California Proposition 161, Physician-Assisted Death Initiative (1992)

California Proposition 161
Election date November 3, 1992
Topic Assisted death
Status d Defeated
Type State statute	Origin Citizens

California Proposition 161 was on the ballot as an initiated state statute in California on November 3, 1992. It was defeated.

A "yes" vote supported allowing mentally competent adults to instruct their physicians in writing to provide aid-in-dying upon their request when they became terminally ill.

A "no" vote opposed allowing mentally competent adults to instruct their physicians in writing to provide aid-in-dying upon their request when they became terminally ill.

Election results

California Proposition 161
Result		Votes	Percentage
Yes		4,863,478	45.87%
No		5,739,918	54.13%

Results are officially certified.

Source

Text of measure

Ballot title

The ballot title for Proposition 161 was as follows:

“

Physician-Assisted Death. Terminal Condition. Initiative Statute.

”

Ballot summary

The ballot summary for this measure was:

“

Authorizes mentally competent adult to request in writing '''aid in dying", as defined, in event terminal condition is diagnosed. Establishes rules for executing, witnessing, revoking request. If properly requested, authorizes physician to terminate life in "painless, humane and dignified manner"; provides immunity from civil or criminal liability for participating health care professionals, facilities. Allows physicians, health care professionals, privately owned hospitals to refuse assistance in dying if religiously, morally, ethically opposed. Provides requesting, receiving authorized assistance "not suicide." Prohibits existence or non-existence of directive from affecting insurance' policy terms, sale, renewal, cancellation, premiums.

”

Full Text

The full text of this measure is available here.

Fiscal impact statement

The fiscal impact statement was as follows:

“

Potential costs and savings to state and local government health programs. Net impact is unknown, but probably not significant.

”

Path to the ballot

See also: Signature requirements for ballot measures in California

In California, the number of signatures required for an initiated state statute is equal to 5 percent of the votes cast at the preceding gubernatorial election. For initiated statutes filed in 1992, at least 384,974 valid signatures were required.

See also

1992 Measures

• 1992 Measures
• Assisted death policy on the ballot
• 1992 legislative sessions

California

• California ballot measures
• California ballot measure laws

News and analysis

• Ballot measure lawsuits
• Ballot measure readability
• Ballot measure polls

External links

• California Voter Guide (November 1992)