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Renewed Push For 'Death With Dignity' Bill At State Capitol

By Lauren DiSpirito

DENVER (CBS4)- There is a renewed push to pass a "Death with Dignity" bill in Colorado and Brittany Maynard's husband is helping the effort.

Thursday, Dan Diaz stopped in Denver to meet with supporters of Colorado's proposed End-of-Life Options Act. State House and Senate committees are set to take up discussion on the issue next week.

Brittany Maynard
Brittany Maynard in an interview with CBS News reporter Jan Crawford (credit: CBS)

Two years ago, Diaz's wife Maynard became famous for going public with her battle with brain cancer and her belief that all terminally ill patients should have access to life-ending prescription medication. She died in November 2014 in Portland, Oregon, after moving there from California for legal access to doctor-prescribed end-of-life medication.

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Dan Diaz (credit: CBS)

"Her end of life would have been brutal, that tumor was already torturing her to death," Diaz told supporters gathered at Colorado's Compassion & Choices lobby day event at the First Baptist Church on Grant Street.

The bills state lawmakers will consider would make it legal for a doctor to prescribe drugs to hasten the death of a patient who is terminally ill. The patient would have to make both written and verbal requests for the medication, and go through a mental health screening.

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Opponents say the proposed legislation contradicts sound medical practice and creates a slippery slope that further devalues people with disabilities.

"I find it appalling that we're finding ways to make it easier for a physician to help a person end their life, than to get the services and supports that they need," said Julie Farrar, who plans to testify before committees against the bills.

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CBS4's Lauren Dispirito interviews Julie Farrar (credit: CBS)

Farrar lives with a spinal defect and advocates for people with disabilities.

Farrar believes passage of Death with Dignity legislation could also incentivize death.

"It creates this situation where there's-- there is an easy solution, there is a cost effective answer and that is just very frightening," Farrar said.

After Maynard's death, California lawmakers legalized medical aid-in-dying options for terminally-ill patients. If approved, Colorado would become the sixth state to legalize some form of Death with Dignity option.

Lauren DiSpirito is CBS4's Northern Newsroom reporter. Follow her on Twitter @CBS4Lauren. Share your story ideas with her here.

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