Bill Would Repeal Assisted Suicide Law

A measure to repeal Oregon’s assisted suicide law was placed in the legislative pipeline Monday when an Oregon House panel voted to introduce the bill for consideration.

Afterward, the Judiciary Committee’s chairman said the issue needs a full legislative airing because assisted suicide was approved by voters in 1994 after a campaign of “30-second sound bites” by the opposing sides.

“We’re going to look at all of the issues. We think a very substantive discussion of Measure 16 is needed,” Rep. John Minnis, a Portland Republican, said of his panel’s decision to introduce the repeal bill.

Minnis said he expects that the Judiciary Committee will produce some sort of bill to repeal or otherwise modify the assisted suicide law that will end up being debated in the full House.

“I wouldn’t put the committee through this unless it was necessary to clear the air,” said Minnis, who personally opposes assisted suicide.

Oregon’s assisted suicide law, which is on hold pending the outcome of court cases, allows a patient to request a lethal dose of drugs if at least two doctors determine that the person has less than six months to live.

A leading opponent of assisted suicide, Robert Castagna of the Oregon Catholic Conference, said he was pleased that the Judiciary Committee had decided to force a legislative debate on the issue.

Castagna and other opponents say Oregon’s assisted suicide statute is a step toward legalized euthanasia, or mercy killing.

A lawyer for the chief sponsors of the assisted suicide law, Eli Stutsman, disputed the notion that Measure 16 was passed by voters after a perfunctory debate.

“It was an issue that was debated almost exhaustively in 1994,” Stutsman said. “There’s no good reason to defeat the will of the voters in 1997.”

Stutsman also said be believes most Oregonians still want to legalize physician-assisted suicide.