After a death with dignity bill passed the Maryland House of Delegates earlier this month, this bill stranded in the Senate on March 27. The Senate rejected the bill on a tie vote: 23 (22D+1R) to 23 (9D+14R).
This vote was not expected. One senator (Pamela Beidle) initially voted in favor of the measure, which would have meant a 24-to-22 vote. She switched her vote to “no” just before the vote was taken. And another senator (Obie Patterson) did not vote, because he “could not bring myself to move right or left on the bill”. The vote took place after a 50-minute debate that largely focused on personal choice and the sanctity of life.
Read more:
– Greenwich time – Maryland right-to-die bill fails over Senate tie