California's End-Of-Life Law Goes Back Into Effect

CALIFORNIA -- A California law allowing terminally patients to end their lives was reinstated by a state appeals court this week, one month after a judge ruled the End of Option Act unconstitutional.

End of Life Option Act allows terminally ill adult patients with the capacity to make medical decisions to be prescribed an aid-in-dying medication. The law went into effect in June 2016 after Gov. Jerry Brown signed it into law in October 2015.

However, last month, Riverside County Superior Court Judge Daniel Ottolia ruled that California lawmakers did not legally approve of the law as it was done during a special session of the legislature.

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California Attorney General Becerra praised this week's ruling by the Fourth District Appellate Court.

“This ruling provides some relief to California patients, their families, and doctors who have been living in uncertainty while facing difficult health decisions," Becerra said. "Today’s court ruling is an important step to protect and defend the End of Life Option Act for our families across the state.”

In an opinion piece, a member of the Patients' Rights Action Fund, which opposes the End of Life Act, called the law a "mistake."

"Suicide is not medical care, and we should not treat it as such," the op-ed said. "We urge California to seize this opportunity to help people with terminal illness, with economic disadvantage, and with disabilities by accepting Judge Ottolia’s ruling and rejecting the assisted suicide law."

Opponents of the recent ruling will have until July 2 to appeal the decision.

The state is just one of several to have a law that allows terminally ill patients to take their own lives. Many of the bills were modeled after Oregon's Death with Dignity Act.

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