HONOLULU (AP) — A bill to give terminally ill residents medical help to end their lives is dead. ADVERTISING HONOLULU (AP) — A bill to give terminally ill residents medical help to end their lives is dead. The House Committee
HONOLULU (AP) — A bill to give terminally ill residents medical help to end their lives is dead.
The House Committee on Health decided not to advance the proposal Thursday.
Democratic Committee Chairwoman Della Au Bellati said the issue divided the community. Some lawmakers say the bill is flawed and there isn’t enough time to fix it before the legislative session ends in May.
Hundreds testified for and against the measure. Supporters say they want to have options to die peacefully. Critics raised concerns that ill people might choose suicide to relieve family burdens or choose death when there’s a chance of survival.
Five states — California, Colorado, Oregon, Vermont and Washington — have laws allowing physician-assisted suicide.
