ID governor asks legislature to revisit bill
ID governor asks legislature to revisit bill
Bill impacts end-of-life decisions
Compassion & Choices, an advocacy group for "aid in dying" at the end of life, reports that Idaho Gov. Butch Otter, in a letter to the Idaho Senate, encouraged the legislature to revisit a particular bill.
The bill will authorize health care workers to ignore the wishes of terminally ill patients, according to Compassion & Choices.
The group hailed the governor's "concern for honoring decisions within living will and powers of attorney concerning end-of-life treatment." However, the group expressed disappointment that the governor allowed the legislation to become law without signing it.
According to Compassion & Choices, S1353 could "potentially affect end-of-life care by removing the patient's own decision-making and putting the decision in the hands of health care professions, who, based on their own religious or moral beliefs, could choose, or choose not to, follow certain end-of-life directives determined by the patient.
Compassion & Choices President Barbara Coombs Lee said the bill would "protect doctors, nurses, and other health care workers who refuse to treat pain and suffering of a dying patient, if they believe in the redemptive power of suffering."
"If a professional's faith dictates individuals should face death while conscious, they could refuse to provide the treatment known as 'palliative sedation' . . . ," Lee said.
Compassion & Choices, an advocacy group for "aid in dying" at the end of life, reports that Idaho Gov. Butch Otter, in a letter to the Idaho Senate, encouraged the legislature to revisit a particular bill.Subscribe Now for Access
You have reached your article limit for the month. We hope you found our articles both enjoyable and insightful. For information on new subscriptions, product trials, alternative billing arrangements or group and site discounts please call 800-688-2421. We look forward to having you as a long-term member of the Relias Media community.