The following statement is from Edward ‘Ned” Dolejsi, executive director of the California Catholic Conference, on the Fourth District Court of Appeal denying the California Attorney General’s request for an immediate stay of the ruling that determined the physician-assisted suicide law to be unconstitutional: “We are very grateful and encouraged that California courts continue to find the law legalizing physician-assisted suicide unconstitutional. We realize there are many steps in the legal process still to go, but rulings seem to be accumulating against this terrible piece of legislation,” said Dolejsi. “As we have said previously, a broad coalition of doctors, nurses, seniors and the disabled community, fought against legalization and the shattering of the physician-patient bond of trust it represents.   The California Catholic Conference and our partners continue to advocate for high quality, widely available end-of-life care for all people. “For instance, California is yet to provide palliative care to all Medi-Cal recipients but California lawmakers have approved funds for lethal prescriptions.  In a January 2018 hearing, legislators openly spoke of the potential to expand physician-assisted suicide to minorities and other vulnerable populations.   They also spoke of ways to begin dismantling the few “protections” written in the law. The message sent by that hearing to vulnerable populations is chilling and frightening.”