MFRW Weekly Legislative Update February 24th
Ella Ennis
MFRW Legislative Chair
Attached please find the MFRW Weekly Legislative Update as of February 24th.
Committee votes are happening faster now so be sure to check the "Status" column on bills of concern to you.
Bill hearings highlighted in red will occur this week; and House Bills that you must sign up for on Thursday (for the following Monday) and Friday (for the following Tuesday) are highlighted in blue.
This week there will be a hearing on SB 0798 - Constitutional Amendment to the Declaration of Rights to establish a Right to Reproductive Freedom. It will have a hearing on Wednesday, March 1st at 1 p.m. in Senate Finance Committee. Now is the time to send emails to the members of the Finance Committee to voice your concerns. SB0798 is the companion bill to HB 705 that had a hearing last week. Thank you so much Barb Pivec who provided excellent testimony in person for the MFRW opposing this Constitutional Amendment.
Also, this week in Senate Finance is a hearing on SB460 - Gender Affirming Surgery that needs, at a minimum, an amendment to restrict such surgery to ADULTS. Young people under 21 do not have the maturity to make an irreversible decision on removing their reproductive related body parts.
The very serious issue of assisted suicide is again before the Maryland General Assembly. Hearings on both the Senate bill SB 845 and HB 933 will be held next week.
SB 845 hearing - March 7 in JPC
HB 933 hearing - March 10 in HGO
This legislation requires that the person asking for assistance in dying be able to self-administer the drugs, and that the request be voluntary, there is no way to be sure that a person is not pressured to take this action. The requirement that a person "is likely" to die within 6 months is very broad.
In states where assisted suicide is legal individuals have been denied treatment for cancer as being "not appropriate" for their condition and offered lethal drugs to end their life. In some countries, such as Canada the process has evolved to allowing a person who is too poor to request aid in dying. Others allow assisted suicide for children.
Instead of assisted suicide, Maryland should take actions to ensure that people with terminal illnesses are able to receive the medical services and pain medication and other assistance that they need to live out their lives with dignity.