Legislating Assisted Suicide
Assisted suicide is currently legal in California, Colorado, Hawaii, Maine, New Jersey, New Mexico, Oregon, Vermont, Washington as well as in the District of Columbia. Montana allows for a defense against criminal liability regarding assisted suicide, that consent could be used as a defense according to a decision by the state Supreme Court.
Assisted suicide is not health care. Whether it be euthanasia, assisted suicide, aid in dying or death with dignity all seek the same result, to allow for people to be killed through medical personnel. The details of the laws may vary from jurisdiction to jurisdiction, but the sole purpose is to take the life of another by administering drugs to end that patient’s life.
Proponents of assisted suicide and euthanasia have introduced bills in various states for the 2025 legislative session.
The list below is not exhaustive but presents information on states that have introduced bills to either legalize or expand assisted suicide. The top segment of states are still active (some urgent) while the states listed below the dividing line have failed to move forward or to be passed.
Alex Schadenberg of Euthanasia Prevention Coalition covers this topic in the United States and abroad. See his article on the expanding assisted suicide laws.
New York— A136 and S138 are companion bills that were introduced on January 8, 2025. In each of the House and Senate chambers the bills were referred to the Committee on Health. On Tuesday April 22, there was news of these assisted suicide bills moving forward. The bishops of New York issued a statement on this bill, indicating “that the New York State Assembly would take up legislation (A136/S138) to legalize state-sanctioned suicide for those who are diagnosed with a terminal illness. Euphemistically titled the Medical Aid in Dying Act, this bill would usher in a dangerous new era in our state, turning the Hippocratic Oath taken by physicians to “do no harm” on its head and leaving vulnerable individuals – people with disabilities, the elderly, and those in impoverished and medically underserved communities – subject to pressure and coercion to end their lives so as not to be a “burden” to society or an excessive cost to insurance companies.”
A 136 passed in the Assembly on April 9 and now the Senate will be voting on S138 soon. Assisting a patient to commit suicide is not medical care. Reach out to your senators and tell them to OPPOSE this deadly bill. See the Action Alert from the New York Catholic Conference here. The legislative year is due to adjourn on June 12.
For an informative article by the organization Not Dead Yet, a disabilities rights group, conveys the disturbing reality of the of S 136 and a sobering article published in The Dialogue.
California—Assisted suicide is already legal in the state. SB403, a bill (which is similar to a bill from the previous legislative session SB1196) seeks to amend the 2015 End of Life Option Act. This bill calls for a study to make the following changes: Permitting IV self-administration will allow for euthanasia, permit non-doctors to assist suicide, eliminate the terminal illness requirement, eliminate the residency requirement to allow for suicide tourism.
SB403 was introduced and read for the first time on February 14. The bill was sent to the Rules Committee, amended twice then sent to Senate Committees on Health and Judiciary. On April 29, a hearing was held in Judiciary and the committee passed the bill out of committee to be sent to the Appropriations Committee.
For the language of the bill and for the amendments that have been made so far, see SB403 text or go to the California Catholic Conference for information.
Massachusetts—Two related assisted suicide bills, H 2505 and S 1486, were both filed on January 16, 2025. Massachusetts has faced several assisted suicide bills in the past, and those who support assisted killing continue to push to get something passed in the state. When the ‘End of Life Options Act’ was heard on April 2 in the Joint Committee on Public Health, a report on how to proceed with H2505 was requested by June 1. So far, there is no record of a report being submitted.
For more information about assisted suicide in Massachusetts, go to the MA Catholic Conference.
New Jersey—Assisted suicide has been legal in New Jersey since 2019. A1880, a bill to waive the current 15 day waiting period under certain circumstances, was introduced in the House on January 9, 2024, and referred to the Assembly Health Committee. The companion bill, S3588, was introduced in the Senate on September 19, 2024, and referred to the Health, Human Services and Senior Citizens Committee. These bills carry over from last year because New Jersey is in the second year of their 2024-2025 session.
Also in this session, A406 was introduced to protect citizens from being killed by to making it a serious crime to coerce a patient to request medication pursuant to the assisted suicide or to forge a patient’s request for such medication. After it was introduced, the bill was then referred to the Assembly Judiciary Committee. Another bill, A407, was introduced to repeal assisted suicide in New Jersey and was referred to the Assembly Judiciary Committee.
Oregon— A bill that would further loosen the guidelines to assisted suicide was introduced. SB 1003 changes the term “attending physician” to “prescribing provider” and “consulting physician” to “consulting provider” which essentially allows for non-doctors to prescribe death for a person. It reduces the waiting period from 15 days to 48 hours, enables the “providing prescriber” to waive the waiting period and essentially allow a same day death, and requires hospices and hospitals to publicly disclose their assisted suicide policy. The bill was assigned to committee and a public hearing was held on 3/3/25, where there was overwhelming opposition to the bill. See a report on the hearing.
On April 9, the Senate Judiciary Committee amended SB 1003, then requested the bill be referred to the Rules Committee. A Work Session is scheduled for June 4 in the Senate Judiciary. The legislative year is scheduled to adjourn at the end of June.
The following states are no longer active for the year
Arizona —SB1404 called End-of-life Decisions; Terminally Ill Individuals, was introduced, sent to two committees, but didn’t get a hearing, so the bill is considered dead. This bill would have opened the way for assisted suicide to become law in the state.
Connecticut—HB-5454 was introduced and on January 17, 2025, was referred to the Joint Committee on Public Health. Action had to be taken by a certain date and since no further action was taken, the bill is dead for this legislative session.
Delaware—HB 140 is a bill that legalizes physician-assisted death, specifying some guidelines as to who qualifies to die. After being introduced and favorably reported out of the Health and Human Development Committee, HB 140 went to the House floor for a vote, where it passed, 21-yes, 17-no, 3-absent.
The bill was assigned to Executive Committee in the Senate, passed out of committee and on April 17, the full Senate voted in favor of the bill 11-yes, 8-no, 2- absent.
The measure went to the desk of Governor Matt Meyer, who signed the bill into law on May 20, 2025.
An expert testified, the “right to die” can quickly become a “duty to die.” This LiveAction article mentions the ugly reality of assisted death.
Florida–HB 471 was filed on February 2, 2025. The bill is called “End-of-life Options” which would allow for assisted suicide for those with the mental capacity & who have a terminal condition to obtain pills to die. On February 19, the bill was referred to the Judiciary Committee, Health & Human Services Committee, and the Health Professions & Programs Subcommittee. It has been read once in the Health Professions & Programs Subcommittee.
A companion Senate bill was introduced on March 10 and referred to Judiciary, Health Policy, Fiscal Policy Committees.
No further action is anticipated.
Illinois—The “End-of-Life Options for Terminally Ill Patients Act” (HB 1328) was introduced in the House and was assigned to the Executive Committee. The identical Senate bill, SB 9, was also introduced in January and assigned to the Executive Committee. These bills legalize assisted suicide, which goes against the sanctity and dignity of human life and undermines the value of each human person.
The bill was referred to the Rules Committee where it awaited action. The bill was losing steam and in late May, the assisted suicide language was attached to a food preparation safety bill (SB 1950) and on May 29 passed the full House by a vote of 63 to 42. Senate bill SB 9 passed in the Senate Executive Committee on April 9th. The food prep safety bill, SB 1950 was placed on the Senate calendar, with the opportunity to vote on the bill before the end of the legislative year.
Thankfully, that vote never occurred, and the legislative assembly adjourned on May 31. The bill could possibly come up in a special session or next spring because this is a carryover year for the state legislature.
Offering death is not the answer. What is truly needed is increased access to quality health care, enhanced palliative care options, and loving and compassionate support services for those at the end of their life. These are the alternatives that uphold the dignity of every person. See an article about Bishop David Malloy who argues that assisted suicide is “false charity.”
Indiana—H1011, an assisted suicide bill, was introduced on January 8, 2025, and was referred to the Committee on Public Health. As of April 10, no further action was taken on the bill and the 2025 legislative session adjourned at the end of April.
Kentucky–HB 408, is a bill that would qualify certain terminally ill patients to self-administer medication to induce death. It was introduced on February 7, 2025, and was referred to the Health Services Committee on February 12. No further action was taken on the bill and the 2025 legislative session is adjourned.
Maine—Assisted suicide is legal in Maine, but the LD613 bill introduced this year seeks to expand the parameters of the current law to allow for the attending physician to waive the waiting period. “The attending physician may waive any portion or all of the waiting periods if, in the attending physician’s medical opinion, it is in the best interests of the qualified patient, given the qualified patient’s condition.” This bill was referred to the Committee on Health and Human Services on February 20, 2025. On May 1, the committee held a work session and tabled the bill.
Maryland—The “End-of-Life Options Act” (HB 1328/SB 926) would have legalized assisted suicide in the state. Like most assisted suicide legislation, this bill had potential to target patients with disabilities and treatable illnesses to become victims of those who are considered health care professionals. There were many reasons to oppose this bill, one of which is that it did not have a residency requirement, meaning that people could come from out of state to die. In the House, HB 1328 was referred to the Health and Government Operations and Judiciary Committees. A hearing was scheduled for Health and Government Operations for March 3. In the Senate, SB 926 was referred to the Judicial Proceedings Committee and a hearing was scheduled for March 5, then postponed to March 11 and as of March 10, the hearing was cancelled indefinitely.
As of April 7, the last day of the General Assembly session, this legislation is dead. Thanks to all those who contacted the representatives to oppose this bill.
Montana—SB 136, a bill that would clarify that assisted suicide is not legal in Montana, passed the Senate February 7, 2025 on its third reading, 29-yes, 20-no. It was then sent to the House on February 10 and referred to the Judiciary Committee. The bill was heard in the House committee on 3/19/25. To access a recording of the testimony click here.
If passed, SB 136 would prevent assisted suicide by indicating that consent is not a defense for homicide or assisted suicide. The bill sponsor, Sen. Carl Glimm, said that he is worried that assisted suicide will keep growing, citing cases where veterans with post-traumatic stress disorder were “talked into suicide.” He also shares concern with other lawmakers that people with physical or intellectual disabilities will be targeted.
The Montana legislature adjourned for the year without passing SB 136.
Montana has one of the highest suicide rates in the country, more death is not the answer.
New Hampshire—A bill to allow assisted suicide, HB 254, was introduced on January 8, 2025, and referred to the Judiciary Committee. A public hearing was held on January 29, and an Executive Session was scheduled. On March 20, the House of Representatives voted to table the bill. This means that the bill is likely dead for the year, but lawmakers can still choose to bring it back for a vote.
A similar assisted suicide bill was introduced in 2024. That bill passed the House, but did not get through the Senate after the chamber voted to send the bill for further study.
Nevada— A bill to legalize a euthanasia pill designed to end a patient’s life, has been reintroduced in the Nevada Legislature. AB 346 legalizes physician assisted suicide by administering pills to kill patients.
Last week, the State Assembly amended and passed an assisted suicide bill that not only offers “voluntary death” to patients but also imposes a DNR order on anyone overdosing on lethal drugs as described in this bill. If EMTs are called, they must not act to save the patient. So, if someone regrets their decision, loved ones and emergency responders must stand by and watch them die.
In mid-May, the Senate Health and Human Services committee took up AB 346 where they failed to garner enough support to move the bill forward. Thus, AB 346 is dead for the year. Thank you to all those who contacted their representatives about the truth of this terrible bill.
Rhode Island —H7100 and its companion bill S2093 were introduced in January 2024 and sent to committee. However, both bills were eventually held for study and no further action was taken.
Tennessee—Companion assisted suicide bills HB0598/SB0640, were introduced on January 30 and 31, 2025 respectively. HB0598 was assigned to the House Population Health Subcommittee on February 5. On March 4, the subcommittee convened and HB0598 failed to pass out of the subcommittee. SB0640 passed on First Consideration and was referred to the Senate Judiciary Committee on February 12.
The Tennessee legislature adjourned for the year without any further action on the bills.
Vermont—Assisted suicide is legal in Vermont. H 75 was introduced on January 23, 2025, read the first time, then was referred to the Committee on Health Care. The bill seeks to expand assisted suicide by allowing non-physicians such as nurse practitioners and physician assistants to participate in assisted suicide. This is the third time that Vermont is trying to expand the state assisted suicide law.
The state legislature is due to adjourn by mid-May.
Washington —HB1876 has been introduced and referred to the Committee on Health and Human Services. This bill will expand the state assisted suicide law by permitting non-physicians to participate in assisting suicide by expanding the definition of “attending qualified medical provider.” The bill also permits the “attending qualified medical provider” to waive the 7-day waiting period within the law to enable a same day death.
No further action on this bill was taken before the legislative session came to a close on April 27.
