Annapolis, MD – On a split vote, a measure that would give certain terminally ill patients the right to end their lives was defeated in the Maryland Senate Wednesday, March 27. All three Southern Maryland Senators—Senate President Mike Miller and fellow Democrat Arthur Ellis and Republican Jack Bailey—voted opposed to the End of Life Options Act. The vote was 23 in favor, 23 opposed and one abstention. Twenty-four votes were needed to pass the legislation. The End of Life Options Act had received the approval of the House of Delegates on a narrow vote earlier this month.
Advocates for the measure expressed disappointment at the Senate vote, but vowed to continue fighting. “We appreciate the strong leadership of the bill sponsors, Delegate Shane Pendergrass and Senator Will Smith, who advanced the bill farther than ever before,” said Kim Callinan, a 22-year Maryland resident and CEO of Compassion & Choices, which led the grassroots campaign to pass the bill. “While the Senate bill had troubling amendments, we believe the bill could have been fixed if the legislative process had continued.”
Contact Marty Madden at marty.madden@thebaynet.com