Medically assisted death hearing on for Friday

The public once again will have a chance to testify Friday morning on a bill to allow physicians to prescribe lethal doses of medication at the request of terminally ill patients.

The Senate Commerce, Consumer Protection and Health Committee has scheduled a hearing for House Bill 2739, also known as the “Our Care, Our Choice Act,” at the state Capitol at 8:30 a.m. in Room 229.

The state House last week approved HB 2739 to legalize medically assisted death in Hawaii after an emotional floor debate. The measure passed in a 39-12 vote, marking the first time since 2002 that the state House approved a so-called death-with-dignity bill.

A similar bill was approved in the Senate last year but stalled in a House committee and was never put to a House floor vote. Some version of the measure is expected to pass the Senate again this year, and Gov. David Ige has said he would sign the bill.

HB 2739 would allow patients with less than six months to live to request prescriptions for lethal doses of medication.

Five states — California, Colorado, Oregon, Vermont and Washington — and the District of Columbia already have legalized medical aid in dying. The Montana Supreme Court also ruled in 2009 that physician-assisted death is legal there under existing state law.

House Health and Human Services Committee Chairman John Mizuno has said the Hawaii bill has the strongest safeguards against abuse in the nation.

Under the procedures in HB 2739, patients would be required to submit two verbal requests a minimum of 20 days apart and one written request to their attending physicians for a prescription.

The written request would have to be signed by two witnesses who can attest the patient is of sound mind and is acting voluntarily. One of the witnesses cannot be a relative, and one witness cannot be someone who stands to inherit anything upon the patient’s death.

The bill also requires counseling from a psychiatrist, psychologist or clinical social worker after two physicians confirm the patient’s diagnosis, prognosis and competence.