Assisted suicide bills get hearing

By Will Hoover
Advertiser Staff Writer

Two "Death with Dignity" bills were still alive yesterday following an emotionally charged state House Committee on Judiciary and Hawaiian Affairs hearing that lasted more than three hours and left speakers, audience members and those on the panel in tears.

One bill would give a terminal patient the right to request a doctor's help in ending his or her life, and the other would ask voters to decide on a constitutional amendment to allow the terminally ill to obtain life-ending prescription drugs.

Both bills passed with amendments to strengthen safeguards designed to eliminate the possibility that a terminal patient could be put to death against his or her will.

It is not clear what will happen next since Senate Health Committee Chairman David Matsuura D-2nd (S. Hilo, Puna) has said his committee will not hear either bill.

"If we can get the support to move it to the Senate, we would like that," said House committee chairman, Eric Hamakawa, D-3rd (S. Hilo, Puna). But he said the issue is now in the Senate's court.

There was no doubt the committee's action represented a moral victory to the those lobbying for Hawai'i to join Oregon as one of two states in the country with a physician-assisted suicide laws.

Many in support thanked the panel for holding the hearing, and asked members to show the "political bravery" to move the bills forward even though it might not seem expedient in an election year.

Passion ran high on both sides. Kelly Rosati, executive director of the Hawai'i Family Forum pointed out that "no state legislature has ever approved physician-assisted suicide."

Rosati and others cited concerns about terminally ill people under pressure to seek assisted-suicide by being made to feel they are a burden on others — a slippery slope, they said, that could lead from the right to die to a duty to die.

Rosati pointed out that in the Netherlands, which has such a law, one-third of those who die by assisted-suicide have not given their explicit consent.

Rep. Joe Gomes R-51th (Lanikai, Waimanalo), who voted against both bills, said "the issue is whether a medical doctor should play an active role in this."

But Rep. Cynthia Thielen R-49th (Kailua, Kane'ohe Bay Dr.), said the issue is "about leaving with dignity." Earlier, Thielen wept during the testimony of Kat Brady, who told story about watching her mother writhe in pain for three months before finally dying. At the time of her death, Brady said her mother weighed 45 pounds.

"I hope none of you ever have to watch someone you love go through something like this," Brady said.

Thielen told her she already had, with her own mother.

Reach Will Hoover at 525-8038 or whoover@honoluluadvertiser.com.