The Struggle for A More Compassionate End of Life Option Act in California

In February of 2024, California State Senator Catherine Blackspear introduced Senate Bill 1196 to expand access to Medical Aid in Dying. Click here to read the fact sheet. The bill was the direct result of tireless activism by A Better Exit, a grassroots political advocacy group founded by Hemlock Society members.

The proposed text of SB 1196 included the following provisions:
- Eliminate the requirement that a person must be within six months of death.
- Include the option of an intravenous method for self-administering the life-ending drugs.
- Make Medical Aid In Dying available to people with early to mid-stage dementia who have decision-making capacity.
- Remove the California residency requirement, a requirement that two states have already eliminated.
- Remove the 2031 sunset date for the End of Life Option Act.

Unfortunately, SB 1196 was pulled from consideration just days before a scheduled hearing before the Health Committee. But the quest for expanding the California End of Life Option Act is far from over. This temporary setback was expected and the objections from powerful voices in the end-of-life area will be addressed in future legislative efforts.

Join us on Zoom to hear from the advocates who sponsored the bill about their ongoing endeavor to make Medical Aid in Dying available to more Californians, and what you can do to support their efforts.

For more information visit: hemlocksocietysandiego.org

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