Illinois to legalize physician-assisted death after Gov. Pritzker signs bill

Gov. JB Pritzker has signed the “Medical Aid in Dying” bill, legalizing physician-assisted death in Illinois, his office announced Friday.

The legislation allows certain terminally ill patients to end their lives with a doctor’s help. The law will take effect on Sept. 12, 2026, to allow the Illinois Department of Public Health time to implement processes and protocols outlined in the legislation. There are strict requirements for patients and physicians.

“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.

Eleven other states and Washington D.C. already authorized medical aid in dying, according to the nonprofit Compassion & Choices, which advocates for the expansion of end-of-life care options. The nonprofit said Illinois is the first state in the Midwest to enact the law.

That number includes Delaware, where the law takes effect on Jan. 1, 2026. New York state lawmakers passed legislation earlier this year, and New York Gov. Kathy Hochul must make a decision by the end of 2025.

Also called Deb’s Bill, the legislation in Illinois was inspired by Deb Robertson, a retired Lombard social worker with a rare terminal illness.

“Today, I know the end for me could be near. But I’m pleased to have been able to play some role in ensuring that terminally ill Illinoisans have access to medical aid in dying,” Robertson said in a statement.

Patients who are at least 18 years old who wish to request medication to end their lives must have a terminal illness. Here are the requirements, according to Pritzker’s office:

• Two physicians must provide an in-person examination and conclude the patient’s illness will result in death within six months.
• Doctors must inform the patient about all of their end-of-life care options, including comfort care, hospice, palliative care and pain control.
• The patient must have the mental capacity, confirmed by their physician, to make medical decisions. If the physician has questions about mental fitness, the patient will be referred to a licensed mental health professional. If the mental health professional determines that the patient does not have mental capacity, the patient will not qualify.
• The patient must make written and oral requests in order to receive the aid-in-dying medication, among other requirements. Only the patient can make the request.
• The patient’s written request must be signed by the patient and witnessed by at least two people who attest that the patient has the mental capacity to make the decision.
• The patient must make the request voluntarily and not be coerced or under duress.
• The patient must be able to self-administer the medication.
• The patient has the right to withdraw their request at any time or choose not to ingest it.

Disability rights organizations, religious leaders and other opponents held a candlelight vigil outside Pritzker’s Chicago office Thursday evening, ahead of the bill signing, urging the governor to veto the legislation.

Groups against the bill believe physician-assisted death is “life-threatening” at a time when Medicaid cuts are looming for hundreds of thousands of people in Illinois. They also believe people with disabilities will feel pressured into choosing the option to die, in part because of the high cost of living.

“Suicide and suicidal ideation are much higher among people with disabilities than folks realize. And this is not just folks with mental health issues. It’s just basically being force fed the idea that you are not worthy, that you will never be in a relationship, that you are a burden to society,” said Amber Smock, vice president of advocacy for Access Living.

“This is an emotional and deeply personal issue for many families, including mine. When my mother passed at home, I know she would have chosen this path to ease our pain, not her own. That’s exactly why strong safeguards matter,” House Minority Leader Tony McCombie said in a statement. “This bill goes too far without the protections Illinois families deserve. Coroners, who will be responsible for determining causes of death, were never brought into the conversation. Stakeholders raised red flags that were brushed aside. Those gaps pose real and dangerous consequences. I opposed this legislation because compassion must be paired with caution. Illinois should have taken a more responsible, inclusive approach before moving forward.”

The death certificates of those who take end-of-life medication under the bill will attribute their cause of death to the underlying terminal disease. If a patient chooses this option, doctors must submit information within 60 days after death to the Illinois Department of Public Health regarding the patient, their diagnosis, notice that requirements under the Act were completed, and notice that medication has been prescribed. The information is confidential, privileged, and not discoverable in any civil, criminal, administrative, or other proceeding.

Doctors, health care providers and pharmacists are not required to participate in the option. The law makes it a felony to coerce anyone to request the medication or to forge a request. Health care entities can also ban staff from practicing aid-in-dying care while working for the organization.

Members of Access Living met with Pritzker’s office Thursday urging him not to sign the bill. Smock described the conversation as deep and thoughtful but “very late in the game.” Her organization is concerned efforts to expand eligibility and reduce safeguards will quickly follow the law.

“No matter what guardrails you put into place, such as felony punishment for people coercing someone to use lethal medication, the reality is that murder is a felony, but that doesn’t stop people from committing murder. So, the criminal system does have its limits, and there are bad actors out there,” Smock said. “We brought some folks in to talk with the governor’s staff yesterday who had had those kinds of bad actors approach them and try to take advantage of them and pressure them into taking legal medication.”