Compassionate Care (H 7297)

Legislation aimed to make Rhode Island the next state to adopt “death with dignity” legislation, allowing terminal patients to obtain medication to end their lives. The ACLU submitted testimony before the House Health, Education and Welfare committee in support of this legislation in April. The ACLU noted that while some individuals facing terminal illnesses may choose to pursue aggressive medical treatment, others, in conjunction with their families and their doctors, wish to end their lives with dignity. By rejecting the validity of that second option, Rhode Island law interferes in private medical decisions, severely limiting the autonomy of patients and their families to determine the appropriate course of care. The bill was not voted on.