Bill legalizing assisted suicide passes Illinois House; future uncertain 

The Illinois House passed legislation that, if passed by the Senate, could make it the 12th state to legalize assisted suicide. 

The measure passed 63-42 on May 29, with several Democrats joining Republicans in opposition, the Chicago Tribune reported. 

Opponents argued the legislation would turn a doctor’s role from a healer to a killer. 

“Every moment of life should be cherished, and this bill’s sole purpose is to extinguish it,” said Rep. Tom Weber, R-Lake Villa. “At the same time, we are turning those who have spent their careers saving life into life takers. I find it sad that Illinois wants to be the destination to end life.” 

Rep. Kelly Cassidy, D-Chicago, who voted for the bill, emphasized giving options for those dying. 

“One of the most frightening things about death for most of us is that it means the ultimate loss of control,” said Cassidy. “Death, like life, is easier to navigate when you know you will have options to choose from, even if you never need to or even if you choose not to.” 

Instead of assisted suicide, the state should increase efforts to improve palliative care, argued anesthesiologist Rep. William Hauter, R-Morton. 

“We’ve already recognized … the need for more concentrated focus on the dying process with pain control, death with dignity, comfort care with the growing fields of palliative care and hospice care. We have true medical aid in dying,” he said during the House debate. “This is medical aid in death, which is to say physicians helping their patients commit suicide.” 

The proposal did not come up for a vote during the Illinois Senate’s 2025 spring session, which ended in May. However, it could still appear for a vote during a special session or in 2026 when the Senate reconvenes for formal sessions.  

The measure comes as Delaware Gov. Matt Meyer signed assisted suicide legislation into law last month, and the New York Assembly passed a similar measure. 

Eleven states, primarily Democrat-led ones, have permitted assisted suicide. Since legalization, some states have expanded the scope of the practice. 

For example, Oregon and Vermont scrapped residency requirements for out-of-staters in 2022 and 2023, respectively. 

Colorado passed a law in 2024 reducing the waiting period between oral requests from 15 days to seven, creating waiting-period waivers for some patients and permitting advanced practice registered nurses to prescribe it. 

Canada also legalized assisted suicide in 2016. It became the country’s fifth-leading cause of death by 2022, rising from 1,018 cases in 2016 to 13,241 cases in 2022.