Challenge To State’s Medically-Assisted Death Law Will Proceed

Riverside, CA — A judge has ruled a legal challenge against California’s law allowing terminally ill people to obtain prescriptions for life-ending drugs can proceed.

The lawsuit was filed by a group of doctors who object to End of Life Law, which the state legislature and Governor Jerry Browned signed in 2015 and became law in 2016. The judge heard arguments from both sides Friday and the state attorney general had sought to have the lawsuit dismissed during the hearing. However, Riverside County Judge Daniel A. Ottolia instead ruled to move ahead with the lawsuit. He scheduled an October 20 conference to set a trial date.

California is one of a number of states with such legislation, along with Oregon, Washington, Vermont and Montana.