Religious Group Fights Aid-in-Dying Bill

The Connecticut Catholic Public Affairs Conference is petitioning a bill that would allow doctors to prescribe medications intended to end the lives of their terminally ill patients.

Aid-in-dying, or physician-assisted suicide, has become a nationwide conversation following the death of Brittany Maynard, a 29-year-old newlywed who moved to Oregon to "die with dignity" when symptoms of her incurable brain cancer became debilitating.

Oregon is one of only four states that have adopted aid-in-dying laws, but Connecticut could potentially join the ranks.

Although a recent Quinnipiac Poll shows most Connecticut voters favor aid-in-dying legislation for terminally ill patients, lawmakers heard deeply divided testimony when they took up an assisted-suicide bill at a hearing last week.

The Connecticut Public Affairs Conference is clearly among those opposed to the legislation. According to a spokesperson for the group, representatives delivered a petition with 21,000 signatures to the state Judiciary Committee around 11 a.m. Monday.

The conference has also lauched a public awareness campaign called "Don't Jump CT", which bears the slogan, "Physician-Assisted Suicide: Let's learn more before we leap to a decision."

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