Nevada lawmakers halt assisted suicide bill after governor refuses support

A Nevada bill that would have legalized assisted suicide in the state is no longer moving forward after Governor Joe Lombardo stated that if lawmakers passed it, he would not sign it.

KEY TAKEAWAYS:

• Nevada Governor Joe Lombardo says he would not sign a bill legalizing assisted suicide because it is “unnecessary” due to palliative care expansion and improvements in pain management.

• The bill’s sponsor has attempted multiple times to pass the bill and vowed to continue trying.

• Eleven states plus Washington, D.C., have legalized assisted suicide, with Delaware the most recent.

THE DETAILS:

Assembly Bill 346 would have legalized physician-assisted suicide in the state for terminally-ill adults age 18 and over.

Lombardo, a Republican, has vetoed assisted suicide legislation in the past; last month, he released a statement saying he would do so again. Lombardo cited advancements in palliative care as a reason why he is against assisted suicide.

“Expansions in palliative care services and continued improvements in advanced pain management make the end-of-life provisions AB346 unnecessary, and I would encourage the 2025 Legislature to disregard AB346 because I will not sign it,” he stated.

Opponents of assisted suicide continue to warn against its widespread ramifications, including a reduction in the quality of palliative care available to patients, and the concern that those in the disability community will feel pressured to commit assisted suicide.

THE OTHER SIDE:

Assemblyman Joe Dalia, the bill’s sponsor, heeded Lombardo’s advice in withdrawing the legislation, saying there was no point in proceeding without his support. However, Dalia also emphasized that he will continue to push for assisted suicide in future legislative sessions.

“Our goal from day one was to bring a bipartisan bill that got through both houses in a position where the governor would be comfortable signing it. Coming into this deadline day, we just didn’t feel like we were going to get there and bridge that divide,” Dalia recently said.

“We’re not deterred; we’re going to keep pressing forward. I think we’re confident that we’ll find a way to get there but this is the sixth time this (bill) has been run. I’m going to keep the fight alive … Hopefully next session we can come back with a full head of steam and get this done,” he added.

Currently, 11 states plus Washington D.C. allow for physician-assisted suicide; on May 19, Delaware Governor Matt Meyer signed legislation legalizing the practice in his state.

GO DEEPER:

Read more about assisted suicide at the Live Action News links below.

Cheaper to kill: UK lawmakers push assisted suicide as a cost-saving measure

UN Committee slams Canada’s “ableist” assisted suicide

Man denied surgery but immediately approved for assisted death