http://www.ravallirepublic.com/news/opinion/mailbag/article_f38cc835-638d-59c1-bd88-880c1cb3c1c8.html
June 09, 2013 9:45
am
I was appalled to read Charles Johnson’s article implying that
assisted suicide is legal in Montana. To the contrary, Senate Bill 220, which
had sought to legalize assisted-suicide, was defeated in committee during the
2013 legislative session. The bill was tabled, nine votes to three. See www.montanansagainstassistedsuicide.org/p/sb-220-tabled.html.
This
is in contrast to House Bill 505, which had sought to clarify and strengthen our
law against assisted-suicide. HB505 not only got out of committee, but passed
the House.
During the legislative session, I was one of 108 physicians
who signed a newspaper display ad in support of HB505. http://maasdocuments.files.wordpress.com/2013/03/doctors-hb505_ad_8-22x17_4color319.pdf My reasons included that
the bill would protect my patients, many of whom are elderly.
The current
situation is that the fight over assisted suicide will be returning to the
courts. For more information, please read this article by Matt Gouras of the
Associated Press: “Fight over assisted suicide moves back to court,” May 8, at
www.montanansagainstassistedsuicide.org/2013/05/fight-over-assisted-suicide-moves-back.html
.
For the sake of my patients and the state of Montana, I hope that
assisted suicide will be defeated in this court case once and for
all.
Annie Bukacek, Kalispell
