Hawaii Death with Dignity Bill passed in Senate

On March 7, the Hawaii State Senate passed SB 1129 with a 22 to 3 vote. The SB 1129 is the Hawaii Death with Dignity Act, allowing terminally ill residents of Hawaii to make their own end-of-life decision to die with dignity. 

The bill is modelled after the Oregon Death with Dignity Act. If approved, terminally ill, competent adult patients with less than six months to live could receive a lethal dose of medication. They would have to take it themselves and two doctors would be involved in the prescription.

SB 1129 is one of the five bills related to assisted dying (three in the House and two in the Senate, all introduced on January 19, 2017) that is pending in the Hawaii state legislature. The bill now heads to the State House. Bill supporters say the bill will likely face more opposition there.

Hawaii would follow the states of Oregon, Washington, Vermont, California, Colorado, and Washington D.C. To watch its current status, see here. For the full bill, click here.