Assisted Suicide signed into law in NJ by Gov Murphy

The law will take effect Aug. 1. ( Erev Rosh Chodesh Menachem AV 5779)

Gov. Phil Murphy on Friday signed into law the hard-fought “Aid in Dying” legislation that will give New Jersey adults with less than six months to live the right to request their doctor prescribe a lethal dose of medication to cut short weeks or even days of suffering.
After seven years of sorrowful and often bitter debate between medical professionals, religious leaders and advocates for the sick and people with disabilities, New Jersey joins California, Colorado, Montana, Oregon, Vermont, Washington state, Hawai‘i and Montana with aid in dying laws. It is also legal in Washington D.C. NJ.com



Murphy, a Democrat, signed the law (A1504) in a private ceremony with state Assemblyman John Burzichelli, D-Burlington, the bill’s prime sponsor and driving force, and some of the bill’s most vocal advocates.

Murphy signed it a few weeks after Democratic-controlled state Legislature passed the measure along party lines.

With assistance from the national nonprofit organization that promotes aid in dying laws, Compassion and Choices, supporters convinced legislators that people wanted the right to decide how they would live their final days.

Opponents argued the law cheapens life and will make the sickest and frailest people feel obliged to give up in order to spare their loved ones a painful and expensive end. Avoiding pain is the sixth most common reason Oregonians cited for using law. The loss of autonomy, the ability to enjoy life and dignity were mentioned more often, according to that state’s annual report on its death with dignity law.


“With the signing of this bill to legalize assisted suicide, many vulnerable New Jerseyans are now at risk of deadly harm through mistakes, coercion, and abuse," said Matt Valliere, executive director of the Patients Rights Action Fund, which works to block aid in dying laws. “People with disabilities, the economically disadvantaged, and terminally ill patients are at greatest risk - dangerous public policies often ignore the voices of the vulnerable.”

In New Jersey, the law applies to adults who have received a terminal diagnosis, defined as an incurable, irreversible and medically confirmed disease that will end the person’s life within six months.


The legislation states disabilities are not considered terminal illnesses, addressing a worry that physically or mentally challenged people would be vulnerable to coercion. Anyone who coerces a patient into requesting or taking the medication would face up to three to five years in prison, a $15,000 or both.

Patients will have to verbally ask their doctor twice over the span of 15 days, during which time patients would also need to submit a request in writing, stating they had been “fully informed” of palliative care, pain control and other alternatives. A second physician would need to verify the diagnosis.


Either physician who is unsure about the patient’s mental capacity may refer the patient to a psychiatrist, psychologist or a clinical social worker, according to the bill. The patient would not receive the prescription unless the mental health professional wrote a letter verifying the patient’s mental capacity.

The written declaration would need to be witnessed by two people who attest the person is acting voluntarily. One of the two must not be a relative or entitled to any portion of the patient’s estate, or be the person’s doctor or nursing home employee.

The law will take effect Aug. 1.