On Tuesday, Vermont abolished its residency requirement for assisted suicide, making it possible for any American to travel to the state to end their life. This change sets Vermont apart from the nine other states that permit the practice, as it is the first to eliminate the in-state condition.
Kim Callinan, president and CEO of the nonprofit Compassion & Choices, told The AP, “We are grateful to Vermont lawmakers for recognizing that a state border shouldn’t determine if you die peacefully or in agony.”
“Patients routinely travel to other states to utilize the best health care options. There is no rational reason they shouldn’t be able to travel to another state to access medical aid in dying if the state they live in doesn’t offer it.,” she added.
Republican Governor Phil Scott signed the bill, which lifts the residency restriction for the long-standing law. Scott’s move will be seen as betrayal of conservative ideals as most Republicans support life up to natural death.
Catholic Bishop Christopher Coyne of Burlington criticized the law, saying, “This holistic care focuses on the whole person — mind, body and spirit. Assisted suicide does not.”
Coyne continued, “Palliative care provides relief from a variety of symptoms for people living with serious illnesses while addressing the spiritual and emotional concerns of individuals and their loved ones. … In a society in which we are dealing with an epidemic of loneliness, we need to be with those who are often alone in their suffering.”
With this recent change, Vermont joins the ten states that permit medically assisted suicide. Critics argue that the absence of residency requirements may lead to states becoming “assisted suicide tourism” destinations.
