Overview
- Illinois becomes the 12th U.S. jurisdiction to authorize patient-administered life-ending medication for terminally ill adults.
- Eligibility requires age 18 or older, a prognosis of six months or less confirmed by two physicians, informed consent, and both oral and written requests made by the patient.
- The statute mandates self-administration, bars surrogates from applying, and lets clinicians decline participation; written requests need two witnesses attesting to capacity and voluntariness.
- The measure cleared the Legislature by narrow margins (House 63–42, Senate 30–27), drawing opposition from Catholic leaders, disability advocates and National Right to Life over risks to vulnerable people.
- In a parallel development, New York’s governor is expected to announce a compromise to sign a similar bill after securing added safeguards, according to reports.