FLA. LAWMAKERS MAY PASS TUBE-FEEDING LAW (LEGISLATURE MEETING TONIGHT, OCT. 20, TO PROPOSE BILL)

AP WIRE SERVICE ^ | OCT. 20, 2003 | AP WIRE

[varina davis]

Fla. Lawmakers May Pass Tube-Feeding Law

October 20, 2003 07:17 PM EDT

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. - Florida lawmakers were moving Monday to consider intervening in the case of a severely brain-damaged woman whose feeding tube was removed last week by her husband's order.

The Florida House scheduled a Monday night session to take up the issue. In the Senate, President Jim King said he will propose legislation that would give Gov. Jeb Bush the authority to order the feeding tube be reinserted to keep Terri Schiavo alive.

The tube was removed Wednesday following a decade-long court battle between Schiavo's parents and their son-in-law, who contends that he is carrying out her wishes not to be kept alive artificially.

"If we are to err - because time is of the essence - for goodness sake let us err on the side of caution," said King, a Republican.

Schiavo has been in what doctors call a vegetative state since her heart stopped in 1990 from a suspected potassium imbalance.

Bush told parents Bob and Mary Schindler last week that his staff would search for legal ways to save their daughter's life, but said Monday they haven't yet found a way.

"The legal ways, the remedies, don't exist," Bush said Monday, before the possible legislative moves became apparent.

Bush added, "I wish I could wave the magic wand and resolve this but every effort that we've had or every effort that has been proposed has either been thwarted by the courts or would be inappropriate."

Meanwhile, in a statement released through his lawyer, husband Michael Schiavo said Monday that he, too, is grieving, but "I did what I believe Terri would have wanted me to do."

[FR_addict]

Beautiful letter!

[agrace]

LOL! Sounds like you too heard her floor speech. It would have been laughable if the issue were not so serious. I could hear her - and understand her - complaining over my computer speakers from the office all the way to the kitchen, she was so loud. It was crazy - she was honestly irritated, VERY irritated, that her staff had to field so many calls and emails. Welcome to elected office, sweetheart.

[MarMema]

Where is the Senate? IS it not 8 am in Fla now?

[agrace]

Shezza's right, the senate isn't scheduled to convene as a body until 645 pm. That's not good, every minute counts. When emailing senators, mention that time is of the essence. I wonder what it takes to get them in there earlier than that.

[MarMema]

www.wfsu.org

King is speaking now. I don't think it is good.

[MarMema]

I don't trust him.

[MarMema]

Choose internet, then the top choice, can't remember what it was.

[MarMema]

Or wait, maybe this is from last night?

[MarMema]

It says live, it was a press conference.

[agrace]

Yep, well after. It's 9 est now and they still are not in session. According to their schedule, they aren't convening as a body until 645 pm tonight and are only in committee til then - we have to try to get them in there sooner, mention the gravity of waiting in emails.

Although last night they did say the Senate would address it in the morning, so maybe they are currently busy rearranging committee meetings etc.

[PrepareToLeave]

How true. "There is nothing new under the sun"...

[MarMema]

They're eating a long breakfast?

[MarMema]

Says here 8 am.

[agrace]

Thanks for the link, I'm opening it now...there's a picture, but the sound stinks. Any better on your end? Also, looks like it's some committee meeting.

[MarMema]

It's ok but I had to download Real One to watch.

It's a replay of last night in the House. Is that what you are watching?

[agrace]

No, it's not in the chamber but in a small room. Definitely not last night's session. Strange that we got two different things.

[ChemistCat]

If I had it to do over again, and could only have understood this issue as I do now, I would have said to heck with my classes and my husband's classes--he can just figure out how to get the children taken care of--and I would have gone to Florida and given up fluids when they took them away from Terri.

I'm still tired, and maybe I am being stupid and quasi-liberal, but it makes me mad that Florida senators are having a long breakfast. A slap in all our faces. Sounds like if they ever actually vote we'll lose.

[wita]

I should not be amazed that Mr Bush has in a way recused himself by saying there is no legal way to stop this killing. This whole scenario might be likened to the court assisted killing going on during the birth process.

There are few if any, with the balls or power, to stop that particular death factory, and in the case of elderly or disabled who have in someones opinion fullfilled their role in life, that too is on a roll to being the new death experience, and will be legally able to reach numbers far greater than the death penalty ever thought of doing.

Is there no governor or legislator who is willing to fall on their sword, to explain to "courts" that they are just one third of the law. There are two other parts with equal responsibility, at doing what is right. The courts are not God's gift to justice, law, truth, or correctness, and civil disobediance by those in a position legally to express that disobediance should be used to thwart judicial legialation.

[MarMema]

Phenn says the bill is being pushed back because of language. We need to keep calling and emailing.

[agrace]

Amen to your post. Someone said recently, maybe Laura Ingraham, I can't remember, that judicial activism has become the greatest threat to this country.

However, this grass roots movement going on here does restore my faith in We the People somewhat. The lesson I'm taking away from here is so basic - squeaky wheels and all.