California coalition fights on against assisted suicide bill

Published: 2007-03-29

LOS ANGELES (CNS) -- Buoyed by the resounding defeat of an assisted suicide bill in Vermont March 21, opponents of AB 374 -- the California Compassionate Choices Act -- are stepping up statewide campaign efforts against the measure proposing the legalization of physician-assisted suicide. Members of Californians Against Assisted Suicide, a diverse coalition that includes medical professionals, disability rights groups, pro-life advocates and religious leaders, are actively lobbying legislators to reject AB 374. Although the bill passed its first hearing March 27 in the Assembly Judiciary Committee along party lines (all seven Democrats voted in favor and all three Republicans voted against), coalition leaders are optimistic that AB 374 won't breeze through its next assigned hearing, as yet unscheduled, in the Appropriations Committee. Coalition representatives have already begun contacting Assembly members "who may be more open to listening to our public policy arguments against AB 374," said Carol Hogan, communications director for the California Catholic Conference.

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