Proposition Summary

PHYSICIAN-ASSISTED DEATH. TERMINAL CONDITION. INITIATIVE STATUTE. • Authorizes mentally competent adult to request in writing '''aid in dying", as defined, in event terminal condition is diagnosed. Establishes rules for executing, witnessing, revoking request. • If properly requested, authorizes physician to terminate life in "painless, humane and dignified manner"; provides immunity from civil or criminal liability for participating health care professionals, facilities. • Allows physicians, health care professionals, privately owned hospitals to refuse assistance in dying if religiously, morally, ethically opposed. • Provides requesting, receiving authorized assistance "not suicide." • Prohibits existence or non-existence of directive from affecting insurance' policy terms, sale, renewal, cancellation, premiums. Summary of Legislative Analyst's Estimate of Net State and Local Government Fiscal Impact: • Potential costs and savings to state and local government health programs. Net impact is unknown, but probably not significant.

Proposition Number

161

Year

1992

Document Type

Proposition

Pass/Fail

Fail

Popular Vote Results

Y: 4863478; A: 45.87; N: 5739918; B: 54.13

Election Type

General Election

Proposition Type

Initiative statute

For Author

Warren L. Bostick, M.D., Past President, California Medical Association; Mae Ziskin, Ph.D., Former President, California Psychological Association; Douglas I. Norris, Senior Minister, First United Methodist Church, Palo Alto, California

Against Author

Mary Foley, President, California Nurses Association; Jo Ann Siemsen, President, California State Hospice Association; Pamela Kushner, M.D., Family Physician

Rebuttal Author

Larry Lutz, Member, Past Chair California Commission on Aging; Connie Huff, Executive Director, Organization of Nurse Executives -- California; Edward Roberts, President, World Institute on Disability

Rebuttal Against Author

Warren L. Bostick, M.D., Past President, California Medical Association; Charlotte P. Ross, Former Vice President, International Association for Suicide Prevention; Douglas I. Norris, Senior Minister, First United Methodist Church, Palo Alto, California

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