Assisted-Suicide Supporters Add New Safeguards to Legislation
Supporters of legislation that would allow the terminally ill to get life-ending medication are making some changes. Among them is a new provision requiring the patient have three months or less to live before they can get a prescription for the medication. The bill used to allow that at six months.
Democratic Assemblyman Lloyd Levine is an author. He says he didn't think the amendments were necessary - but it was a move to satisfy critics:
Levine : Because of these amendments we're hoping that our fence-sitters will look and say, well, you know, they are working very hard and they've put more safeguards into this bill and that will convince some people to come on board.
Levine says there are also new safeguards for low-income patients -- and an amendment to ensure the drugs are properly disposed of if the patient doesn't use them.
