Issue link: https://www.epageflip.net/i/581854
ByJudyLin The Associated Press SACRAMENTO California will become the fifth state to allow terminally ill pa- tients to legally end their lives using doctor-pre- scribed drugs after Gov. Jerry Brown announced Monday he signed one of the most emotionally charged bills of the year. Brown, a lifelong Catho- lic and former Jesuit sem- inarian, announced he signed the legislation af- ter thoroughly considering all opinions and discussing the issue with many peo- ple, including a Catholic bishop and two of Brown's doctors. "In the end, I was left to reflect on what I would want in the face of my own death," the governor wrote in a signing statement that accompanied his signature on the legislation. "I do not know what I would do if I were dying in prolonged and excruciating pain. I am certain, however, that it would be a comfort to be able to consider the options afforded by this bill. He added he wouldn't deny that right to others. Until now, Brown had declined to comment on the issue. State lawmakers ap- proved the bill Sept. 11. A previous version failed this year despite the highly pub- licized case of 29-year-old Brittany Maynard, a Cali- fornia woman with brain cancer who moved to Ore- gon to end her life. Opponents said the bill legalizes premature sui- cide, but supporters called that comparison inappro- priate because it applies to mentally sound, termi- nally ill people and not those who are depressed or impaired. Religious groups and ad- vocates for people with dis- abilities opposed the bill and nearly identical legis- lation that had stalled in the Legislature weeks ear- lier, saying it goes against the will of God and put ter- minally ill patients at risk for coerced death. The measure was brought back as part of a special session intended to address funding shortfalls for Medi-Cal, the state's health insurance program for the poor. The governor had criticized the move to bypass the usual process. The bill he received in- cludes requirements that patients be physically ca- pable of taking the med- ication themselves, that two doctors approve it, that the patients submit several written requests, and that there be two witnesses, one of whom is not a fam- ily member. California's measure came after at least two dozen states introduced aid-in-dying legislation this year, though the measures stalled elsewhere. Doctors in Oregon, Washington, Vermont and Montana al- ready can prescribe life- ending drugs. Maynard's family at- tended the legislative de- bate in California through- out the year. Maynard's mother, Debbie Ziegler, tes- tified in committee hear- ings and carried a large picture of her daughter as she listened to lawmakers' debate. In a video recorded days before Maynard took life- ending drugs, she told Cal- ifornia lawmakers that no one should have to leave home to legally kill them- selves under the care of a doctor. "No one should have to leave their home and com- munity for peace of mind, to escape suffering, and to plan for a gentle death," Maynard said in the video released by right-to-die ad- vocates after her death. The Catholic Church targeted Catholic lawmak- ers before the bill's passage and urged the governor to veto it. "Pope Francis invites all of us to create our good society by seeing through the eyes of those who are on the margins, those in need economically, physi- cally, psychologically and socially," the California Catholic Conference said in a statement after its pas- sage. "We ask the governor to veto this bill." TERMINALLY ILL PATIENTS Brownsignshard-won right-to-die legislation CARLCOSTAS—THEASSOCIATEDPRESSFILE Debbie Ziegler, mother of Brittany Maynard, speaks to the media a er the passage of legislation, which would allow terminally ill patients to legally end their lives, at the state Capitol in Sacramento. By Paul Elias The Associated Press SAN FRANCISCO The four Northern California fire- fighters were in serious trouble almost immediately after a helicopter dropped them near ground zero of what they thought would be a small blaze. The wind picked up dra- matically and unexpectedly, turning the small grass fire into a raging inferno that surrounded the men, forc- ing them to issue a mayday call over the radio before seeking shelter in emer- gency tents they carried in their backpacks. All four were badly burned, and a new report by the California Depart- ment of Forestry and Fire Protection raises questions about their equipment and training. It notes one fire- fighter removed his protec- tive gloves and another had problems with his emer- gency shelter. The report published this weekend details the trouble the four faced, how they were rescued, and the seri- ous injuries they suffered. The men were among the first victims of a wildfire that turned into one of the most destructive in Cali- fornia history, destroying more than 1,000 homes, killing four people and growing to more than 100 square miles. The four firefighters hiked up an access road with the expectation of battling a 20-acre fire, ac- cording to the report. But the blaze took off unexpect- edly, forcing them to flee to a barren goat pen. A nearby hillside then turned into a "wall of fire," and the in- tense heat chased them from the goat pen to a nearby metal barn. "They could feel their faces burning from the ra- diant heat," the report said. While crouched under the fireproof shelters they got from their backpacks, one of the firefighters tried to sip some water he had with him but found it "too hot to drink." Thick smoke prevented aircraft from dropping wa- ter on the men's position. The report credits an un- named division chief and two other firefighters with responding to the trapped firefighters' mayday call and racing through the fire in a pickup truck to scoop them up. All four firefighters suf- fered serious burns and re- quired hospitalization. Two remain hospitalized, one in critical condition. The report also raised questions about the fire- fighters' equipment and training. "All firefighters are re- quired to have a safety zone and to communicate the safety zone's location to ev- eryone," said Bill Gabbert, a retired firefighter who op- erates the website Wildfire- today.com. "They obviously didn't have a safety zone." Gabbert also noted all four suffered burns to their hands, which he said shouldn't occur if firefight- ers keep their protective gloves on. "Personnel MUST wear ALL CAL FIRE APPROVED (personal protective equip- ment) when engaged in fire- fighting operations, the re- port concluded. The review said one of the firefighters removed his gloves to peel off the plas- tic case that melted to his emergency shelter. Another firefighter couldn't use his shelter be- cause the plastic case had fused to the tent. So two firefighters shared one small shelter, and two oth- ers used their own shelters until helped arrived. CalFire said the report was compiled by experts and "is intended as a safety and training tool, an aid to preventing future occur- rences, and to inform in- terested parties." NORTHERN CALIFORNIA WILDFIRE Study: Trapped firefighters 'could feel their faces burning' PHOTOS BY KENT PORTER — THE PRESS DEMOCRAT Firefighters approach a structure a er a wildfire broke out near the town of Cobb in Lake County. A structure burns a er a wildfire broke out near the town of Cobb in Lake County. By Judy Lin The Associated Press SACRAMENTO Califor- nia's political watchdog agency on Monday pro- posed tougher rules to pre- vent illegal coordination be- tween political campaigns and outside groups that can collect unlimited amounts of money. The Fair Political Prac- tices Commission intro- duced proposed rules as it says independent expen- ditures have grown eight times higher than in 2002, to more than $80 million in California's 2014 elec- tion cycle. "This makes our already tough regulations ever stronger so all candidates will be playing by the same rules and that some cam- paigns aren't able to gain unfair advantage by coor- dinating their efforts ille- gally," the commissions' chief enforcement officer, Galena West, said in a state- ment. The proposal bans an in- dependent committee from using the same political consultant as a candidate's campaign. It also bars the groups from being run by a former staffer for the can- didate or being funded by a candidate's family member. And it prevents a candidate from showing up at a fund- raiser for the outside group. Loyola Law School pro- fessor Jessica Levinson said the state's proposal might simply push more of the fundraising to candidates and parties. "California is trying to come out in front of this issue and, frankly, severely restrict the number of IEs that will be considered in- dependent," Levinson said. "Increasingly it's a ques- tion of how and where do you want the money to flow, not whether it's go- ing to flow." Spending by outside groups has soared in recent years, and the U.S. Supreme Court ruled in 2010 that the government can't restrict independent spending on elections. In response, Cal- ifornia has boosted report- ing requirements for out- side groups. Commission Chair- woman Jodi Remke said the new regulations seek to ensure separation between outside spending groups and candidates. CAMPAIGN FINANCE Ru le s pr op os ed t o pr ev en t illegal coordination The Associated Press ANAHEIM Disney is raising prices for annual pass hold- ers to its Disneyland and California Adventure parks. An anytime pass, which used to cost $779, now costs $1,049. That pass comes with free parking and un- limited downloads of park photos. Disney spokeswoman Suzi Brown told the Los Angeles Times a restricted version of the pass sells for $849 but has two weeks of blackout days, including the Christmas and New Year's holiday seasons, the park's most popular dates. The park says the move is meant to prevent overcrowding. Prices of most other an- nual passes also went up. The anytime-anywhere pass, good any day at parks in Anaheim, California, and Florida, rose 31 percent to $1,439. Parking went up $1 to $18, but the single-day ad- mission price of $99 re- mained the same. THEME PARK Passholders face higher prices, limits at Disneyland | NEWS | REDBLUFFDAILYNEWS.COM TUESDAY, OCTOBER 6, 2015 8 A