Five states — Oregon, Washington, California, Vermont, and Colorado, plus the District of Columbia — have passed legislation allowing mentally competent adult residents with a terminal illness to voluntarily request prescription medication that would allow the person to die in a peaceful manner rather than requiring them to endure the slow, undignified death by letting their illness run its natural course. HB 2739 would add Hawaii to that list.
Hawaii’s Death with Dignity bill requires that a terminally ill patient making the choice to end his or her life must be a resident of Hawaii who is at least 18 years old, determined mentally capable of making the decision by two physicians and able to articulate an informed decision. To receive the medication, the patient needs to submit one written request, witnessed by at least two other people, two oral requests, and one signed final attestation. The current measure also criminalizes coercing a terminally ill patient to request the drug.
Tell Hawaii senators that terminally ill individuals should have the right to choose when and how to end their lives. HB 2739 grants this right and includes adequate safeguards to ensure that the law will not be abused.
