Overview
- Gov. JB Pritzker signed the legislation on Dec. 12, a measure known as Deb’s Law honoring terminally ill advocate Deb Robertson.
- Pope Leo XIV told reporters he had spoken explicitly with Pritzker before the signing and said Chicago Cardinal Blase Cupich also pressed the governor to refuse the bill.
- Illinois’ six Catholic dioceses criticized the decision, saying the law puts the state on a “dangerous and heartbreaking path.”
- The statute is set to take effect next year as state health officials develop regulations and oversight for its implementation.
- Illinois joins 11 states and the District of Columbia that allow medically assisted suicide, with Delaware’s law scheduled to take effect Jan. 1, 2026.