SPRINGFIELD, Ill. — Illinois Governor JB Pritzker has officially signed into law a measure allowing residents with terminal illnesses to make the choice to end their lives on their own terms. The landmark legislation was approved on Friday and is set to take effect in September 2026.

The delay in implementation is designed to give the Illinois Department of Public Health and other medical entities adequate time to establish “stringent processes and protections” for the execution of this new provision, as stated by the governor’s office. This careful planning aims to ensure the procedure is carried out with the utmost care and responsibility.

Dubbed “Deb’s Law,” this legislation pays tribute to Deb Robertson, an Illinois native afflicted with a rare terminal illness. Robertson has been a vocal advocate for the bill, sharing her experiences and the struggles faced by individuals and families who desire the autonomy to make end-of-life decisions.

Governor Pritzker expressed that he has been deeply moved by the stories of those enduring terminal illnesses and their unwavering commitment to “freedom and choice at the end of life” amidst their personal battles. He emphasized the importance of providing patients with the ability to make these profound decisions with dignity and compassion.

“This law will be implemented with careful consideration,” Pritzker stated during the signing ceremony in Chicago. “Physicians will be equipped to guide patients through these deeply personal choices, ensuring they are made with authority, autonomy, and empathy.”

Eleven other states and the District of Columbia allow medically assisted suicide, according to the advocacy group, Death With Dignity. Delaware was the latest, and its provision takes effect Jan. 1, 2026. Seven other states are considering allowing it.

In Illinois, patients 18 and older with physician-confirmed mental capacity to make medical decisions may request end-of-life medication if they have an illness that could be fatal within six months, as verified by two doctors; as well as have received information about all end-of-life care options, such as hospice or palliative care. Additionally, both oral and written requests for the medication must come from the patient, not a surrogate or proxy.

Sponsoring Sen. Linda Holmes, a suburban Chicago Democrat, said both her parents died of cancer.

“I’ll never forget the helpless feeling of watching them suffer when there was nothing I could do to help them,” Holmes said. “Every adult patient of sound mind should have this as one more option in their end-of-life care in the event their suffering becomes unbearable.”

The Illinois House approved the measure 63-42 in late May at the end of the legislative spring session. The Senate didn’t take it up until October, when it was approved 30-27. In both chambers, there were prominent Democratic “no” votes.

The Catholic Conference of Illinois, representing the state’s six Catholic dioceses, issued a statement disparaging Pritzker’s action, saying the law puts Illinois “on a dangerous and heartbreaking path.”

“Rather than investing in real end-of-life support such as palliative and hospice care, pain management, and family-centered accompaniment, our state has chosen to normalize killing oneself,” the Catholic bishops said. “This law ignores the very real failures in access to quality care that drive vulnerable people to despair.”

The conference also derided the idea that Illinois has legalized suicide for some while attempting to prevent it in others, particularly teenagers, among whom suicide is the second-leading cause of death. That sentiment was echoed by the nonpartisan advocacy and lobbyist group Patients Rights Action Fund.

“Assisted suicide plunges Illinoisans with disabilities and other vulnerable people into conversations about death, instead of the care and support they deserve from their medical teams,” said Matt Valliere, the group’s president and CEO.

Deb Robertson, the retired social worker from suburban Chicago who gave a name to the law, thanked Pritzker for signing the law providing “the full range of end-of-life options.”

Robertson added, “The end for me could be near, but I’m pleased to have been able to play some role in ensuring that terminally ill Illinois residents have access to medical aid in dying.”