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Wisconsin AG seeks to stop Elon Musk's $1M payments at rally giveaway; Rural advocates urge CA lawmakers to safeguard banking protections; Federal, state job cuts threaten FL workers' rights, services; Alabama counties lack high-speed internet and health access.

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President Trump says there are ways for him to take a third term. New tariffs are scheduled for this week, but economists say they'll hurt buying power. And advocates say the Trans Day of Visibility is made more important by state legislation.

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Rural folks face significant clean air and water risks due to EPA cutbacks, a group of policymakers is working to expand rural health care via mobile clinics, and a new study maps Montana's news landscape.

DE Legislature approves End-of-Life Options Act for terminally ill patients

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Friday, June 28, 2024   

The Delaware General Assembly has approved legislation to allow terminally ill adults access to prescription drugs so if they are suffering, they can choose to die peacefully in their sleep.

Called the End-of-Life Options Act, the bill was approved this week by the state Senate following its passage in April in the House. Legislators have wrestled with this issue for almost a decade.

Judy Govatos, a resident of Wilmington, has battled cancer for much of the same time period. She is currently in remission but when the time comes, she said she wants to "die with dignity."

"At 80, I still have lymphoma, so it's not gone and it's in my bone marrow, and it'll come back, and I'm old, and I'll die," Govatos said. "But I really don't want to do any kind of chemo again. It's just too much. I want quality of life."

Gov. John Carney has not said whether he plans to sign the bill and his office did not respond to a request for comment. Several Republican lawmakers have expressed moral concerns about the bill, questioning the need for it with recent advances in hospice and palliative care.

The bill, backed by groups such as Compassion & Choices and other advocates, allows mentally capable, terminally ill adults to request and self-ingest prescription medication to end their suffering. Two health care providers must certify the person seeking aid has fewer than six months to live.

Govatos thinks many people have unrealistic notions about their life's end.

"If you ask them, 'How do you want to die?' 'I want to be hit by a bus, or die in my bed.' Unfortunately, more than 80% of Americans will die in a hospital or a nursing home," Govatos pointed out. "I don't want to be in either one of those. Having this is the security of knowing that I can leave gracefully."

The measure is supported by three of four Delaware physicians. While the bill passed the General Assembly mostly along party lines, Govatos hopes it will be seen differently.

"What I would like for this, honestly, is that this wouldn't be a right-left, red-blue dogma issue," Govatos added. "This is about having choices at the end of life and to leave life gracefully, saying goodbye and I love you."


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