Faced with a terminal diagnosis, Hawai‘i residents deserve the full range of options for care at the end of life, including medical aid in dying. Medical aid in dying allows terminally ill adults to get a prescription they can take to end their life peacefully. The Our Care, Our Choice Act allows terminally ill, mentally capable Hawaii residents to access medical aid in dying.

Thanks to the tireless work of dedicated Compassion & Choices supporters and volunteers, on January 24, 2022, HB 1823 was filed in the Hawai‘i State House of Representatives. This bill will make crucial amendments to the Our Care, Our Choice Act to improve access – allowing advanced practice nurse practitioners and physician assistants to serve as prescribing or consulting providers, and reducing the suffering period as Hawaiʻiʻs is the longest in the nation at 20 days. Unfortunately, despite passing the entire House, the entire Senate and six major committees, the bill failed in the conference committee on April 28. 

What we were able to accomplish was immense. We educated state legislators about the need to improve the law and advocated for the rights of terminally ill Hawaiʻi residents. That is no small feat, and it was a real community effort. Mahalo nui loa for your tireless work to pass this critical legislation. This fight is not over. We will continue to do everything we can to improve access to the Our Care, Our Choice Act.