Illinois’ recent legalization of assisted suicide marks a historic but deeply divisive shift in state policy—one that many critics argue was pushed through with little regard for opposing voices.
Illinois has become the 12th U.S. state, alongside Washington, D.C., to legalize assisted suicide, despite strong objections from the state’s Catholic bishops as well as pro-life and disability rights groups. Governor J.B. Pritzker signed Senate Bill 1950 on December 12, permitting terminally ill adult residents to obtain a physician’s prescription for life-ending medication to self-administer.
The law, which will take effect in September 2026, defines a terminal illness as an incurable condition expected to cause death within six months and explicitly excludes major depressive disorder as a qualifying diagnosis. The counterarguments were ignored entirely.
On Dec. 10, the Illinois Catholic bishops sent a letter to Pritzker, urging him to veto the bill, and to instead ensure the state’s residents have “compassionate, loving care provided by trained professionals and/or loving family members” at the end of their lives...
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