LIFE MATTERS MEDIA STAFF

An Arizona lawmaker has introduced a controversial bill granting terminally ill patients the right to end their own lives with doctor-prescribed drugs.

The measure by state Sen. Barbara McGuire, D-Kearny, would allow seriously ill patients with a life-expectancy of six months or less to end their lives. Patients must submit both oral and written requests. The measure would also make it illegal to tamper with or forge a patient’s request.

Physician-assisted suicide is legal in only a handful of states, including Washington, Oregon, Vermont and Montana. California Gov. Jerry Brown was the latest governor to sign a controversial “right-to-die” proposal into law in October.

A recent Rocky Mountain Poll found that 58 percent of Arizona residents favor right-to-die legislation based on a sample size of 700 adults with a 3.8 percent margin of error.

Senate Bill 1136 is likely to face several hurdles on its way to becoming law, The Associated Press reports, because Republicans control the Legislature and are unlikely to back the measure. Republican Gov. Doug Ducey opposes physician-assisted suicide.

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