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ByFenitNirappil TheAssociatedPress SACRAMENTO California lawmakers on Tuesday an- nounced a second attempt at passing right-to-die leg- islation this year after an earlier measure stalled amid religious opposition and hesitant Democrats. The new bill allowing doctors to prescribe termi- nally ill patients life-end- ing drugs was introduced in a special legislative ses- sion on health care financ- ing convened by Gov. Jerry Brown. The governor, how- ever, said through spokes- woman Deborah Hoffman that the session is not the appropriate venue to con- sider the issue. A better approach would be to re- consider previous legisla- tion next year that is now stalled, she said. The renewed push comes after at least two dozen states have intro- duced aid-in-dying legis- lation this year, though none has passed. Doctors are permitted to prescribe life-ending drugs in Ore- gon, Washington, Vermont and Montana. The right-to-die move- ment has been galvanized by the high-profile case of 29-year-old Brittany May- nard, a California woman with brain cancer who moved to Oregon to legally take her life. She argued in widely viewed online videos that she should have been able to access life-ending drugs in her home state. "Californians should have more options avail- able to those suffering con- stantly other than moving to other states or living in constant pain," Assembly- man Luis Alejo, D-Wat- sonville, said Tuesday at a news conference. Religious groups and ad- vocates for people with dis- abilities opposed a nearly identical California bill in- troduced earlier this year, saying it goes against the will of God and put termi- nally ill patients at risk for coerced death. The mea- sure passed the state Sen- ate but stalled in the As- sembly. Opponents said Tues- day that the new bill was a heavy-handed attempt to skirt the legislative pro- cess. The governor called the special session to address funding shortfalls for a home health aide program for Medi-Cal, the state's health insurance for the poor. However,, some lawmak- ers are trying to use it to advance other contentious health care legislation. "It is particularly trou- bling that in this rush to judgment, proponents are linking this bill with health care financing," said Tim Rosales, a spokesman for Californians Against As- sisted Suicide, which in- cludes groups advocating for Catholics, oncologists and people with disabili- ties. "That should be truly frightening to those on MediCal and subsidized health care, who quite log- ically fear a system where prescribing suicide pills could be elevated to a treat- ment option." Debbie Ziegler, May- nard's mother, criticized religious groups, including the Catholic Archdiocese of Los Angeles, for lobbying against the bill. "What right does anyone of a specific religious faith have to say I should act in accordance with their fate in my death?" she said. Advocates also have turned to courts, where they faced recent defeats in New Mexico and San Di- ego, where a judge said the issue should be resolved by state lawmakers. Elizabeth Wallner, a sin- gle mother with Stage 4 co- lon cancer who filed a law- suit that prompted the San Diego ruling, urged law- makers to allow people like her to have a peaceful death at home. "I don't want my son's last image to be of me struggling and in pain," she said. TERMINALLY ILL Ca lif or ni a go ve rn or b al ks a t push to eye right-to-die bill RICHPEDRONCELLI—THEASSOCIATEDPRESS Debbie Ziegler holds a photo of her daughter, Brittany Maynard, the California woman with brain cancer who moved to Oregon to legally end her life last fall, during a news conference to announce the reintroduction of right- to-die legislation on Tuesday in Sacramento. The Associated Press FRESNO A Fresno County wildfire leaped a highway Tuesday and prompted 1,000 people to evacuate their homes while more than 300 structures re- mained at risk from a sec- ond Central California blaze. The blazes were the most active of about a half-dozen fires flaring in the drought- stricken state. Sparked by lighting July 31, the Fresno County blaze tore through timber, brush and tall grass in the Sierra National Forest, growing to nearly 37 square miles. Evacuations were ordered in the Hume Lake area after the fire jumped state High- way 180. About 100 miles away, a fire threatened 339 homes in Santa Margarita as crews worked to douse wind- driven embers and hot spots. The blaze exploded in size overnight, but by Tuesday afternoon it was mainly burning within ar- eas bounded by fire retar- dant. The biggest threat to homes was from spot fires that leaped over lines that had been cut to corral it, fire spokesman Bennet Mil- loy said. "A lot of the smoke is lay- ing low to the ground. It's re- ally smoky and ashy, watch- ing embers kind of skirt across the burned areas of the ground," Milloy said. At 3 square miles, the fire was only 10 percent con- tained. About 800 people remain evacuated from the small town near U.S. 101 in San Luis Obispo County. Marilyn Oedekerk and Gina Travelstead were evac- uated from a trailer park in Santa Margarita Monday evening. "It was raining ashes on us," Travelstead told the San Luis Obispo Tribune as she sat on a cot at a shelter with her toy poodle, Sally. Travelstead said she was terrified when she was told to evacuate. "You're shakin' in your boots even though you're not wearing boots," she said. Progress was reported on many of the state's other active fires. More than 440 California National Guard soldiers joined the firefight- ers this week, and thou- sands more were being trained, according to Cal Fire's Mike Mohler. WILDFIRES Firefighters protect homes as winds whip up DAVID MIDDLECAMP — THE TRIBUNE Janice Carr and husband Dale walk dog Coco in smoke from Cuesta Fire in Santa Margarita on Tuesday. Crews worked to protect more than 300homes from the wildfire on California's Central Coast as the wind-whipped blaze exploded in size Tuesday, officials said. The Associated Press TUSTIN Two young camp- ers killed by a falling tree limb in Yosemite National Park have been identified as 14-year-old boys from Orange County in South- ern California. The Mariposa County Sheriff's Office identified the boys as Justin Lee of Irvine and Dragon Kim of Tustin. It appears the boys were crushed to death, Assis- tant Coroner Andrea Stew- art said. They died immedi- ately, she said. Kim was an incoming sophomore at the Orange County School of the Arts in Santa Ana, a public char- ter school. Lee was set to be a freshman there. Both boys attended Pioneer Mid- dle School and played wa- ter polo. The Orange County Reg- ister reports that Dragon's parents, Grace and Daniel Kim, posted a letter to their son's water polo teammates. In it, they thanked the boys for "taking him onto your team and loving him back" and said that their hearts are "forever broken." The parents then added a note to their son: "Dragon, we love you so much. Thank you for bringing so much love, laughter, and music to our lives. You are our pre- cious son, and you will live on with us." The boys were sleep- ing in a tent when a limb fell from a black oak tree about 5 a.m. Friday in the Upper Pines Campground in Yosemite Valley, parks spokesman Scott Gediman has said. The campground is one of the park's most popular, with a view of Half Dome. 'TRAGIC LOSS' Ca mp er s ki ll ed in Y os em it e we re t ee na ge rs KFSN-TV-ABC30 A portion of an oak tree split away, falling to the ground and killing two young campers in a tent at the Upper Pines campground in Yosemite National Park on Friday. WEWANTYOU! From original inventions and patented designs, to assemblage and industrial art and everything in between, this year's fair is the place to be for creatives of all types and ages! E ntry details and more online at: www.tehamadistrictfair.com Deadline for submissions: August 28, 2015 Themostinnovativeshowcase of locally produced goods you've ever seen! CALLING ALL CREATIVES! TEHAMA COUNTY MAKERSPACE | NEWS | REDBLUFFDAILYNEWS.COM WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 19, 2015 8 A