I wanted to update you on a promising new development in the End of Life Options Act, the bill I filed along with Representatives O’Day and Philips to provide autonomy and compassion for people facing a certain end to their life.
A new statewide poll, released last week, shows that nearly three out of four Massachusetts voters (73%) support a bill to allow terminally ill adults the option of medical aid in dying to peacefully end unbearable suffering. When told about the safeguards in the bill, support rises to nearly eight out of ten voters (79%). The poll showed strong support among all demographic groups, including all age groups, races, major religious faiths, and people living with a disability. Full details on the poll are here.
This bill is one of my top priorities, and I recently sponsored a briefing for my colleagues to go over the results of the poll.
These poll results follow a statement of support for the bill from Governor Healey in February.
I welcome this growing support. For me, the bill reflects some of our deepest-held values of individual autonomy by allowing a terminally ill, mentally capable adult to request medication from a doctor that the person may choose self-administer at a time of his or her choosing, to hasten their death in a peaceful, humane, and dignified manner.
The legislation (fact sheet; bill text: S. 1331/H.2246) is currently pending before the legislature’s Joint Committee on Public Health. The bill will be scheduled for a hearing in the coming months, and we will let you know when we learn that a hearing has been set.
Please let me know if you have any questions on this or any other matter.
