Minnesota Democrats on the verge of legalizing 'assisted suicide'

Shockingly, no fewer than ten states have already legalized assisted suicide, and one more state now aims to join that group.

According to AlphaNews, Democratic members of the Minnesota House gathered for a hearing on House File 1930, which would allow assisted suicide for residents of the state.

Heading up the push to legalize assisted suicide is Democratic state Rep. Mike Freiberg. At the hearing, he stood with terminally ill residents of the state and referred to the process as "medical aid in dying."

The outlet noted:

If passed into law, Rep. Freiberg’s legislation would allow anyone over the age of 18 who is diagnosed with a terminal illness prognosis of six months or less to end their life with physician-assisted suicide. The bill requires those seeking assisted suicide to be “mentally capable.”

Notably, the bill's language indicates that the person wishing to perform the physician-assisted suicide must self-administer the drugs that would end their life.

Also of note is language in the bill that says those seeking medical suicide do not have to be residents of Minnesota, meaning anyone from any other state can utilized the highly controversial practice, assuming they're of a sound mental state.

Democrats in Minnesota House advance radical assisted suicide bill https://t.co/OQ1IETKEct

— Alpha News (@AlphaNewsMN) January 26, 2024

One of the terminally ill individuals standing with the state lawmaker, Nancy Uden, made a profound statement during the hearing in voicing her support for the practice to be legalized.

"If there are no more treatment options, then I deserve more death options," Uden said.

There's been a push by Minnesota Democrats for nearly a decade to advance the bill and make it law, however, state Republicans routinely blocked the advancement of the bill.

That changed after the 2022 election when Democrats took majority control of the state's legislature.

The hearing also included testimony from those who are strongly against the practice, including Dr. Charles Dennis O’Hare, a physician who works with elderly patients and has served as a hospice medical director. He testified against the idea of legalizing assisted suicide.

During the hearing, Dr. O'Hare called the practice "fundamentally incompatible with the physician's role as healer."

The next official vote to advance the bill will happen on Feb. 12. With Democrats in control of the state legislature, it looks as though it has a strong chance of passing.