HB1283 establishes a process for terminally ill individuals in New Hampshire to access medical assistance in dying by self-administering prescribed medication. To qualify, individuals must be adults with a terminal condition expected to result in death within six months and must demonstrate mental capability to make informed decisions.
The New Hampshire State Senate voted to refer HB1283 to interim study on May 16, 2024 by a vote of 17 to 7, effectively halting the bill for the session. We have assigned pluses to the ayes because this bill potentially opens the door for assisted suicide beyond terminally ill individuals in the future. The right to life is a fundamental, God-given, unalienable right, as affirmed in the Declaration of Independence and protected by the 5th and 14th Amendments to the U.S. Constitution. Allowing any erosion of this right sets a dangerous precedent that undermines the sanctity of life.