By Wesley J. Smith, J.D., Special Consultant to the CBC

Many anti assisted suicide advocates worry that Idaho is on the pro-doctor prescribed death target list for legalization, probably by test court case, since there is not a specific law prohibiting assisted suicide. A just filed bill, S 1070, seeks to change that. From the bill (PDF):

18-4017. CAUSING A SUICIDE — ASSISTING IN A SUICIDE — INJUNCTIVE RELIEF — REVOCATION OF LICENSE — EXCEPTIONS. (1) A person is guilty of a felony if such person knowingly by force or duress causes another person to commit or to attempt to commit suicide. (2) A person is guilty of a felony if such person, with the purpose of assisting another person to commit or to attempt to commit suicide, knowingly and intentionally either:
(a) Provides the physical means by which another person commits or attempts to commit suicide; or
(b) Participates in a physical act by which another person commits or attempts to commit suicide.

The bill would also permit injunctions against a pending assisted suicide and for stripping the licenses of doctors who assist suicides. Pass this please.

Meanwhile, in other states: Montana — which is in a very confusing situation in the wake of the Supreme Court’s weird decision declaring assisted suicide not against public policy with regard to its advance medical directives law — has competing bills, one to legalize explicitly and one to prohibit explicitly. Hawaii’s State Senate just defeated a legalization bill in committee. Vermont has a legalization bill pending.

No rest for the weary.

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