Colorado takes on right-to-die legislation once more

Michael Merrifield, a Democratic state senator from Colorado Springs, wanted to sponsor right-to-die legislation when he became a Colorado lawmaker in 2003.

It was two years after his father died from pancreatic cancer. But he was discouraged from doing so by party leaders.

Colorado’s libertarian political landscape has changed since then, and Merrifield says polling suggests a slight majority of voters support a right-to-die law, regardless of party affiliation.

Merrifield is co-sponsoring a right-to-die bill that gets its first hearing on Wednesday before a GOP-controlled Senate committee. Last year, lawmakers from both parties voted against similar legislation, arguing that it facilitates suicide in cases where a diagnosis may be wrong.

A committee in the Democrat-controlled House holds a hearing on the bill on Thursday. Reps. Lois Court of Denver and Joann Ginal of Fort Collins are sponsoring the bill in that chamber.