Assembly Passes Assisted Suicide Bill by One Vote!

Action needed to defeat it in the Senate!‏

Marie Tasy, Executive Director 
New Jersey Right to Life

Yesterday, the NJ Assembly passed Bill A2270, the NJ Physician Assisted Suicide bill by only one vote. The vote tally was 41-31. Although it is disappointing that the bill passed the Assembly, we should not be discouraged because our message is getting heard!

We made quite an impact yesterday. We want to thank Doctors David Stevens, the Executive Director for the Academy of Medical Ethics, Dr. Matthew Suh, Pancreatic Surgeon, Dr. Ana Gomes, Family Practitioner, and Dr. Richard A. Watson, an Urologist. These doctors took time from their very busy schedules to speak passionately and forcefully against A2270 at our Press Conference and meet with legislators to urge them to oppose A2270. We also wish to thank all the disability rights advocates, patient advocates and pastors who attended our press conference yesterday and spoke so eloquently against the bill (Kate Blisard – Director of the People and Disability Network, who also read a powerful statement written by Norman Smith from Project Freedom Inc.; Dawn Parkot, The Climb Organization; Pastor Bryan Miller, Pastor Somerset Bible Church; Hospice Nurse, Patricia Staley).

We also want to thank all the 75+ folks (including high school students) who joined us down in Trenton yesterday. We passed out lapel stickers, which clearly identified us as opposing Bill A2270 and we outnumbered proponents of the bill who were also at the State House. We lined the halls of the State House to represent a public presence against the bill and asked lawmakers who were arriving for their meetings to vote No on A2270.

We also want to thank Assemblyman Jay Webber (R-26) and Assemblyman Bob Auth (R-39) for speaking out so passionately and strongly against the bill during the floor debate. During Assemblyman Webber’s floor exchange with Assemblyman Burzichelli (the bill's sponsor), Assemblyman Webber said he noticed there was no prohibition on taxpayer funding of assisted suicide in the bill. Assemblyman Webber then asked if it was the sponsor’s intention to require public funding of physician assisted suicide. Burzichelli’s response was affirmative that they chose to leave it out of the bill and leave it up to the decision of those in the medical establishment regarding the handling of reimbursement for this practice. It is important to note that without an express prohibition in the bill to prohibit taxpayer funding of assisted suicide, it leaves the door open to the use of public funds. It’s amazing that the bill passed after this admission by the sponsor, especially among the four Republicans who voted for it, all of whom claim to be fiscal conservatives.

We also wish to thank all the Democrats and Republicans who voted No on this terribly flawed and misguided bill. 

Unfortunately, four Republicans (who all claim to be fiscal conservatives) voted with 37 Democrats to pass it. They were Asw. Maria Rodriguez-Gregg (R-8), Asm. Declan O’Scanlon (R-13), Asm. Jack Ciatterilli (R-16), and Asw. Holly Schepisi (R-39).

Four Democrats voted No on the bill. They were Joseph Egan (D-17), Nancy Pinkin (D-18), Sheila Oliver (D-34), Gary Schaer (D-36). Democrats who were present, but did not vote on the bill were Herb Conaway way (D-7), Ralph Caputo (D-28), and Cleopatra Tucker (D-28).

Now that the bill passed the Assembly, it will be referred to the State Senate.

Please do the following:

1. View the vote tally to see how your two Assembly members voted. View the tally HERE, then call and email both Assembly members. Thank those who voted No on A2270. If your Assembly Member(s) voted yes on the bill, please call them to let them know that you have taken note of their vote and that you are strongly displeased with their vote to legalize this heinous practice in our state. 

2. Contact your State Senator and urge him or her to Vote No on A2270. If you don’t know who your State Senator is, you can call the Office of Legislative Services at 1-800-792-8630 during regular hours and provide your town and county and they will provide you with the name of your State Senator. You can also go the NJ Legislature’s webpage and look up your State Senator by municipality. Here is the link to this page

3. Please call and email Governor Christie and urge him to veto A2270 if it reaches his desk.
Governor Christie: 609 292-6000  Email: http://www.state.nj.us/governor/contact/

Use “health” for the topic. For the sub-topic, use “family health/nutrition”

Below are two links to media coverage of yesterday’s press conference and the vote:

http://7online.com/politics/new-jerseys-assisted-suicide-bill-passes-state-assembly/393387/

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mjmFGSVWxUE

Thank you for acting on our alerts. We will keep you posted on any further developments.