HONOLULU -- Some people think suffering, terminally ill patients should have the option of getting prescription medicine to end their lives.

State House members decided that terminally ill patients should have the option of allowing doctor assisted suicide.

The two bills offering the option of doctor assisted suicide passed the full House Thursday in a 30-20 vote.

The so-called "death with dignity" measures are not likely to make it though the Legislature this year because of opposition in the Senate.

That idea does not deter proponents such as Juliet Begley, who watched a friend suffer through a painful, long bout with cancer begging to be able to end her own life.

"It is not about committing suicide. It is about choosing how you die in an unbearable situation,"

When Begley looked at her pictures of her friend, Luna Robbin, she saw happy smiles. But all Begley remembers is being at Luna's side, as she died a long and painful death from cancer.

"She has a 106 degree fever for hours. She literally cooked. It was something I never thought happened in the death process at all," Begley said. "When a friend was trying to comfort her and they held her hand they broke her hand bone."

She said Luna begged to be put out of her misery,

"It would have made a big difference the level of suffering that happened to her," Begley said.

Begley watched Thursday as lawmakers debated and finally approved assisted suicide bills she supports.

Rep. Joe Souki (D) said as a Roman Catholic he has reservations.

"But, I don't believe it is my right to tell the people of the state of Hawaii that you cannot use your free will to decide whether or not you would want to end your life at all when the moment comes," Souki said.

"Let people make this decision for themselves... We cannot referee between people's gods. Let people apply their own values and beliefs to this terrible decision," Rep. Ed Case (D) said.

Opponents said the answer is not assisted suicide but improving the quality of terminal care.

"We need to do better with pain control and we need to let people know their pain can be controlled," long-term care nurse Jackie Mishler said.

The two assisted suicide bills go next to the state Senate where they not expected to die, because Health Chairman Sen. David Matsuura said he refuses to hear them.