Gov. Pritzker Signs Medical Aid In Dying Bill Into Law, IL Is First Midwest State To Authorize It

Governor JB Pritzker on Friday signed into law a bill that legalizes medical aid in dying in Illinois.

Senate Bill 1950 will allow terminally ill patients aged 18 or older with a diagnosis of six months or less to live to receive prescriptions to end their lives.

To ensure the highest safeguards for patients, the law is effective in September 2026, which affords participating health care providers and the Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH) "significant lead time to implement stringent processes and protections as outlined in the law," Pritzker's office said in a release.

Also known as “Deb’s Law,” the bill honors Deb Robertson, a lifelong Illinois resident living with a rare terminal illness who has strongly advocated for the bill and shed light on the impacts on families and individuals struggling with terminal illness as they seek dignity and autonomy to peacefully end their lives on their terms.

"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. "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."

Robertson thanked Pritzker for his action.

“I want to thank Governor Pritzker for signing this measure into law – giving the full range of end-of-life options for Illinois residents,” said Robertson. “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.”

The Governor's office said that the legislation expands compassionate end of life options in a manner that establishes clear processes, guidelines, and protocols. Several safeguards are in place to ensure robust patient protection for Illinois residents. No physician, health care provider, or pharmacist is required to participate in the option. The law makes it a felony to coerce anyone to request the medication or to forge a request. Adult patients (18 or older) requesting end-of-life medication must:

• Have a terminal illness that will result in death within six months (as determined by two physicians).
• Be informed by their physician about all of their end-of-life care options, including comfort care, hospice, palliative care, and pain control.
• Have the mental capacity, confirmed by their physician, to make medical decisions.
• Make written and oral requests in order to receive the aid-in-dying medication, among other requirements. The request can only be made by the patient, not by the patient’s surrogate decision-maker, health care proxy, health care agent, attorney-in-fact for healthcare, guardian, nor via advance care directive.

Lawmakers and the Governor have heard numerous personal stories from families and individuals who have faced harrowing circumstances as they near the ends of their lives. Some were enduring unbearable pain, even traveling thousands of miles to seek medical aid-in-dying in other states and countries while sick. They also heard from families who spoke of the pain of seeing their loved one experience prolonged suffering that they were desperate and powerless to end.

“With this law, we are strengthening our commitment to compassionate care for every patient, bodily autonomy for every person, and basic human dignity at every stage of life,” said House Majority Leader Robyn Gabel (D-Evanston).

“Both of my parents died of cancer. I’ll never forget the helpless feeling of watching them suffer when there was nothing I could do to help them,” said Senate Assistant Majority Leader Linda Holmes (D-Aurora). “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.”

Pritzker last month said he was still mulling the bill, and appeared noncommittal at the time about the legislation, which headed to his desk after it was narrowly passed by the state senate narrowly passed, 30-27

"Looking at it, it was something that I didn't expect and didn't know was going to be voted on, so we're examining it even now,” he told reporters.

"Look, I know how terrible it is that someone who’s in the last six months of their life could be experiencing terrible pain and anguish, and I know people who’ve gone through that, I know people whose family members have gone through that. And so it hits me deeply and makes me wonder about how we can alleviate the pain that they're going through.”

Process To Receive Medical Aid In Dying Medication

• Patients who meet eligibility criteria must make several oral and written requests in order to receive medical aid in dying medication.
• The written request must be signed by the requesting patient and witnessed by at least two individuals who attest that the patient has the mental capacity to make this decision, is making it voluntarily, and is not being coerced or doing so under duress.
• Patients who qualify must be able to self-administer the medication.

Patients who qualify and receive medication have the right to withdraw their request at any time or choose not to ingest it. 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. The option to prescribe aid in dying will be available on Sept. 12, 2026, when the Medical Aid in Dying bill goes into effect.

Requirements For Physicians

• Attending physicians must provide informed consent regarding all appropriate end-of-life care options, not just medical aid-in-dying.
• They must provide an in-person examination to determine whether the patient has an illness that will result in death within six months. Two doctors must concur.
• As part of the process, the physician must also confirm that the individual has the mental capacity to make the decision to pursue medical aid-in-dying. If there are any questions about 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 for medical aid-in-dying.
• If a patient elects the end-of-life option as outlined in the Act, physicians must submit information within 60 days after the patient’s death to the Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH) regarding the patient, their diagnosis, notice that requirements under the Act were completed, and notice that medication has been prescribed pursuant to the Act. This information is to be considered confidential, privileged, and not discoverable in any civil, criminal, administrative, or other proceeding.

Health care professionals are not under any duty to participate in the provision of aid-in-dying, and are not subject to criminal or civil liability for participating or refusing to provide aid-in-dying care to a patient in good faith compliance with the Act.

“We applaud Governor Pritzker for signing this compassionate legislation, honoring the 71 percent of Americans who support the option of medical aid in dying for their fellow Illinoisans facing their last months, weeks, or days with a terminal illness,” said Kevin Díaz, President/CEO for Compassion & Choices and Compassion & Choices Action Network.

“Thanks to Governor Pritzker’s thoughtful leadership in signing Deb’s Law today, Illinois will become the first state in the Midwest to authorize medical aid in dying, joining the growing number of U.S. jurisdictions that have committed to law their dedication to patient-driven healthcare at all stages of life.”