Chun urges Senate Senate Majority Leader Jonathan Chun is urging Health Chairman David Matsuura to hold a hearing on at least one of the two bills dealing with physician-assisted suicide that were sent over from the state House.
hearing on doctor-
aided suicide
Senators now will deal with 2
measures passed by the HouseBy Pat Omandam
pomandam@starbulletin.comBut even if Matsuura (D, South Hilo) refuses, Chun said he will not allow the measures to bypass the Health Committee, as was the case in the state House. Matsuura has said he will not hold a hearing on the bill.
"Unless there is a huge support from the majority to fast-track it, we will follow the normal procedures," Chun (D, South Kauai-Niihau) said yesterday.
More than half of the 51-member state House had something to say during more than two hours of debate on the issue before approving the "death with dignity" bills, each by a 30-20 vote.
State Rep. William Stonebraker (R, Hawaii Kai) likened passage of the bills to a Trojan horse, and warned if Hawaii allows doctors to prescribe life-ending drugs to the terminally ill who request it, it will begin a progression toward physician-assisted death or euthanasia where there will be no turning back.
He argued it is currently illegal for doctors to prescribe poison. Moreover, it may become an obligation on the elderly and those with long-term illnesses to seek to end their life to avoid hardship on their surviving family.
"This right to die becomes a duty to die," Stonebraker said.
House Bill 2491, House Draft 1, proposes a constitutional amendment on death with dignity to be put before voters. The bill gained approval of a majority of the House yesterday but will need two-thirds approval on its final vote because it would change the state Constitution.
House Bill 2487, House Draft 1, describes the procedures and safeguards in which a terminally ill person over the age of 18 can request in writing a prescription of life-ending drugs.
Early in debate yesterday, Republicans attempted to recommit House Bill 2491 to the House Judiciary Committee, but that motion failed by a 16-32 vote. Republicans had complained the bills were never heard by the House Health Committee. Later, Health Chairman Dennis Arakaki (D, Kalihi Valley) acknowledged it was an oversight on his part.
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