The Hawai‘i State Senate today passed SB 1129, a Death with Dignity bill, on a 22 to 3 vote.
The Hawai‘i State Senate thus became the first full legislative chamber this year to pass an assisted dying law. Modeled on the Oregon Death with Dignity Act, SB 1129 would allow terminally ill residents of Hawai‘i to make their own end-of-life decision to die with dignity.
Years of patient, meticulous work with legislators, our friends Scott Foster and Marsha Joyner at the Hawai‘i Death with Dignity Society, and advocates like Betts Cruz and Mary Uyeda, are beginning to pay off.
What difference 15 years make! Whereas in 2002, a similar bill fell short of passage by three Senate votes, the overwhelming majority that voted for SB 1129 gives us reason to hope Hawai‘i may soon join Oregon, Washington, Vermont, California, Colorado, and Washington, D.C. in providing its residents with this peaceful, dignified end-of-life option.
We couldn’t be more proud of and grateful to all involved. Most importantly, we are grateful to Hawai‘i State Senators for listening to the will of the people. Please sign this e-card to the Hawai‘i State Senators for passing SB 1129:
Today we feel gratitude and celebrate our success. Tomorrow we will get back to work. As encouraging as today’s vote was, the bill must still pass in the Hawai‘i State House and be signed by Governor Ige to become law. We will continue working tirelessly with our friends on the ground to make Death with Dignity a reality in the Aloha State.
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