Washington was one of the first states to allow doctors to provide terminally-ill patients with drugs they could take to end their lives. Supporters say the law needs an update to make it less burdensome for those patients to carry out their wishes.
The bill allows life-ending drugs to be mailed to patients using certified mail or delivery courier. It allows a patient to receive drugs quicker after requesting them, the waiting period shortened from 15 days to seven. And, says one of the bill’s main sponsors, Walla Walla Republican Skyler Rude, it adds physician assistants and nurse practitioners to the list of medical professionals who can prescribe life-ending drugs.
“Many primary care providers are not physicians. Mine is a nurse practitioner and if I was in a position where I was terminally ill, qualified to use the law, I would want my primary care provider, who’s been with me and understands my needs and my health to be one of those providers. So I think that’s a really important change," he said during debate on the House floor last week.
The Democrat-led House approved the bill by a mostly party line (53-43) vote. Spokane Valley Republican Leonard Christian was one of the nos.
“What we’re doing here was approved by the voters and I understand it. But the voters were very clear to put up some guidelines, some guardrails, and it seems like we’re moving these guardrails. This is a final decision. It’s not like you’re buying a car. It’s a final decision," he said.
The Senate also approved the bill on a mostly party line vote (28-20). It now goes to the governor.
