Passing along Impt Info: Before July 30th, 2020 Contact Legislators in MA on this Impt Death With Dignity Act

Help make Massachusetts . . .

** the 10th state (Maine, Vermont, New Jersey, California, Oregon, Washington, Hawaii, Colorado, Montana) plus Washington DC to legalize the end-of-life option for terminally ill people called Death with Dignity, also known as medical, compassionate aid in dying;   AND

** the only state in the nation to pass such a law this year, thereby greatly improving the chances of other states, such as New York, New Hampshire, Maryland, Connecticut, Ohio, and New Mexico) to do so next year!

Besides the beauty and gifts of summer--peaches, corn, day lilies, and enough rain-- there is SOME good news these days . . . about the MA. Death w/Dignity bill!  

It was PASSED by the Legislature's 17-member Joint Committee on Public Health on May 29  by a substan-tial majority!  

So we're on our way toward becoming the lucky #10 in '20!  The bill is titled 'The End of Life Options Act' (House #4782 and Senate #2745).  Here's how you can help get it passed by the July 31 deadline for adjournment of the Legislature:

1)  Contact the Co-Chairs of the Joint Committee on HealthCare Financing, where the bill was referred after passage by the Joint Committee on Public Health.  Urge them to pass the bill by July 31 when the Legislature adjourns. 

Thank them for all they're doing to provide our commu-nities with medical and economic relief from the Covid19 crisis.  Tell them this bill would also offer relief from the severe pain and suffering experienced by many terminally ill people, and offer them the option of a peaceful death at home with loved ones rather than potentially alone in a hospital.

Sen. Cindy Friedman   617-722-1432    cindy.friedman@masenate.gov

Rep. Daniel Cullinane   617-722-2430       daniel.cullinane@mahouse.gov

2)  Forward this action alert to your family, friends, and colleagues around the state, and ask them to do the same.

3)  Contact your friends and family in other states, especially in the Northeast; and urge them to contact people they know in Mass. and to encourage them to contact their MA. legislators to support passing 'The End of Life Options Act' (H.4782, S.2745) by July 31.

4)  Contact your own legislators, and let them know

-- you're glad the Public Health Committee passed The End of Life Options Act (thank them if they happen to be on that Committee);

-- you urge them to support its passage by the Joint Committee on HealthCare Financing, and then the full House and Senate, by July 31;

-- you also appreciate and support all they're doing to provide much-needed medical and economic support to our communities from the Covid19 crisis.

5)   Only if you live in (or know anyone who lives in) Speaker of the House Rep. Robert DeLeo's district of Winthrop and Revere; and Senate President Sen. Karen Spilka's district of Framingham, Natick, Hopkinton, Holliston, Ashland, Franklin, and Medway:

  Contact these legislative leaders and thank them for all they're doing to provide medical and economic relief for our communities during the Covid19 crisis.  And urge them to support passage of The End of Life Options Act (H.4782 and S.2745)--first by the Joint Committee on HealthCare Financing, then by a full floor vote in the House and Senate.

Rep. Robert DeLeo  617-722-2500  Robert.DeLeo@mahouse.gov

Sen. Karen Spilka    617-722-1500

Karen.Spilka@masenate.gov

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And here are some good recent TV and radio news stories, newspaper articles, and other resources about the Death with Dignity campaign:

--6/29/20    CBS-TV Channel 3 News Springfield: interview (host Sabrina Reilley) with John Berkowitz and Dr. David Clive

https://www.westernmassnews.com/advocates-hoping-for-passage-of-death-with-dignity-bill/video_a076bdd2-14ae-526c-b39d-33d68a32ded5.html

--6/30/20     WGBY Public TV Springfield interview (host Carrie Saldo) with John Berkowitz and Dr. Douglas Barnshaw, Springfield

https://connectingpoint.wgby.org/death-with-dignity-bill-supporters-john-berkowitz-dr-douglas-barnshaw/

--7/6/20      WAMC Northeast Public Radio interview (host Josh Landes, Berkshires Bureau Chief) with John Berkowitz  and Dr. Lewis Cohen, Baystate Medical Center, Springfield

https://www.wamc.org/post/bill-allow-medically-assisted-death-mass-awakens-old-debate

--7/16/20    WWLP Channel 22 News Springfield

(its public affairs program 'In Focus' with host Ciara Stiller:  discussion of End of Life Options Act with John Berkowitz, Dr. Kate Aktinson (Amherst) and Dr. Shelly Berkowitz (Northampton)

https://www.wwlp.com/news/infocus/infocus-in-support-of-the-massachusetts-end-of-life-options-act/

--Op-Ed article by three of our 'elder statesmen' between the ages of 86 and 97 in the Newburyport Daily News (May 16), Berkshire Eagle (May 28), Daily Hampshire Gazette (Northampton, May 30), and Salem News (June 11).  It's titled:  "Three Elders Support Passage of Death with Dignity Bill". 

 https://www.salemnews.com/opinionletters_to_the_editor/letter-support-the-death-with-dignity-law

-- Do you have a personal story about a loved one whose death was particularly difficult, and they wished they'd had the option of medical, compassionate aid in dying?  In this final push to pass the bill-- and make Massachusetts the 10th state, plus Washington DC, to authorize this option for its terminally ill citizens facing great suffering at the end of life--personal stories and experiences are the most convinc-ing way to impact legislators to vote our way and pass The End of Life Options Act.  Please let us know if you'd like to share yours with legislators and the public.
 

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Thanks for your support!

John Berkowitz, Northampton, Director

Western Mass. Death with Dignity

413-387-8439  

westernmassdeathwithdignity@gmail.com

westernmassachusettsdeathwithdignity.org