Lawmakers in Jersey have approved legislation to legalise assisted dying for certain terminally ill people, making the island set to become the second part of the British Isles to take such a step.
The bill was passed in the island’s parliament by 32 votes to 16 on Thursday and will now require royal assent before it can come into force.
Under the new law, a person diagnosed with a terminal illness and experiencing, or expected to experience, unbearable suffering will be permitted to choose to end their life with the assistance of a medical professional. Eligibility is limited to individuals assessed by doctors as having a physical condition likely to cause death within six months, or within 12 months in cases involving degenerative nervous system conditions.
The legislation also stipulates that anyone seeking the procedure must have the mental capacity to make the decision. The choice must be voluntary, clearly expressed, settled, and informed.
The development follows a similar move by lawmakers in the Isle of Man, who passed assisted dying legislation last March. However, that law is still awaiting royal assent in London nearly 11 months later, amid reports that the UK justice ministry has been examining its compliance with European human rights laws. The ministry has not publicly commented on the matter.
The decision in Jersey comes as efforts to introduce comparable legislation in other parts of the UK face challenges. According to Sky News, the UK government has declined to allocate additional time for debate on proposed assisted dying legislation in the House of Lords, effectively ending its prospects of becoming law in England and Wales for now.
In Scotland, lawmakers voted last year in favour of a bill to legalize assisted dying, marking the first stage in what is expected to be a lengthy legislative process.
