State should adopt end-of-life law
Who decides for you at the end of your life? I know I want to decide for me. I want Medical Aid in Dying to be an option for me. Therefore, I support SB3499 (Illinois’ End-of-Life Options for Terminally Ill Patients Act).
This bill is currently in a committee on end-of-life issues in the Illinois Senate. It supports medical aid in dying, which allows a mentally capable, terminally ill adult resident of Illinois to request and receive a prescription for medication they may decide to take to bring about a peaceful death.
To qualify, two doctors must determine the individual is mentally capable to make this decision, is able to self-ingest the medication and has a prognosis of six months or less to live. There are many additional safeguards in this bill.
Right now, this is authorized in 10 states and Washington, D.C.
In the 27 years since it began in Oregon, there have been no substantiated cases of abuse or coercion. Read this Illinois bill by googling “Full Text SB3499.” Please, contact your state senator to express support for it. It is an option I want available even if I or someone else chooses not to use it.
Timothy Keaveny
Algonquin