BOSTON — It’s a deeply personal and sensitive subject that’s divided lawmakers on both sides of the aisle: should a terminally ill patient have the option to end his life medically?
More than 40 lawmakers have signed into the most recent bill, including the late Arlington Sen. Kenneth Donnelly. Sen. Cindy Friedman, his former chief of staff who won a special election for his seat, said a patient’s personal end-of-life decisions are ‘nobody’s business but your own.
“I want to ensure there are safeguards for ensuring that it isn’t misused for people who aren’t able to speak for themselves,” said Friedman, a Democrat who also represents Lexington, Billerica and Burlington. “But in general I think that’s a very personal decision.”