Death With Dignity Legislation Proposed In Pennsylvania

PITTSBURGH (NewsRadio 1020 KDKA) - Two Pennsylvania legislators have entered two bills into the state House and Senate proposing a similar law to Oregon's Death With Dignity Act.

Currently this allows Oregon adult residents who are terminally ill to obtain and self-administer a lethal does of medication from their doctor.

In 2008 Democrat Senator Daylin Leach first introduced his Death With Dignity legislation. Senate Bill 1032 was introduced in June of 2013 and states the, "procedures regarding the request and dispensation of lethal medication to patients seeking to die in a dignified and humane manner, (The General Assembly)."

"'This is not assisted suicide,' Brittany Maynard said it best, she said I have no interest in suicide, I want to live, if they could cure this cancer I would be thrilled," said Senator Leach. "This is not about people who are depressed because their girlfriend broke up with them, or their stock portfolio crashed."

The senator explained that this legislation is for those who are going to die and the only question is how they will die. He firmly believes that everyone deserves the chance to say how they want to die. Some may want to die at a certain time while some may just want their "unbearable suffering" to end as soon as possible.