Connecticut
Connecticut has a long tradition of honoring citizens’ rights to choose how best to live their lives and make decisions about their death. The state is well-suited politically and legally for progressive aid-in-dying legislation.
Compassion & Choices is currently educating citizens, organizing advocates and working with lobbyists toward passage of a bill establishing an explicit legal permission for aid in dying. Our newly formed volunteer team, the Connecticut Executive Council, is raising awareness and building grassroots support there. The bill needs vocal public support to pass. Contact our Connecticut campaign manager (see below) to learn more and back the Compassionate Aid-in-Dying bill.
Sign the Petition
Too many suffer needlessly. Sign the petition today and support Connecticut’s Compassionate Aid-In-Dying Legislation.
Take Action
Recent Developments
Read about end-of-life choice in Connecticut, and Compassion & Choices most recent work.
Press release highlighting 2013 aid in dying legislation
Current Laws
The state of Connecticut allows a range of end-of-life care options, such as discontinuing life-prolonging care (like dialysis, pacemakers and antibiotics), providing palliative support to a patients who decide to stop eating and drinking, or administering palliative sedation at a patient’s request.
Connecticut has a law which specifically prohibits assisted suicide. It is unclear whether this statute includes aid in dying. We hope to clarify that a dying patient’s decision to choose a peaceful death through aid in dying is not committing suicide and that doctors who honor that decision are not assisting a suicide. This would mean doctors are not at risk of criminal prosecution for “assisting suicide.”
Contact your Legislator
Use this link to help you write to your state and federal legislators and tell them how you feel about aid-in-dying legislation in Connecticut. It is quick, easy and very important. Please speak out today and help us ensure end-of-life choice to all patients.
Visit site
Write a Letter to the Editor
Use our handy guide to help you craft a letter to local or national news outlets, one of the best ways to have your voice heard.
View the guide
Share with a Friend
Download the Compassion & Choices postcard, print it, share it, email it to a friend, or fill it out and send it back to us.
Download postcard
Documents for Download
If your end-of-life plans aren’t in place yet, download and complete the following Advance Directive:
Connecticut State-Approved Advance Directive
Oregon’s Death with Dignity Act Annual Report
Contact Information
Contact the Compassion & Choices Connecticut Campaign Manager:
Tim Appleton
Connecticut Campaign Manager
tappleton@compassionandchoices.org
(860) 922-1988
