Senate Committee Passes ‘Our Care, Our Choice Act’ Bill

The Hawai‘i Senate Committee on Commerce, Consumer Protection and Health passed House Bill 2739 titled “Our Care, Our Choice Act,” on Friday, March 16, 2018, which allows for a mentally capable, terminally ill adult with six months or less to live, the freedom to make their own end-of-life decisions.

HB2739 mirrors many of the strict regulatory processes and stringent safeguards contained within Senate Bill 1129 which passed the Senate in the 2017 Legislative Session and was deferred in a House committee. In advancing HB2739, the Senate committee agreed with the House that it was sound legislation and the right time to allow this option for qualified patients in Hawai‘i.

“The Senate has already recognized the fundamental right to give Hawai‘i residents the option to make end-of-life healthcare decisions that are right for them,” said Sen. Rosalyn Baker (Dist. 6 – South and West Maui) chair of the Senate Committee on Commerce, Consumer Protection and Health. “In advancing this measure, we are establishing a regulated process that may not be an option for everyone, but provides a choice that can bring comfort to people in their final days.”

The bill now goes before the Senate Judiciary Committee for consideration.