After suffering a narrow defeat in 2012, proponents of a “Death with Dignity” law in Massachusetts are hopeful that an increase in public support for aid in dying legislation will influence state lawmakers. Proposed legislation would allow physicians to prescribe life-ending medications to some terminally ill, mentally competent adults.

More than 70 percent of likely Massachusetts voters support “Death with Dignity” legislation; that marks a ten point increase from 2012, according to Purple Strategies polling. Nearly 80 percent said they oppose government interference in the decisions that terminally ill patients could make with their families and doctors.

Last month, more than 7,000 petitions were signed by Massachusetts residents and delivered to the Public Safety Committee in hopes that they would release a bill for a House vote. Marie Manis, campaign manager with advocacy group Compassion & Choices, said she believes the proposals will offer terminally ill patients more end of life choices.

“If these legislators are listening to their constituents, they will move quickly and take this bill up, again, for the sake of thousands of terminally ill Massachusetts residents and the people who love them. This is good legislation, and we are confident that with further study, the committee will recognize its merits,” Manis said in a statement. “Citizens understand their government has no business interfering in their personal medical decisions and limiting their end of life choices.”

The bill must be approved by the Massachusetts legislature, as it cannot come to a state-wide ballot vote for two election cycles, according to the state Constitution. In 2012, 51 percent of Massachusetts voters voted against the legislation. The Vermont legislature passed a similar measure in 2013, the Patient Choice and Control at End of Life Act, based on Oregon’s 1994 aid in dying law.

Peg Sandeen, executive director of the Death with Dignity National Center based in Portland, OR, told LMM that Massachusetts could become the first “big state” to enact “Death with Dignity” legislation.

“We want to build up New England, and Massachusetts is an important state,” Sandeen said. “The people are pretty clear on what they want, and the polling shows that, but legislators are usually scared of these issues, partly because of the death taboo in America.”

But many medical professionals and religious conservatives argue “Death with Dignity” laws diminish the sanctity of life. State Rep. Vinnie DeMacedo, a Republican, told New England Cable News the legislation marks a “slippery slope.”

“We, as a society, are saying that it’s okay that a doctor can decide and help end somebody’s life,” Macedo said. “What is the diagnosis, and is it two months? Is it four months? Is it 15 months? We don’t know.”

The Roman Catholic Church was one of the most vocal opponents of the 2012 measure.

“In 2012, primarily Catholic organizations spent five times as much on advertising in the final weeks before the ballot vote than we did. They threw money at it,” Anne Singer, campaign communications manager with Compassion & Choices, told LMM. “But lawmakers are listening to us and our supporters. We are very hopeful.”