US EditionPritzker approves physician-assisted suicide law for terminally ill patients
Illinois becomes the 12th state to allow terminally ill adults to self-administer physician-prescribed life-ending medication with strict safeguards, effective September 2026.
- On Friday, Gov. JB Pritzker signed SB 1950, allowing terminally ill Illinois adults to receive physician-prescribed life-ending medication, with the law taking effect Sept. 12, 2026, for IDPH implementation.
- Advocacy groups including Compassion & Choices hailed Deb's Law, named for Deb Robertson, noting 71 percent public support and Illinois as the Midwest's first state to authorize medical aid in dying.
- Eligible patients must make oral and written requests signed by two witnesses, with physicians reporting deaths within 60 days to the Illinois Department of Public Health.
- The law requires reporting and protects provider conscience: no physicians or health-care providers must participate, health-care organizations may prohibit staff, insurance plans including Medicaid cannot deny benefits, and death certificates list the terminal disease cause.
- Advocates framed the law within a national trend where Compassion & Choices aims for 50% of Americans to live in states authorizing medical aid in dying by 2028, with Oregon and Delaware setting precedent earlier this year.
94 Articles
94 Articles
Marietta Daily Journal
Washington ExaminerIllinois legalizes physician-assisted suicide; critics warn of moral, safety risks
(The Center Square) – Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker signs Senate Bill 1950, prompting strong backlash from medical, disability, religious and legal groups who say it was rushed and violates key ethical and legal protections.
New York Post
Pritzker approves physician-assisted suicide law for terminally ill patients despite Catholic opposition
Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker on Friday signed legislation that will allow eligible terminally ill adult patients to obtain life-ending medication in consultation with their doctors, making Illinois the latest state to authorize physician-assisted suicide for people with a prognosis of six months or less.
Illinois Becomes 12th State to Allow Medically Assisted Suicide for Terminally Ill Adults
Gov. JB Pritzker signed a bill on Friday making medically assisted suicide available for terminally ill adults, making Illinois the 12th state, along with the District of Columbia, to legalize the practice. Opponents said the new law “legitimizes suicide.” Senate Bill 1950, known as the “End-of-Life Options for Terminally Ill Patients Act” or “Deb’s Law,” which will take effect by September 2026, was in part motivated by personal stories, includ…
Gov Pritzker Signs Bill to Make Illinois a Hub for ‘Suicide Tourism’
Illinois Democrat Governor JB Pritzker signed a sweeping “assisted suicide” bill on Friday, drawing sharp condemnation from pro-life advocates. Critics warn that the state is now poised to become a regional hub for what they call “suicide tourism.” The law permits physicians to prescribe lethal drugs to patients diagnosed with terminal illnesses and given less ... Read more The post Gov Pritzker Signs Bill to Make Illinois a Hub for ‘Suicide Tou…
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