The Catholic Spirit: MCC: Physician-assisted suicide bill pulled, but fight isn’t over

Posted by Minnesota Catholic Conference on March 22, 2016

(March 22, 2016 – The Catholic Spirit – By Maria Wiering)

After more than three hours of emotional testimony March 16 from both proponents and opponents of a bill to legalize physician-assisted suicide in Minnesota, the bill’s sponsor withdrew it from committee consideration, saying it wasn’t ready for a vote.

The Minnesota Catholic Conference celebrated the move, but Jason Adkins, its executive director, said Minnesotans need to learn about the issue and prepare for the bill to be refiled next year.

“The bill will undoubtedly come back,” he said. “It’s important that people educate themselves about the pitfalls of the bill and the flaws of the bill that really make it a risky, dangerous and complicated proposition. Once . . . the barbiturates are prescribed, there’s no oversight as to what happens next. The bill is not about compassionate care; it’s about allowing someone to get a vial of pills and go home to die, potentially alone.”

Compassion and Choices, a national organization that promotes “aid in dying” legislation, has targeted Minnesota for focused advocacy, Adkins said. Introduced last year by Sen. Chris Eaton, DFL-Brooklyn Center, the Minnesota Compassionate Care Act, S. F. 1880, was heard by the Minnesota Senate Health, Human Services and Housing Committee. The state’s House of Representatives reportedly decided not to hear a companion measure.