Session Adjourns With No Further Action Regarding Assisted Suicide and Euthanasia

The Indiana 2020 regular session adjourned on March 14 with no further action on House Bill HB1020 and Senate Bill SB446, proposing to prohibit assisted suicide and euthanasia. 

Proposed Bill Prohibits Euthanasia

Sen. Vaneta Becker

On January 15, 2020, Senate Bill 446, prohibiting euthanasia, was referred to the Committee on Health and Provider Services. The bill was authored by Senator Vaneta Becker, who is a member of the committee. The bill's digest states in part:

Prohibits: (1) mercy killing; (2) lethal injection; and (3) passive withholding or withdrawal of a life prolonging procedure; by a health care provider in certain instances. Prohibits a person from delegating certain prohibited acts to a third party for the purpose of circumventing a prohibition against the act. ... Provides that a person who knowingly or intentionally exerts undue influence on a patient in order to convince the patient to end the patient's life commits a Level 1 felony. 

To view the bill text, click here

Bill Seeks to Legalize Assisted Suicide and Euthanasia

On January 7, 2020, HB 1020, a bill seeking to legalize assisted suicide and euthanasia, was read for the first time and referred to the House Committee on Public Health.

To view the bill text, click here.