SB5,SD1 - Physician Assisted Suicide.doc

THE SENATE

5

HAWAII SILVER LEGISLATURE, 2005

S.D. 1

STATE OF HAWAII

S.B. NO.

A BILL FOR AN ACT

RELATING TO THE AUTHORIZATION OF PHYSICIAN ASSISTED SUICIDE.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE SILVER LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF HAWAII:

SECTION 1. The Silver Legislature believes that a

1

terminally ill patient's decision-making over the time and means

2

of death is a highly personal matter. A terminally ill

3

patient's request for the assistance of a physician to

4

accelerate death ought to be treated with dignity and respect.

5

Therefore, the Silver Legislature finds it appropriate,

6

compassionate, and humane to authorize a physician to prescribe

7

medication to empower a mentally competent, terminally ill,

8

adult patient, who has a full understanding of options and

9

consequences, to exercise control over this intensely private

10

decision. The purpose of this Act is to authorize physician

11

assisted suicide.

12

SECTION 2. A terminally ill, competent adult suffering

13

from an incurable and irreversible disease that will produce

14

death within six months may obtain, upon written request, a

15

prescription from a licensed physician for medication of a self-

16

administered oral lethal dose.

17

SECTION 3. This Act shall take effect upon its approval.

18