[JURIST] The parents of brain-damaged Florida woman Terri Schiavo [JURIST news archive] prepared a last-ditch appeal to the United States Supreme Court Wednesday after the US Eleventh Circuit Court of Appeals in the early hours of the morning refused to authorize a re-insertion of Schiavo's feeding tube [JURIST report], removed 5 days ago. The high court has declined to act in the Schiavo case on two previous occasions, although this is the first time the case has been supported by new federal legislation explicitly allowing federal court review. Bloomberg has more. An amended complaint [PDF courtesy SCOTUSblog] by the Schinders in the US Middle District of Florida filed Tuesday is also still pending [SCOTUSblog post].

In Florida, meanwhile, Governor Jeb Bush Wednesday joined the Schindlers in calling on everyone in the state legislature to "spare Terri's life". Said Bush in a statement Wednesday morning, "Time is of the essence and I hope all who have the ability and duty to act in this case will do so with a sense of urgency." AP has more. The Florida state Senate [official website] is being pressed to revisit a bill [SB 804 summary] that failed there last week that could allow reconnection of Schiavo's feeding tube, but Senate leaders still say they lack the votes to push it through. The Florida state Senate is due to reconvene Wednesday afternoon at 1 PM.