SPRINGFIELD, Ill., Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker on Friday signed Senate Bill 1950, legalizing physician-assisted suicide and making the state one of the latest to adopt a Medical Aid in Dying framework for terminally ill patients. The governor said he was moved by families who testified about loved ones suffering through devastating illnesses, framing the policy as an expansion of personal freedom at the end of life. Under the law, no physician, pharmacist, or health care provider is required to participate.
Republican House Minority Leader Tony McCombie criticized the bill within minutes of the announcement, arguing the measure lacks key safeguards. McCombie said coroners were shut out of the legislative process and warned that “red flags” raised by stakeholders were ignored, creating “real and dangerous consequences.” Her comments underscore the partisan divide over assisted dying policies, even as Illinois joins a growing number of states authorizing the practice.
The legislation’s procedural path was unusual. Initially filed in February as a bill on sanitary food preparation, SB 1950 passed nearly unanimously in April before being significantly amended in the final week of the spring session. The House approved the revised measure 63 to 42 on May 29, and the Senate followed during the fall veto session early on Halloween morning.
The new law will take effect September 12, 2026, allowing qualified patients to receive life-ending prescriptions under strict conditions.
Sources:
Discover more from News Facts Network
Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.
