Terminally ill people will have the option to end their own lives with a doctor’s prescription in Illinois next year, under legislation signed by Gov. JB Pritzker on Friday.
Illinois joins 11 other states and Washington, D.C., that have passed so-called “right-to-die” legislation, which is opposed by religious leaders including Chicago Cardinal Blase Cupich, as well as advocates for people with disabilities.
The law will go into effect next September.
“I have been deeply impacted by the stories of Illinoisans or their loved ones that have suffered from a devastating terminal illness, and I have been moved by their dedication to standing up for freedom and choice at the end of life in the midst of personal heartbreak,” Pritzker said in a statement. “Today, Illinois honors their strength and courage by enacting legislation that enables patients faced with debilitating terminal illnesses to make a decision, in consultation with a doctor, that helps them avoid unnecessary pain and suffering at the end of their lives. This legislation will be thoughtfully implemented so that physicians can consult patients on making deeply personal decisions with authority, autonomy, and empathy.”
Illinois’ law, championed by Democratic Aurora state Sen. Linda Holmes, opens the door for people 18 or older with a terminal diagnosis to be prescribed a fatal drug.
They would have to be assessed by a physician and a mental health professional as being “of sound mind,” and make a series of oral and written requests for the drug, with witnesses attesting.
Doctors would be required to explain other end-of-life care options such as hospice care. If prescribed a life-ending drug, patients would administer it themselves. Health care providers wouldn’t be required to participate.
Archdiocese leaders of the Catholic Conference of Illinois had urged Pritzker “not only to veto this bill in totality, but also to address humanely the reasons why some view assisted suicide as their only option.”
“It defies common sense for our state to enact a 9-8-8 suicide hotline, increase funding for suicide prevention programs and then pass a law that, based on the experience of other jurisdictions, results in more suicide,” Catholic Conference leaders said in a November statement.
Republicans roundly opposed the bill, which passed the Illinois Senate by a bare-minimum 30-27 majority Oct. 31, and passed the House with only three votes to spare last spring.
Supporters from the ACLU of Illinois and the nonprofit Compassion & Choices have hailed the legislation to ensure “everyone in Illinois has the ability to access all options at the end of life.”
“Our hearts are with the families and individuals who have courageously shared their stories in the effort to advance this legislation. Their honesty and openness will make life better for Illinoisans once the law is implemented,” supporters said in a statement last month.