| End of Life Choice Act 2019 | |
|---|---|
 | |
| New Zealand Parliament | |
| Citation | 2019 No 67 |
| Territorial extent | New Zealand |
| Passed by | House of Representatives |
| Passed | 13 November 2019 |
| Royal assent | 16 November 2019 |
| Commenced | 7 November 2021 |
| Legislative history | |
| Bill title | End of Life Choice Bill |
| Bill citation | 269-3 |
| Introduced by | David Seymour |
| Introduced | 8 June 2017 |
| Committee responsible | Justice Committee |
| First reading | 13 December 2017 |
| Voting summary |
|
| Second reading | 26 June 2019 |
| Voting summary |
|
| Third reading | 13 November 2019 |
| Voting summary |
|
| Status: Current legislation | |
The End of Life Choice Act 2019 is an Act of Parliament in New Zealand that gives people with a terminal illness the option of receiving assisted suicide or euthanasia.[a][2] The act came into force on 7 November 2021, twelve months after the 2020 euthanasia referendum was declared in favour of the legislation.[3]
Political progress towards the act began in 2015, when ACT Party MP David Seymour entered it into the member's bill ballot.[4] The bill passed its first reading in December 2017, its second reading in June 2019,[5][6] and its third reading in November 2019, with 69 votes in favour and 51 opposed.[7] Changes introduced by New Zealand First before the third reading required that the bill would go to referendum to be introduced into law. A binding referendum was held in conjunction with the 2020 general election on whether the act should come into force,[8] with a majority of voters (65%) in favour.[9]
- ^ "Ministry of Justice and Ministry of Health, Departmental Report - New Zealand Parliament". www.parliament.nz. Retrieved 11 October 2020.
- ^ "End of Life Choice Bill (as at 23 October 2019), Explanatory note". New Zealand Legislation: Bills. Retrieved 29 January 2020.
- ^ "End of Life Choice Act implementation". Ministry of Health NZ. Retrieved 16 July 2021.
- ^ Seymour, David. "Seymour lodges assisted dying Bill" (Press release). ACT New Zealand. Archived from the original on 8 December 2015. Retrieved 4 December 2015.
- ^ "Euthanasia bill passes second reading". The New Zealand Herald. 26 June 2019. Retrieved 26 June 2019.
- ^ "Euthanasia bill passes second reading in Parliament". Radio New Zealand. 26 June 2019. Retrieved 26 June 2019.
- ^ Henry Cooke (13 November 2019). "MPs vote in favour of End of Life Choice Bill at final reading". Stuff. Retrieved 13 November 2019.
- ^ "Euthanasia bill passes final vote, goes to referendum". The New Zealand Herald. 13 November 2019. Retrieved 14 November 2019.
- ^ "Official referendum results released | Elections". Electoral Commission. Retrieved 6 November 2020.
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