Urge a Veto on SB 380

September 28, 2021

SB 380 eliminates the 15-day waiting period safeguard from California’s assisted suicide End of Life Option Act. It cuts the wait time to request "aid-in-dying" medication from 15 days down to a mere 48 hours. The waiting period is necessary to make sure that the person is not being impulsive or coerced.

WE NEED YOU TO JOIN US IN URGING GOVERNOR NEWSOM TO VETO SB 380.

Call (916) 445-2841; fax: (916) 558-3160; or email via https://govapps.gov.ca.gov/gov40mail/ (click on CONTACT and then choose the email feature to send a message. Use the roller bar to select the subject; after entering your information, click on "CON" to indicate your position on the bill).

Below is a suggested message to copy and paste into the comment box:

Veto SB-380.

SB 380 strips vital protections from California's assisted suicide law.

When the End of Life Act passed proponents emphasized the strong safeguards it had in place to protect Californians—namely, the 15-day wait period.

But now, after only four years, SB 380 will eliminate that 15-day wait period to just 48 hours, in addition to ending the bill sunset and the 2026 legislative reevaluation promised in the original bill.

This is despite the fact that End of Life Act proponents promised sound decision making and information-gathering to evaluate the law's impact.

Not only does SB 380 remove important safeguards, particularly related to mental health and coercion—known problems in the arena of assisted suicide—it also widens the health equity gap plaguing Californians of color.

Senate Bill 380 puts California's vulnerable population at risk of coercion to choose suicide, and ignores both mental health issues and the healthcare disparity between white and non-white Californians.

I urge you to VETO SB 380.