EDITORIAL
State deserves sound death-with-dignity law

While the Hawai'i Legislature shelves physician-assisted suicide bills year after year, support for this controversial end-of-life option appears to be swelling.

So it's troubling to hear that Senate Health Chairman David Matsuura declines to hear such bills because there's apparently not enough time to address insurance and legal questions.

That doesn't make a lot of sense. For years, Hawai'i has debated the pros and cons of physician-assisted suicide and has gathered reams of research on all its legal, medical and moral ramifications. A special committee appointed by Gov. Ben Cayetano that included all points of view recommended moving forward on a broad array of issues that involve "death with dignity."

With an issue that touches so many people, you'd think Matsuura would want to make the time for a hearing and decision-making. It's not as though the experts and the data aren't available.

Strong support for the idea was evident at a hearing Saturday before the state House Judiciary Committee. After more than three hours of testimony, the panel passed 8-1 votes in favor of two "death with dignity" bills modeled on an Oregon law.

Essentially, the measures would allow Islanders who are suffering from a disease and expected to die within six months to end their life via physician-prescribed medication. Numerous safeguards against abuse have been added to the bill, which is headed for the full House of Representatives for consideration.

But of course, assisted suicide goes nowhere in Hawai'i without Senate approval. If Matsuura is stonewalling assisted suicide because of, say, personal beliefs, perhaps he should step aside and allow another member of the Health Committee to preside over that particular issue.

Ultimately, we expect everyone will vote their conscience on this difficult and rather emotional issue. For instance, it is a legitimate worry that terminal patients might feel pressured into an early death by family members who don't want to bear the costs and burdens of extending their life.

But it is equally legitimate to hope for the day when terminal patients in chronic pain don't suffer unnecessarily because of the ban on assisted suicide. This bill deserves a hearing.