"This is not a finger-in-the-wind kind of issue," nor can it be regulated, said Sen. William Van Regenmorter (R-Hudsonville). "It's an issue of morality. It is time to stand up and be counted."
The Senate, by voice vote, rejected a proposal to let the voters decide whether to legalize assisted suicide in Michigan.
The action came as the founder of Michigan's Hemlock society chapter, a 73-year-old woman who is dying of cancer, was charged with the same Ionia County assisted suicide counts facing her friend Jack Kevorkian.
Janet Good, of Farmington Hills, was indicted by the same grand jury that indicted Kevorkian last week. The case stems from the Aug. 30 death of Loretta Peabody, who suffered from multiple sclerosis.
The Senate vote came as the chamber discussed a proposed "dignified death act" law to require doctors to inform terminally ill patients of alternative treatments, their right to a patient advocate and their right to make informed decisions on their treatment.
The bill was advanced into position for a final vote. The assisted suicide issue can be raised again before final action.
"It's an issue we need to deal with," said Sen. Gary Peters (D-Pontiac), sponsor of the assisted-suicide language. "We need to put this issue before the voters ... Let them decide by going to the polls."
Minority Floor Leader Virgil Smith (D-Detroit) accused the bill's backers of trying use the measure to put a prohibition against assisted suicide into state law.
Now, assisted suicide is only banned under "common law" guidelines, as cited by the state Supreme Court.
"I think voters should be allowed to make a decision," he said.
But Peters' proposal was immediately rejected by the Republican-controlled Senate.
"People want to die with dignity," said Sen. Dale Shugars (R-Portage). "In assisted suicide, you actively induce something that will kill a person."
In other action, the Senate:
n Passed, 37-0 and 33-2, and sent to the House two bills designed to crack down on the theft of cable television signals through the use of illegal "black boxes" and other interception equipment.
n Passed, on votes of 28-8, 27-10 and 28-9, and sent to the House several bills offering tax credits and exemptions for the purchase of alternative-fueled vehicles. Some lawmakers objected to the cut in state revenues and the fact the Appropriations Committee had not reviewed the bills, but they still won passage.