On March 25, 2019 in New Jersey, a death with dignity bill passed both the Assembly and Senate with votes of 41-33-4 and 21-16, respectively. Less than an hour after passage in both houses, Governor Phil Murphy issued a statement that he would sign the bill, which he did on April 12, 2019. New Jersey now the eighth jurisdiction to enact death with dignity legislation. The measure, A1504, took effect August 1, 2019
This morning when you report to your work as a senior consultant with Acme Health Strategies, your inbox and voice mail are filled with inquiries from the New Jersey Hospice and Palliative Care Organization, the Catholic Archdiocese of Newark, network news outlets in Philadelphia and New York, and your managing partner at Acme.
Prepare a 3-5 page analysis, that would be the basis for talking points, examining the public health, legal, ethical, and policy issues involved with these deliberations and the possible outcomes of this legislation.