SPRINGFIELD, Ill. – Residents of Illinois facing terminal illnesses will soon have the option to choose their end-of-life journey, thanks to a new law endorsed by Governor JB Pritzker on Friday.
The legislation, known as the Medical Aid in Dying Act, will become effective in September 2026. This timeline allows the Illinois Department of Public Health, along with other healthcare entities, ample time to establish rigorous procedures and safeguards necessary for its execution, as outlined by the governor’s office.
Referred to as “Deb’s Law,” the act pays tribute to Deb Robertson, a lifelong Illinois resident battling a rare terminal condition. Robertson has been a vocal advocate for this legislation, sharing her experiences and emphasizing the importance of granting individuals and families the right to determine the timing and circumstances of their passing.
Governor Pritzker expressed his deep empathy for those experiencing terminal illness, acknowledging their dedication to maintaining “freedom and choice at the end of life amid personal trials.”
“The implementation of this law will be carried out with care, enabling doctors to guide patients through these profoundly personal choices with respect, independence, and compassion,” Pritzker remarked following the bill’s signing in Chicago.
As noted by the advocacy group Death With Dignity, Illinois joins eleven other states and the District of Columbia in offering medical aid in dying. Delaware is the most recent addition, with its law set to commence on January 1, 2026. Meanwhile, seven additional states are contemplating similar legislation.
In Illinois, patients 18 and older with physician-confirmed mental capacity to make medical decisions may request end-of-life medication if they have an illness that could be fatal within six months, as verified by two doctors; as well as have received information about all end-of-life care options, such as hospice or palliative care. Additionally, both oral and written requests for the medication must come from the patient, not a surrogate or proxy.
Sponsoring Sen. Linda Holmes, a suburban Chicago Democrat, said both her 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,” Holmes said. “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.”
The Illinois House approved the measure 63-42 in late May at the end of the legislative spring session. The Senate didn’t take it up until October, when it was approved 30-27. In both chambers, there were prominent Democratic “no” votes.
The Catholic Conference of Illinois, representing the state’s six Catholic dioceses, issued a statement disparaging Pritzker’s action, saying the law puts Illinois “on a dangerous and heartbreaking path.”
“Rather than investing in real end-of-life support such as palliative and hospice care, pain management, and family-centered accompaniment, our state has chosen to normalize killing oneself,” the Catholic bishops said. “This law ignores the very real failures in access to quality care that drive vulnerable people to despair.”
The conference also derided the idea that Illinois has legalized suicide for some while attempting to prevent it in others, particularly teenagers, among whom suicide is the second-leading cause of death. That sentiment was echoed by the nonpartisan advocacy and lobbyist group Patients Rights Action Fund.
“Assisted suicide plunges Illinoisans with disabilities and other vulnerable people into conversations about death, instead of the care and support they deserve from their medical teams,” said Matt Valliere, the group’s president and CEO.
Deb Robertson, the retired social worker from suburban Chicago who gave a name to the law, thanked Pritzker for signing the law providing “the full range of end-of-life options.”
Robertson added, “The end for me could be near, but I’m pleased to have been able to play some role in ensuring that terminally ill Illinois residents have access to medical aid in dying.”
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