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ByJudyLin TheAssociatedPress SACRAMENTO Califor- nia lawmakers advanced a right-to-die bill Thursday, giving hope to those who want the nation's most pop- ulous state to allow termi- nally ill patients to end their lives under doctor's care. The state Senate passed the measure 23 to 14, send- ing it to the Assembly with a vote that marked prog- ress for advocates seek- ing to expand aid-in-dying laws beyond a small group of states. The issue gained traction nationally after 29-year-old Brittany Maynard moved from California to Oregon to end her life in Novem- ber. Maynard was dying of brain cancer and doc- umented her final weeks in widely viewed videos posted online. She said in the clips, and in the nationally televised interviews they prompted, that she should have been legally allowed to get doc- tor-prescribed lethal drugs in California. Maynard's family and her supporters have seized the attention to advance their cause, and dozens of states have considered such mea- sures this year. Opposition, however, has been fierce. Critics, including the Catholic Church, have called the practice "as- sisted suicide" and say it goes against the will of God. Others have said they worry that terminally ill patients would feel pressured to end their lives to avoid burden- ing their families. Advocates see California, home to nearly 39 million people, as their best chance this year to expand aid-in- dying laws beyond Mon- tana, Oregon, Washington state and Vermont. The debate triggered emotional testimony from each side. Sen. Holly Mitchell, D- Los Angeles, supported the plan, saying the bill "will not force me, if it is not my religious, cultural, ethical belief to do this. It gives me the right, and gives me access to make a personal choice." Sen. Jeff Stone, R-Temec- ula, opposes the measure. He said it could lead to Cal- ifornia becoming known for "death tourism." "What's going to be the new theme of the state of California?" Stone asked. "Come play, live and die in California?" The bill faces several legislative hurdles before it could become law. Assembly leaders haven't responded to requests for comment on the bill's fate, and Gov. Jerry Brown, a former Jesuit seminarian, doesn't comment on pend- ing legislation. The bill is modeled from Oregon's law, which has been used in more than 750 deaths since it was ap- proved by voters in 1994. This plan, SB128, from Democratic Sens. Bill Mon- ning of Carmel and Lois Wolk of Davis, would shield doctors from prosecution if they give terminally ill adults the option of medi- cal aid in dying. Only mentally compe- tent patients in their final months would be covered, and the bill would require them to take the deadly medication themselves. TERMINALLY ILL PATIENTS California lawmakers advance right-to-die legislation RICHPEDRONCELLI—THEASSOCIATEDPRESSFILE Debbie Ziegler, center, the mother of Brittany Maynard, speaks in support of proposed legislation allowing doctors to prescribe life-ending medication to terminally ill patients during a news conference at the Capitol in Sacramento. By Don Thompson The Associated Press SACRAMENTO California took the first step Thurs- day to regulate its nearly 20-year-old medical mar- ijuana industry, one that lawmakers said currently resembles something out of the "wild, wild West." AB266 merges what were two competing bills and at- tempts to set up state regu- lations that will pass mus- ter with the federal Depart- ment of Justice. The measure approved by the Assembly would create the Office of Mari- juana Regulation within the governor's office, with help from the departments of Public Health and Food and Agriculture and the Board of Equalization, which would collect licens- ing fees. Local governments could still license or reject commercial cannabis oper- ations. The bill calls for in- volvement from other state agencies, including crim- inal background checks by the state Department of Justice and wastewa- ter standards by the State Water Resources Control Board. It largely leaves it to those offices and agencies to develop standards, li- censing and regulations. "There was a reference to the wild West, and that is what this bill is trying to move away from," said As- semblyman Rob Bonta, D- Alameda. "I think that we can all agree that stronger regulation is needed ... and is long overdue." California was the first state, in 1996, to legalize the sale of marijuana for medical use, but has since fallen behind the rest of the nation, said Assembly- man Reginald Jones-Saw- yer, D-Los Angeles. Colo- rado, Washington, Oregon and Alaska have recently le- galized recreational pot use to varying degrees. The bill was sent to the Senate on a 50-5 vote, though supporters said they will keep working on the measure during this year's legislative session. The legislation was among hundreds of bills lawmakers considered this week ahead of a Fri- day deadline to pass bills out of their house origin. On Thursday they also ap- proved: • AB1102 by Assembly- man Miguel Santiago, D- Los Angeles, which adds pregnancy to the list of so-called life-qualifying events allowing women to buy health insurance out- side the regular open en- rollment period. It passed the Assembly 59-8. • AB768 by Assemblyman Tony Thurmond, D-Rich- mond, which bans the use of chewing tobacco at Cali- fornia ballparks. It cleared the Assembly 42-25. • SB406 by Sen. Han- nah-Beth Jackson, D-Santa Barbara, which expands job protections for those who qualify for paid family leave to care for relatives. The Senate approved the bill 21-16. MARIJUANA State takes step to regulate medical pot www.tehamaestatesretirement.com Summer Summer Coupon Special Saturday,June13,2015 CLASSICCARSHOW·RIBCOOK-OFF·LIVEMUSIC CarShowstarts@9:00am·RibCook-Offstarts@11:00am Tickets just $20 each, available at coat check or online at www.rollinghillscasino.com GOLF•LODGING•EVENTCENTER GAMING • DINING • EQUESTRIAN I-5ATLIBERALAVE • CORNING WWW.ROLLINGHILLSCASINO.COM www.tehamafamilyfitness.com Tehama Family Fitness Center 2498SouthMainSt.RedBluff 528-8656 ACoupleOfLosersWeight Loss Competition Needtolosesomeweight?Haveafriendorfamily member that would also like to lose a few pounds? 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