By NANCY WEST, InDepthNH.org
CONCORD – Call it what you will, the possibility of legalizing assisted suicide still brings out the emotions on both sides of the issue as it did Wednesday for House Bill 254, which is called The New Hampshire End of Life Freedom Act.
Representatives Hall in the State House was about half full Wednesday with people sharing stories of the loss of loved ones and why the House Judiciary Committee should or should not make it legal for people to decide when is the right time for them to die.
House Bill 254’s prime sponsor Rep. Bob Lynn, R-Windham said: “What it really is about is giving people at the end of their life the freedom to end their life in a dignified way rather than endure continual suffering.”
The bill says it establishes a procedure for individuals with terminal illnesses to receive medical assistance in dying through the self-administration of medicine.
The bill explains it also modifies criminal penalties, and/or changes statute to which there is a penalty for violation.
The online testimony on the bill showed 619 in favor of it and 266 against.
Dr. Bradley Eckert’s written testimony said he is a hospice and palliative medicine physician living and working in New Hampshire.
“Today, we can join our neighbors in Vermont and Maine, allowing Granite Staters the option to alleviate suffering and provide the critical freedom to decide when living with a serious illness is no longer bearable,” Eckert wrote.
“Hospice and Palliative care clinicians dedicate hours to ascertain what quality of life means to someone, what tradeoffs they are willing to accept as their health declines, and what continues to provide meaning and value. In our complicated and broken healthcare system, these are some of the treasured moments we get to spend exploring what matters most in the end,” he said.
More recently he’s had many Granite Staters asking about this option, particularly since Vermont’s residency requirement is no longer in place. “These are conversations already taking place in homes, exam rooms, and hospital beds across our state. New Hampshire residents deserve the same freedom as their neighbors in Vermont and Maine, rather than being forced to leave their home, health care team, and/or hospice agency that they have learned to trust,” Eckert said.
Bishop Peter Libasci, the Roman Catholic Bishop of Manchester said the bill says the person must have free will and give consent and be of sound mind and conscious.
“For us that becomes a very serious issue for a Catholic human being and the Catholic church. Why? Because for time immemorial, the conditions for a mortal sin is the person knows it is gravely wrong.
“What will happen is we have had suicides many times. This is serious for a Catholic to be involved with,” Bishop Libasci said.
Dr. Philip Lawson with 30 years of experience said his thinking over the years has changed.
“I began my career believing that MAID was at best questionable ethically, was risky, and should not be necessary if people could access high quality palliative care. Over my entire career, I have believed in the personal, spiritual, and relational growth that can be achieved in the hard work of caring for the dying. With rare exception, my patients want the ability to have access to MAID. I have had patients of all spiritual traditions, socioeconomic status, abilities and disabilities, occupations and belief systems; including, to my shock, a retired devout Catholic nun, request information about access to MAID. The vast majority of my patients do not think they will use MAID, but they want to know that it can be there for them if they choose.
“I now believe it is our responsibility, for those who are already dying, to honor and support how each person wishes their final hours of life to be lived. I hope you will consider carefully your role in this process and support HB 254,” Lawson said.
