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Elder abuse and financial exploitation are already significant problems in South Dakota. Moreover, they are occurring in the context of existing legal processes, including court-appointed guardians/conservators, which have actual safeguards and transparency.
This is opposed to the initiated measure, in which administration of the lethal dose is allowed to occur in private without a doctor or witness present. Even if a patient struggled, who would know? The death certificate will, regardless, list a terminal disease as the cause of death. This will prevent prosecution for murder. The measure, if enacted, will create the perfect crime.
Passage of the initiated measure will only make a bad situation worse. Enacting the measure will encourage people with years or decades to live to throw away their lives. I urge you to reject the initiated measure seeking to legalize assisted suicide and euthanasia in South Dakota.
