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'End of Life Option Act' to take effect this summer

Senator Bill Monning

A law giving terminally-ill Californians access to a life-ending prescription is set to go into effect this summer.

The state senate adjourned a special session on healthcare Thursday, allowing the 'End of Life Option Act,' co-authored by Central Coast State Senator Bill Monning (D-Carmel) to take effect in 91 days. 

Senator Monning said the new law is historic for California.

"The sense of achievement and success is only dampened by our memory of the loss of some strong advocates who came to Sacramento with terminal illness, knowing that they probably would not live to see its passage, and would not be a beneficiary of the act, but still devoted the last days of their lives," he said.

Monning first introduced the legislation last January, but the bill only made it past the senate floor. That language was later placed in an assembly bill and signed by the Governor in October.

California now joins four other states offering a life-ending prescription.

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