Jersey votes to approve assisted dying, as a similar UK bill stalls in House of Lords
LONDON (AP) — A second British island voted Thursday to approve assisted dying, as a similar bill that would allow terminally ill adults in England and Wales to choose to end their lives is bogged down in the British Parliament.
The bill, which requires the formality of approval by King Charles III, would allow terminally ill residents who have lived in Jersey for more than year and are expected to have less than six months to live — or less than 12 months if they have a neurodegenerative disease — to end their lives.
Jersey’s States Assembly passed its Assisted Dying Law by a 32 to 16 vote after three days of debate.
The bill would allow a doctor or registered nurse to administer the lethal drugs, which differs from the legislation being considered in the Houses of Parliament that requires a terminally ill adult to end their own life with an approved substance.
Opponents of assisted dying have argued that disabled, elderly, ill and depressed people could be pressured to end their lives so they’re not a burden on others.
Jersey, an island of about 100,000 inhabitants that sits in the English Channel off the northwest coast of France, is the second British Crown possession to approve assisted dying.
The Isle of Man did so in March last year, but it has waited nearly a year for the king’s approval because it first requires the U.K. Ministry of Justice to process the legislation.
A government spokesperson said approval can take longer for complex or sensitive bills or because of legal and constitutional issues.
Both small islands are self-governing but reliant on the U.K. for defense and some foreign affairs.
The House of Commons in London approved The Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill in June but it has been held up by more than 1,000 amendments in the House of Lords, which supporters says is a stalling tactic by opponents. Some members of the chamber, however, say they are providing necessary scrutiny to strengthen the dangerous bill.
Welsh lawmakers gave their consent Tuesday for the U.K. Parliament to pass the bill.
Scottish lawmakers are due to vote in March on their own assisted dying bill.