Campaign to Pass New Jersey Aid-in-Dying Bill Reaches Key Turning Point

By Amanda Cavanaugh, New Jersey Campaign Manager

Oct 3, 2018 Amanda Cavanaugh endorsements political advocacy

The campaign to pass the New Jersey Aid in Dying for the Terminally Ill Act (A1504/S1072) is rapidly picking up momentum, but we cannot afford to rest on our laurels.

In response to our grassroots volunteer lobbying campaign and favorable, plentiful news coverage during the last month (see summary at bottom of this blog post), last Wednesday (Sept. 26) the bill’s author, Assembly Deputy Speaker John Burzichelli, told New Jersey 101.5:

“I’m optimistic the bill will move from the Assembly in October. I’m also encouraged that there are enough votes in the Senate in support of the bill. And if everything falls into place, we should see it on the Governor’s desk by the end of November.”

Assemblymember Burzichelli reinforced this message the next day (Thursday, Sept. 27), when he met with 20 Compassion & Choices volunteer advocates who were rallying and lobbying lawmakers at the state capitol in Trenton to demand they bring the bill to the floor for a vote before year’s end.  

But we know from experience — the Assembly passed the bill in 2014 and 2016, but the Senate failed to act because then-Governor Chris Christie promised a veto — that we need to keep the pressure on state lawmakers to ensure Assemblymember Burzichelli’s prediction comes true!

To facilitate this pressure,on Monday (Oct. 1) Compassion & Choices launched a sustained digital video ad campaign featuring terminally ill advocates and their loved ones urging New Jersey lawmakers to pass the Aid in Dying for the Terminally Ill Act without delay after 6 years of debate on the issue.

“We have patiently waited for the Legislature to pass this compassionate bill for 6 years, despite the fact that polling consistently has shown the vast majority of New Jerseyans want this end-of-life care option to peacefully end unbearable suffering,” said Corinne Carey, New Jersey campaign director for Compassion & Choices. “We cannot watch any more terminally ill advocates for this legislation die in needless agony waiting for legislative leaders to bring the bill to the floor when we know there are enough votes to pass it now.”

The ad campaign starts with a riveting 2-minute video of Compassion & Choices volunteer Debra Dunn, an operating room nurse in Paramus, vividly describing how her husband, Herb, died in agony from pancreatic cancer 5 years ago in 2013 because he did not have access to medical aid in dying.

Ever since then, Debra has been advocating for lawmakers to pass the Aid in Dying for the Terminally Ill Act. Her video urges her fellow New Jerseyans to write their lawmakers in support of the legislation by contacting their lawmakers using this online form. Watch the video at bit.ly/DebraDunnVideo.

Please share this video with your family and friends in New Jersey via email and social media (Facebook, Twitter, etc.) and urge them to to write their lawmakers in support of the Aid in Dying for the Terminally Ill Act (A1504/S1072) at: CompassionAndChoices.org/New-Jersey.

Sept. 3-Oct. 1 News Coverage of New Jersey Aid in Dying for the Terminally Ill Act

Articles quoting Compassion & Choices New Jersey Campaign Director Corinne Carey and/or C&C volunteer advocates Debra Dunn, and Laurie and Melissa Wilcox:

Editorials generated by Compassion & Choices outreach:

Letters to the editor:

Op-eds/video by Compassion & Choices volunteer advocate Debra Dunn:

Nine radio interviews on Sept. 26-28 on New York City, New Jersey or Philadelphia stations of Compassion & Choices New Jersey Campaign Director Corinne Carey and/or C&C volunteer advocate Susan Boyce (you can listen to all clips except WRNJ radio below at https://newsgeneration.sharefile.com/share/view/sffdb00ec45b41bf9):

  • Greater Understanding Media's "Issues and Ideas with Chris DeBello" (New York news and public affairs--6 affiliates) interview with Corinne, Sept. 28
  • WRNJ radio interview with Corinne (no audio available), Sept. 27
  • WOND-AM (Philadelphia) interview with Corinne and Susan, Sept. 26
  • KYW-AM (no. 1 all-news station in Philadelphia market) interview with Corinne & Susan, Sept. 26
  • WRNJ-AM (no. 1 adult-hits station in NYC market) interview with Susan
  • Townsquare Media (News — 24 statewide affiliates) interview with Corinne and Susan, Sept. 26, that aired three times
  • WABC-AM (no. 3 news-alk information station in NYC market) interview with Corinne and Susan, Sept. 26, aired twice
  • WJRZ-FM (no. 3 classic-hits station in NYC market) interview with Corinne, Sept. 26