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HB 1328

END-OF-LIFE OPTIONS ACT

104th Regular Session Introduced by Carol Ammons and 13 co-sponsors

Illinois bill legalizes medical aid-in-dying for terminally ill adults, allowing physician-assisted death under clinical safeguards similar to Oregon's law.

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Bill Summary · HB 1328

Legislative bill overview

HB 1328, the End-of-Life Options Act, would establish a medical aid-in-dying program in Illinois, allowing terminally ill adults to request and self-administer prescribed medication to end their lives. The bill follows the model of similar laws in Oregon, California, and other states that have legalized physician-assisted death under specific medical and procedural safeguards.

Why is this important

This legislation addresses end-of-life autonomy for patients with terminal diagnoses, potentially reducing prolonged suffering while raising fundamental questions about medical ethics, state authority over life-and-death decisions, and religious values. Illinois would join a growing number of states reshaping how medicine handles terminal illness, affecting healthcare practices, palliative care resources, and liability frameworks for physicians.

Potential points of contention

  • Religious and moral objections: Significant opposition from Catholic organizations, evangelical churches, and disability rights advocates who view physician-assisted death as conflicting with sanctity-of-life principles or as creating pressure on vulnerable populations
  • Safeguard effectiveness: Debate over whether proposed eligibility criteria (terminal diagnosis prognosis, mental competency assessments, waiting periods) adequately prevent coercion of elderly, disabled, or economically disadvantaged patients
  • Medical profession division: Concerns among physicians about duty-to-care obligations, conscience protections for dissenting doctors, and whether aid-in-dying could discourage investment in palliative and hospice care

Compiled from official sources — confirm details with the bill’s official record.

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