SPRINGFIELD (Friday, October 31, 2025)--Early this morning, the Illinois Senate approved and sent to the Governor’s desk Senate Bill 1950, also known as Deb’s Law, a measure that allows mentally capable, terminally ill adults with a prognosis of six months or less to live the option of obtaining a prescription medication that they can decide to take so that they can die peacefully and end their suffering. If Governor JB Pritzker approves the measure, Illinois will join 11 other states and the District of Columbia as jurisdictions that permit medical aid in dying – the first state in the Midwest to approve the practice.
In response to the vote in the Senate, Compassion & Choices and the ACLU of Illinois, who led the effort for passage of this measure, issued the following statement. It can be attributed to Callie Riley, Regional Advocacy Director for the Compassion & Choices Action Network and Khadine Bennett, Advocacy and Intergovernmental Affairs Director at the ACLU of Illinois:
“We are grateful this morning to the thousands of people across Illinois who have participated in the effort to move Deb’s Law to Governor Pritzker’s desk. Each of these people has been moved by a common commitment to ensuring that everyone in Illinois has the ability to access all options at the end of life. We also are grateful to all the legislators – especially our sponsors, State Senator Linda Holmes and State Representative Robyn Gabel – who supported the legislation after conversations with constituents and advocates leading up to the vote. We encourage the Governor to sign the measure into law at his earliest opportunity.
“Our hearts are with the families and individuals who have courageously shared their stories in the effort to advance this legislation. Their honesty and openness will make life better for Illinoisans once the law is implemented. Finally, we are thankful today for Deb Robertson, who, while facing her own cancer journey, has given freely of her time – and her name – to move this proposal forward. We are heartened that this measure will carry her name moving forward so that future residents of the Land of Lincoln may understand her determination and concern for others. Thank you, Deb.”