Bill Summary
The Death with Dignity bill would give terminally ill patients with fewer than six months to live the option to request prescription medication to control the timing and manner of their own death. In order to exercise this choice, a terminally ill patient would have to request the medication personally at three different times. The patient would also have to get a second opinion regarding diagnosis and prognosis, and then wait 15 days before getting the prescription. Only the patient can administer the medicine. Nobody can give it to the patient
Read the house bill, H. 274 and view its progress through the Statehouse
Read the senate bill, S. 103 and view its progress through the Statehouse
Read the bill summary factsheet
Read the Death with Dignity factsheet
Patients Should Have a Choice
The Death with Dignity bill would afford terminally ill patients with a choice about what happens to their own bodies. A decade of experience in Oregon has shown that when terminally ill patients are able to make voluntary, informed choices, they maintain hope in their final days, knowing that they have some control of their end of life. Every person has the right to make their own end-of-life choices.
History
Status of Death with Dignity Legislation
S.144, an act relating to patient choice and control at end of life, was introduced in the Vermont Senate in early April 2009. The same bill was introduced in the Vermont House later in the month, numbered H.455.
Its sponsors include Democrats, Republicans, and a Progressive.
The Death with Dignity bill would have:
- Guaranteed that all adult Vermonters have a full range of legal end-of-life choices
- Assured that mentally-competent persons who are terminally ill have the right to choose the manner and timing of death
- Allowed a terminally ill, mentally-competent person to avoid the pain of a prolonged dying process by self-administering legally prescribed medication
Major provisions of the 2009 proposed legislation:
- In the opinion of two physicians, the life expectancy of the patient will be six months or less
- The patient must be mentally competent
- The patient must make two oral requests separated by a waiting period of at least 15 days
- The patient must sign a witnessed written request
- Two doctors must certify that the patient’s request is voluntary with no evidence of coercion
- The request is revocable by the patient at any time
- Medication would be prescribed by the doctor and self-administered by the patient
- Doctor participation is voluntary
- There would be no criminal liability for a physician, family member or caring friend who is present
- Health or life insurance policies cannot be nullified if a patient utilizes the law to end his/her life
- Euthanasia is not permitted
- The State Health Department would monitor prescriptions written under the provision
Chronology of House Bill H.44 in 2007
- 1/11/07 – The Vermont Aid-in-Dying bill was submitted as House Bill 44. The bill was also introduced in the Senate, S.63.
- 3/1/07 – The House Human Services Committee voted 7-4 to move the bill along after thorough study, extensive testimony, and the addition of more stringent safeguards than are in the Oregon Death with Dignity Act upon which it is modeled.
- 3/16/07 – The House Judiciary Committee voted favorably on the bill.
- 3/21/07 – The bill, H.44, was defeated on the floor of the House by a vote of 82 to 63. The Bennington Banner’s “Take a second look” editorial comments sagely on the result.
Oregon’s Death with Dignity law and Euthanasia in the Netherlands: Factual Disputes (2004)
Palliative Care
End-of-Life Care and Pain Management is the subject of Act 25. It was passed by both houses and signed by Governor Douglas in May 2009.
Vermont Advance Directive Forms are available on the website of the Vermont Ethics Network.
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