in Canada that are gaining traction.  
The enemy is not idle and not giving up.  We are either moving forward or backward but there is no neutrality in this spiritual battle.  Putting our heads in the sand accomplishes nothing except to blind us to the truth.

As Connecticut state director for the American Academy of Medical Ethics, I and my fellow state directors, along with many others, face a number of ethical challenges.  Certainly, one of the major issues is Physician Assisted Suicide (PAS), but a number of others are also important for us to be vigilant in challenging:  Right of conscience, abortion, cloning, stem cell research to name several.

One of the issues we all face is end of life decision making.  This is not only for those of us that are moving into the latter half of our lives, but for younger people who are considering decisions that could prove dangerous.

Below is a link from CMDA's website regarding a recent "conversation" that Dr. Stevens had with a robot.  I encourage you to take five or ten minutes and carefully read this.

https://cmda.org/resources/publication/a-bot-too-far

This is a re-posting of a message I received from the Patients Rights Action Fund.  It is a nice summary of the actions so far this year regarding Physician Assisted Suicide.  
It represents much to give God praise and also an encouragement to keep praying and working. God is on the throne and prayer changes things.  Someone once said "pray as if it all depends on God and work as if it all depends on us".   When the wall was being rebuilt in Jerusalem, they worked while carrying their swords.  "The burden-bearers carried their loads in such a way that each laboured on the work with one hand and with the other held a weapon.  And each of the builders had his sword strapped at his side while he built" (Neh 4:17-18)

Legislative sessions are officially over for the spring and, in some states, for the year.   Assisted suicide opponents were extremely successful in preventing any more states from legalizing assisted suicide.  In several of the states, the battles were very difficult but our coalitions worked extremely hard and prevailed.  

In the last week, bills stalled for the remainder of 2017 in New York and Delaware.   Last year, there was a favorable vote in the New York Assembly Health Committee for the assisted suicide bill.   This year, proponents were not able to garner enough votes in that same committee to have a vote!   This is huge as New York is the prize most desired by Compassion and Choices!

We learned on Thursday of this week that the Delaware House was going to vote on the assisted suicide bill on Friday.  Our coalition mobilized with one-day notice and spearheaded an intense campaign which stalled the bill until 2018.  

Major kudos and congratulations to our heroic coalitions in New York and Delaware for an exceptional job!  

In addition, bills were defeated in North Carolina, Oklahoma, Oregon and Rhode Island as their legislative sessions ended, bringing the total to 23 states where measures were defeated, died from inaction, stalled or were withdrawn.   Of the remaining states, Massachusetts, South Dakota and New Jersey are the ones to watch.   

Defeated Bills to Legalize Assisted Suicide in 2017

·         Oklahoma:  HJR 1009 (Ballot measure)  -- died in committee

• North Carolina:  HB 789 – died in committee

·         New York:  S.3151/A.2383 , A.3598 “End-of-Life Options” Act --  no committee votes taken, stalled in committee

• Delaware:   HB 160 – passed in committee, full House vote stalled

·         Rhode Island:  House Bill 5468, Senate Bill 224 – no action taken, died in committee

·         Oregon:  SB 893 (allowed health care agents to fulfill requests for lethal drugs) --  died in committee

·         Mississippi:  Death with Dignity Act Senate Bill 2283 – died in committee

·         Utah:  HB 76 – tabled in committee

·         Tennessee:  SB 1378, HB 1394 – withdrawn

·         Maryland:  SB 354– withdrawn; HB 370 – died in committee

·         Wyoming:  HB 0122 – bill was drafted but not introduced, dead at this time

·         New Mexico:  House Bill 171, SB 252 – defeated by Senate vote

·         Indiana:  SB 273, HB 1561  – died in committee

·         Nebraska:  Legislative Bill 450 – died, not a priority bill

·         Connecticut:  H.B. No. 6024, HB 6238 – died in committee

·         Kansas:  HB 2120 Death With Dignity Act– died in committee

·         Arizona:  HB 2336 – died in committee

·         Iowa:   Senate File 215, House File 299– died in committee

·         Missouri:  Death With Dignity Act HB 524 – attempt to add to another bill failed

·         Hawaii:  SB 1129 -- passed in the Senate and  died in a House committee.

·         Alaska:  HB 54 - Voluntary Termination of Life – held in committee without action

·         Maine:  LD 1066 -- An Act to Promote Life with Dignity;  LD 347 --An Act To Support Death with Dignity – passed in the Senate and defeated by House vote

·         Nevada:  SB 261 – passed the Senate and died in a House committee

Active Bills to Legalize/Expand Assisted Suicide in 2017: 

·         New Jersey:  S 2474 --carryover from 2016

·         Massachusetts:  H.1194, S.1225

·         Pennsylvania:  SB 238

·         Minnesota:  SF 1572 – End of Life Options Act

·         Wisconsin:  AB 216, SB 312 -- Compassionate Choices

·         Michigan:  HB 4461  -- legalizes assisted suicide 

• Michigan:  HB 4462 – amends criminal sentencing standards to eliminate the penalties for assisting a suicide

Ballot Measures

·         South Dakota:  Signatures being gathered for a November 2018 ballot measure.

From Barbara Lyons, dated 7/2/2017

From the Patients Rights Action Fund:

We are writing to share a remarkable video featuring Dr. Brian Callister of Nevada detailing the failure of assisted suicide in California and Oregon.  Today, it is being released to national publications and promoted through a digital social media campaign.  What makes Dr. Callister’s story so compelling?  It includes a doctor’s personal story of how two of his patients were denied life-saving treatment by their health insurance.  This is yet another example of the dangerous failures of assisted suicide from the patient’s and medical community’s perspective.  His testimony is a current and direct validation of our concerns that we have been claiming for over a decade. 

          As both a terminal patient and the President of the Patients Rights Action Fund, I ask you for your support and assistance in spreading this important story.  Through your organizations, coalitions and alliances, we ask that you share or boost this video via social media.  Your support will help improve our ability to spread this story nationally.  We are at a pivotal moment in this battle against assisted suicide and your support will help every state defeat this dangerous law.

https://twitter.com/PRAFund/status/869886940165935105

Praise the Lord for continuing victories in the battle against Physician Assisted Suicide (PAS)!!

1. American Academy of Medical Ethics (AAME) achieved a hard fought victory in Vermont when Compassion & Choices, a pro-suicide group, elected to drop its appeal of a federal court's decision to affirm that a Vermont law cannot be interpreted to force pro-life health care professionals to counsel or refer patients about PAS.  Because C&C chose to stand down, the US Court of Appeals for the 2nd Circuit dismissed the appeal which ends the case!! 

        http://tinyurl.com/VTADF

• Many thanks to the attorneys of the Alliance Defense Fund for all their hard work on behalf of CMDA and the Vermont Alliance for Ethical Healthcare. 

      2.  A second reason to rejoice and thank God comes from Maine's legislative body which today effectively killed their PAS bill. 

Prayer is still needed for Nevada where PAS legislation has passed the Senate and is moving to their Assembly for a public hearing and committee vote.  Pray that these victories will continue in the Silver State.  

Despite the times we live in, and the trend to moral relativism, these continuing successes on a variety of ethical fronts demonstrate that God is on the throne and we are to be bold, moving forward with complete faith in Him and without fear of man.  

Physician Assisted Suicide is now law in our nation's capital!!!  All because a Congress, that should have had the votes to reject it, allowed the deadline to pass before voting no.

Actions like this just underscore the reason so many Americans voted to make a substantial change in the system.  Things don't change until drastic measures are taken and even though some of these measures have been taken, the entrenched power brokers don't give up without a fight - even those we think are on our side.  

One cannot ignore the message that gets sent when the nation's capital enacts such dangerous legislation.  

Stand fast, don't back down.  The same armor we need for battling the enemy in Ephesians 6 is necessary for the hand-to-hand fighting that is necessary to win the battles.  The war has been won by Jesus Christ, but the battles are still necessary to win.
1 Samuel 17 reminds us that the battle belongs to the Lord but He still used David to accomplish the victory, just as he uses us to achieve success.  

We pray as if it all depends on God, and work/fight as if it all depends on us.

http://tinyurl.com/z77en6c

Physician assisted suicide(PAS) bills are currently being considered in 15 states.  Proponents of this dangerous societal move have stepped up their activity on multiple fronts but a couple states deserve special mention.

Opponents of PAS have always had concerns about methods for vetting potential suicides, along with the profound lack of proper reporting procedures, but two states have taken it to a new level.

• New Mexico’s PAS bill would allow physicians, physician assistants and nurse practitioners to diagnose terminal illness and prescribe life-ending medication the same day with no second opinion!   It also would require the death to be listed as something other than suicide.

• Hawaii has five physician assisted suicide bills submitted with one not requiring a second opinion to confirm a terminal illness before prescribing a lethal dose of medication.