April 7th, our second day in Sacramento, began with a light breakfast and a cup of coffee before our group stepped out into the rain and walked the four blocks to the capitol. With damp suits we passed through security and made our way to our first appointment of the day, a meeting with California State Senator Hannah-Beth Jackson.
Senator Jackson was gracious enough to give us about 30 minutes of her time before she had to continue preparing for the committee meeting on senate bill 128. SB 128, known as the End of Life Option Act, is a bill which Senator Jackson is a principal co-author as well as the committee chair handling the issue. The bill proposes allowing residents of California diagnosed with a terminal illness and given no more than six months to live, the ability to receive a prescription for drugs that would end their lives, rather than suffer through the remaining six months. Having watched her mother suffer through her last days this bill is an issue close to Senator Jackson’s heart.
What made Tuesday the best day of the trip in my opinion, was the fact that our group met with the Senator in the morning and then proceeded to attend the committee meeting dealing with this controversial issue. It was an extremely emotional meeting as numerous members of the public supporting the bill as well as those in opposition had personal experiences with the issue, plus valid and thoughtful reasons for taking their stance. It was an incredible experience watching the democratic process unfold, and demonstrated how valid the arguments on both sides of an issue can be.
I’m grateful to have had the opportunity to witness the discussion on such a controversial issue first hand. It gave me a greater appreciation for the role of government in this country and the effect to which individual citizens can affect it. After having had a personal interaction with SB 128, I look forward to following the bill through the legislative process and seeing the final result.
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