June 17, 2015 (AlexSchadenberg) — The Maine Senate defeated assisted suicide bill LD 1270 by a vote of 18 – 17. LD 1270, would have legalized assisted suicide based on the Vermont assisted suicide law.
LD 1270 was defeated in the Senate on June 15 and brought back to be defeated again on June 16, by the same vote.
The bill was also defeated (7 – 6) in the Maine Health and Human Services Committee which held hearings on May 15.
Disability Rights Maine, the American Nurses Association Maine, the Maine Medical Association, the Maine Hospice Council, the Maine Right to Life, the American Cancer Society Action Network, the Roman Catholic Diocese of Portland the Maine Osteopathic Association, were among the many groups to oppose the assisted suicide bill.
Diane Coleman, from the disability rights group – Not Dead Yet, recently published an article: Why disability rights advocates oppose assisted suicide.
With the defeat of Bill LD 1270, Maine can not reconsider legalizing assisted suicide for the rest of this two year legislative session.
Reprinted with permission from Euthanasia Prevention Coalition.