"Humane and Dignified Death Act"

This was a 1988 California proposal that would have allowed competent terminally-ill patients to request, and physicians to administer, "aid in dying to end their life in a painless, humane, and dignified manner." Under the provisions of the act such requests were to have been "enduring" and "voluntary" and take the form of a revocable written directive signed by two unrelated witnesses. Directives would become part of the patient’s medical records. Physicians who provided assistance would have been protected from criminal, civil and administrative liability. Those who, for reasons of conscience, could not accede to a patient’s request would have had to transfer the patient’s care. The proposal did not garner enough signatures to make the ballot.

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