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."

[Ethan_Allen]

'Bout time SOMEONE tells the truth down there!!!

[OXENinFLA]

Who is this putz?

[NautiNurse]

Roger Wishner (D) Broward thinks Terri should be dead with hubbie calling the shots.

[yesnettv]

this guy is an idiot!
I don't know

[dixiegrrl]

He is doing fine.I am so thankful that he didn't start wheezing. He has allergic asthma(Sp) so when the weather changes I have to watch his allergies very carefully. This time it was just a head cold! Thanks for remembering and asking about him.

[nickcarraway]

BUMP

[OXENinFLA]

Anyone know a good way to patch a hole the size of a fist in drywall?

[dixiegrrl]

Is he for or against ?

[NautiNurse]

Talk about emotional--Wishner sounds like a flame.

[yesnettv]

Hit it with a fist
Or throwing this guy

[OXENinFLA]

Against

[OXENinFLA]

lol

[dixiegrrl]

Never mind he finally said against.

[NautiNurse]

Bev Kilmer (R) Panhandle up now.

[yesnettv]

This lady is great!

[agrace]

Varied discussion going on. Terri just had two advocates speak pretty passionately on her behalf, currently a congressman is basically saying it is none of the legislature's business, to get into the business of the life decisions of families.

He's also saying that the bill presentation is unfair because no real discussion has taken place, hasn't gone through committee at all, etc. Says this will prevent people from being able to, quote, "die with dignity."

Someone up now again talking about how vulnerable Terri is, how no one is protecting her. And what is the worst thing that could happen if they do pass the bill, and what is the worst thing that could happen if they do not. She says, most of you are parents, we have a woman who has a loving mother and father who are heartbroken that they will have to spend another day watching their daughter die slowly etc.

[OXENinFLA]

She's an optimums and wants this passed.

[incindiary]

I can't believe what he just said! "If we pass this tonight, we're not going to allow this person to die with dignity" ?? (she's starving and dehydrating to death, Mr, how is that dignified??)

The woman on right now has some sense.

[Gelato]

Rep. Bev Kilmer:

“Our responsibility to protect the health and safety to citizens. There is no person more vulnerable right now than (Terri). What would be the worst thing that would happen if we pass this bill? And what would be the worst thing that would happen if we did nothing?”

[ChemistCat]

My son is awesome. I don't see his autism as a disability anymore. It just makes him different, and in some ways he has things easier than the rest of us. He doesn't care what anyone thinks of him, for instance. That's a real gift! He's very intelligent and high-functioning. I've known autistic children who do things like break and eat any glass they can get their hands on. I know I'm blessed.

I do worry about how he'll handle teenagerhood, but I worry more about his NDA (not-diagnosed-with-anything) sisters...!