Terminally ill people will have the option to end their own lives with a doctor\u2019s prescription in Illinois next year, under legislation signed by Gov. JB Pritzker on Friday.<\/p>\n
Illinois joins 11 other states that have passed so-called right-to-die legislation,<\/a> which is opposed by many religious leaders and disability rights activists.<\/p>\n Civil liberties advocates hailed Illinois\u2019 law that goes into effect in September 2026 and \u201cwill be thoughtfully implemented so that physicians can consult patients on making deeply personal decisions with authority, autonomy and empathy,\u201d according to Pritzker.<\/p>\n \u201cI 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,\u201d Pritzker said in a statement. \u201cToday, 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.\u201d<\/p>\n The governor signed the polarizing legislation without the fanfare of press conferences that have accompanied other bills<\/a> sent to his desk by state lawmakers this fall.<\/p>\n The measure narrowly passed the Illinois House<\/a> in May and surprised Springfield observers, including Pritzker, when it got a Senate vote in the waning hours of the veto session, squeaking through with a bare-minimum 30-27 majority Oct. 31.<\/p>\n It faced resistance within the supermajority Democratic caucus and staunch opposition from Republicans decrying a new \u201cculture of death.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cWhen my mother passed at home, I know she would have chosen this path to ease our pain, not her own. That\u2019s exactly why strong safeguards matter,\u201d House Minority Leader Tony McCombie, R-Savanna, said in a statement. \u201cI opposed this legislation because compassion must be paired with caution.\u201d<\/p>\n The legislation was championed by state Sen. Linda Holmes, D-Aurora<\/a>, whose parents died after extended cancer bouts.<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019ll never forget the helpless feeling of watching them suffer when there was nothing I could do to help them. I believe every adult patient of sound mind should have this as one more option in their end-of-life care in the event their suffering becomes unbearable,\u201d Holmes said in a statement.<\/p>\n