34. Death with Dignity

WHEREAS medical science and technology are capable of greatly prolonging life, which has created many new and complex ethical decisions concerning such prolongation; and

WHEREAS since 1997, the state of Oregon has recognized the right of individuals to make a personal choice concerning the prolongation of life or the choice of death; and

WHEREAS the U.S. Supreme Court in Vacco v. Quill and [u]Washington v. Glucksberg[u] held that issues surrounding physician assisted suicide are reserved for the states to decide; and

WHEREAS out of 180,000 deaths occurring in the six years after Oregon passed its "Oregon Death with Dignity" statute, only 171 people actually exercised the freedom to choose to die;

WHEREAS recent polls of Hawai`i voters indicate that 80 percent support the option of Death with Dignity; and

WHEREAS the 2002 Hawai`i State House of Representatives passed Death with Dignity legislation based upon the Oregon law and the 2002 Hawai`i State Senate failed to pass this Death with Dignity legislation by only three votes;

THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that the Maui Democratic Party urges the Hawai`i Democratic Party and the Hawai`i legislature to support the Death with Dignity legislation based on the Oregon law and to pass said legislation in the 2007 legislative session.