Assisted Suicide Measures Gain

HONOLULU —  The Hawaii House approved two bills Thursday to allow competent, terminally ill adults to seek a doctor’s assistance in ending their lives.

Approval came after nearly two hours of emotional, sometimes personal, floor debate on the legal, moral and ethical implications of doctor-assisted suicide.

“Even though I may have personal misgivings, I don’t believe it is my right to tell the people of the state of Hawaii that you cannot use your freewill to decide whether you want to end your life at all when the moment comes,” said Rep. Joe Souki, a Democrat. “It is your choice to make and it is not mine.”

The Senate has not taken up the issue. Senate Health Committee Chairman David Matsuura has said he will not hold hearings on any House-approved measures, a move that would end any chance of the bills becoming law. However, Gov. Ben Cayetano supports the so-called death with dignity measures and has publicly asked Matsuura to clear the way for a possible vote in the Senate.

If the laws are approved, Hawaii would join Oregon as the only states to allow doctor-assisted suicide.

One bill approves a constitutional amendment allowing assisted suicide. The other details how the law would be implemented, specifying that terminally ill, competent adults would be able to obtain prescription medication for the sole purpose of taking a lethal dose. The measure prohibits mercy killings, lethal injections or active euthanasia.

The two bills both passed, 30 to 20, with one member absent.

The vote was enough to send the constitutional amendment to the Senate for further action.