Definitions U.S. Historical Perspective and Current Trends Alaska Alaska Chronology California California Chronology California Death With Dignity Act Florida Florida Chronology Hawaii Hawaii Chronology Maine Maine Chronology Michigan Kevorkian Chronology Michigan Chronology Proposal B - Michigan's Ballot Initiative on Assisted Suicide New Hampshire New Hampshire Aid-in-Dying Act New Hampshire Chronology New York New York Chronology Oregon 1st Annual Report on Oregon's Death With Dignity Act (1998) 2nd Annual Report on Oregon's Death With Dignity Act (1999) 3rd Annual Report on Oregon's Death With Dignity Act (2000) 4th Annual Report on Oregon's Death With Dignity Act (2001) 5th Annual Report on Oregon's Death With Dignity Act (2002) Background of PAS in Oregon Eighth Annual Report on Assisted Suicide in Oregon. Executive Summary of the 5th Annual Report on Oregon's Death With Dignity Act (2002) How Do Oregon Psychologists View Their Role in Physician-Assisted Suicide? Measure 16 - Oregon Death With Dignity Act Oregon Chronology Oregon Physicians Attitudes About and Experiences With End-of-Life Care Since Passage of the Oregon Death With Dignity Act Oregon's Assisted Suicide Experience: Safeguards Don't Work Physician-Assisted Suicide: Reflections on Oregon's First Case Suicide in the West The Oregon Report: Don't Ask, Don't Tell Vermont Vermont Chronology Washington Initiative 119 - Washington Death With Dignity Act Washington Chronology |
Maine Chronology 1994 - 1996
- The state legislature defeated legislation that would have legalized physician-assisted suicide in Maine.
1998 - 1999
- The National Hemlock Society funded a statewide petition drive in Maine to place a physician-assisted suicide question on the November 2000 election ballot. They paid petition circulators and collected the necessary 40,000+ signatures to qualify for the ballot. They established a political action committee called "Death with Dignity" to carry out their efforts in Maine.
- The referendum question read, "Should a terminally ill adult who is of sound mind be allowed to ask for and receive a doctor's help to die?"
2000
- "Maine Citizens Against the Dangers of Physician-Assisted Suicide" was established as the lead organization and political action committee to oppose the referendum question. Maine Citizens Against the Dangers of Physician-Assisted Suicide included stakeholder groups such as Maine Medical Association, Maine Osteopathic Association, Maine Home Care Alliance, Alpha One (a statewide organization representing Maine's population with disabilities), Maine Hospice Council, and the Roman Catholic Diocese of Maine.
- Polling data was released showing 70% of Maine citizens favored physician-assisted suicide.
- Maine Citizens Against the Dangers of Physician-Assisted Suicide waged a ten-month, two million-dollar campaign educating the Maine public on the dangers of the proposed referendum, as well as the availability and benefits of hospice and palliative care. As the election got closer, the group became known as "No On One" since the physician-assisted suicide question was the first question listed on the election ballot.
- Death with Dignity waged an aggressive campaign, getting 95% of its funding from the National Hemlock Society and its allies, as well as from individual Hemlock Society members from around the country. Death with Dignity also spent $2 million.
- The November referendum question was defeated by a margin of 51.5% to 48.5%.
2001
- The stakeholders from the "No On One" campaign formed a lobbying organization, "Maine Citizens for End-of-Life Care", submitted legislation to improve end-of-life care, and invited the "Yes On One" stakeholders to join them in lobbying the legislation successfully through the Maine Legislature.
- Two bills were drafted: one containing many innovations to improve end-of-life care, and one to develop, implement and fund Maine's first Medicaid hospice benefit. Together the bills (1) established a Medicaid hospice benefit, funded at 23% above the Medicare rate; (2) mandated private insurers to cover hospice care and increased the threshold of care from 6 months to 12 months for a terminally ill patient; (3) established a Maine Center for End-of-Life Care for education, research and coordination of improved end-of-life care, pain management and palliative care; (4) provided $50,000 in direct funding to all Maine volunteer hospice organizations; and (5) developed and implemented a study of professional entry-level and continuing educational requirements related to end-of-life care for licensed health care professionals
- Both of the bills passed both the House and Senate and were signed into law by Governor Angus King on May 25, 2001.
Posted on June 26, 2004. |
