Weekly Recap

From Hawaii Family Forum, February 11, 2017

Take Action!

Senate CPH Committee Schedules Assisted Suicide Bill SB1129

The bill, SB1129 is very misleading in its title "relating to health".  The bill, if passed, establishes a death with dignity act under which a terminally ill adult resident may obtain a prescription for medication to end the patient's life.

SB1129: Text, Status -- The committee on CPH has scheduled a public hearing on 02-15-17 8:30AM in conference room 229.

1)  Please submit online testimony today. Click here for instructions.  You must be registered online at the capitol website to submit testimony

2)  Call the members of the Senate Committee on Commerce, Consumer Protection and Health and ask them to vote NO ON SB 1129.

3)  Show up at the hearing, even if you don't submit testimony to show opposition to assisted suicide.

Why should we oppose assisted suicide?

• Opens the door to abuse of the elderly or infirm. Once a lethal prescription is written, an abusive caregiver or relative who stands to inherit from the patient can pick it up and give it to the patient in food or drink. Since no witness is required at the time of death, who would know if the patient consented?

• Cheapens life. If assisted suicide is made legal, it quickly becomes just another form of treatment. It will always be the cheapest option, especially in a cost-conscious healthcare environment. Barbara Wagner, an Oregon resident, was denied coverage for her cancer treatment but received a letter from the Oregon Health Plan stating the plan would cover assisted suicide. Another Oregon resident, Randy Stroup, received an identical letter, telling him that the Oregon Health Plan would cover the cost of his assisted suicide, but would not pay for medical treatment for his prostate cancer.

• A threat to the most vulnerable. Those living with disabilities or who are in vulnerable healthcare circumstances have justifiable concerns should assisted suicide become an option. Financial pressure, peer pressure, and even pressure from uncaring family members can be placed on these individuals to take the suicide option. In fact, nothing in the Oregon or Washington style laws can protect from explicit or implicit family pressures to commit suicide, or personal fears of "being a burden." There is NO requirement that a doctor evaluate family pressures the patient may be under, nor compel the doctor to encourage a patient to even notify their family.

• Bad data puts patients at risk. Oregon's data on assisted suicide is flawed, incomplete, and tells us very little. The state does not investigate cases of abuse, and has admitted, "We cannot determine whether physician assisted suicide is being practiced outside the framework of the Death with Dignity Act." The state has also acknowledged destroying the underlying data after each annual report.

For more resources visit: www.hpacc.org  |   www.hawaiiagainstassistedsuicide.org

HFF and HFA sign letter to Trump on Religious Freedom

Yesterday a letter was released to President Donald Trump & Vice President Mike Pence from the Family Policy Alliance and the Family Policy Council Network (of which Hawaii Family Forum and Hawaii Family Advocates are a part) requesting the President to please swiftly sign an Executive Order Establishing a Government-Wide Initiative to Respect Religious Freedom.

Read the entire letter: CLICK HERE.

Want to send your own letter to President Trump?  Click here.

2017 Marriage Gala a Success!

10 Couples were honored at our second annual Marriage Gala.  We were blessed to have 5 of our couples honored in 2016 return to celebrate and honor marriage.  View some of our images from the evening.