By Dave Andrusko

Reading some back clips about Colorado’s experience with “medical aid-in-dying,” it doesn’t surprise me that last Friday the Colorado Senate voted to eliminate two of the very few remaining safeguards. There have been complaints galore (at least in the press) that the law is “too hard to use.”

Proponents eyed reducing the waiting period, adding non-physicians to those who can prescribe the lethal mix, and eliminating the residency requirement.

They went two for three.

Sara Wilson, writing for The Colorado Newsline, explained that “The Senate approved a bill Friday that would alter the state’s medical aid-in-dying law by shortening the required waiting period and allowing more medical professionals to prescribe the medication. Supporters say the changes would improve access for people with terminal illnesses who choose to end their lives with medication.” She added

Senate Bill 24-68 would tweak the law by shortening the waiting period between a patient’s first and second request for the medication from 15 to seven days. That waiting period could be reduced further to 48 hours if a doctor determines the patient would not live for a week

Advanced practice registered nurses were added to the list of prescribers. What about opening the door to welcome people from out of the state to come to Colorado?

The bill was amended in committee to reinstate a Colorado residency requirement, as opponents worried about encouraging “death tourism” to the state. The waiting period was also adjusted during committee — as introduced, the bill would have shrunk the required waiting period to 48 hours.

Only Oregon and Vermont do not have residency requirements.

The vote in the Senate was 24-11. It now moves to the House.