Success! Our Care, Our Choice Bill SB839 Passes the Senate 21-4

The Hawaiʻi Senate just voted 21-4 to improve the Our Care, Our Choice Act. Next, this bill will move on to the House, where we have a more difficult fight ahead. Will you reach out to your Hawaiʻi state representative and urge them to support this bill? The action form makes emailing and showing your support very simple. Submit your support for the bill today!

Background on the bill: 

The Our Care, Our Choice Act (OCOCA) went into effect on January 1, 2019, authorizing medical aid in dying in Hawaiʻi. Based on recommendations by the Hawai‘i Department of Health, SB839 aims to improve access to the OCOCA by allowing qualified Advanced Practice Registered Nurses (APRNs) to serve as the Attending, Consulting, and/or Mental Health Provider required under the law. It would also allow the attending provider to waive the mandatory 20-day minimum waiting period between the required first and second oral requests if the provider deems that the patient will not survive the waiting period. These improvements to the Our Care, Our Choice Act are critical in ensuring all terminally ill Hawaiʻi residents are able to access compassionate end-of-life care. 

Mahalo to our nurses who submitted testimony and support, and a special mahalo to Senator Roz Baker for the work and support to move the needle on this bill!