H.B. 5898, An Act Concerning Aid in Dying for Terminally Ill Patients

Decisions about end of life care are deeply personal. Each terminally ill person should have the right to make their own decisions about how to spend their final days and how to face death. This right to individual autonomy when making end of life decisions includes the decision to seek physician-assisted aid in dying, as well as the decision to continue living. The ACLU-CT supports this bill, because we believe all people should have the liberty to make personal, intimate decisions, not just about how to live but also about how to die. We encourage the legislature to tackle this issue, as other states have. However, it important that there are safeguards in place. We recognize the importance of ensuring that each person’s decision about end of life care is made voluntarily, not based on misinformation, pressure from others, or discriminatory misconceptions about people with disabilities. We support the rights of people living with disabilities, including their right to live full lives and to make their own decisions about their bodies and lives. It is critical that the legislature consult with disability rights groups to make sure the bill allows people their individual right to determine when to end their life but also closes any loopholes that could hurt vulnerable populations.