Monday, March 10, 2008

Maryland resident? Get busy!

From Equality Maryland:
Last week, the Healthcare Facility Visitation and Medical Decisions bill (SB 566) passed the Maryland Senate Finance Committee with a 9-2 vote. The full Senate will vote on this important bill this week and they need to hear from you. Our opponents have been sending them messages with absurd hypothetical scenarios designed to scare them into voting against the bill. Now it's your turn to be a voice of reason.

This measure would extend 11 protections to unmarried partners in times of sickness, aging and death. They include the right to visit one another in the hospital, the right to make medical and funeral decisions in the absence of an advance directive for one another, and the right to share a room in a nursing home. A similar bill was passed in 2005 but was vetoed by former Gov. Ehrlich.
Send a letter to your state senators and make sure this bill reaches Governor O'Malley's desk!