Advocacy in Action

Compassion & Choices continues leading efforts to authorize, implement and defend medical aid in dying throughout America so people in every state can access the full range of end-of-life options. So far, we have succeeded in authorizing medical aid in dying in 11 jurisdictions: California, Colorado, the District of Columbia, Hawai‘i, Maine, Montana, New Jersey, New Mexico, Oregon, Vermont and Washington.

Compassion & Choices currently leads or supports campaigns in 18 states. This means a state director and staff on the ground bringing lobbying, media, marketing and legal expertise to rally lawmakers and support thousands of volunteers in getting bills passed. Our work is entirely donor-funded.

Legislative Session Overview

(Last updated April 5, 2024)

Medical aid in dying has been introduced in 18 states:

• Nine states have legislation that carried over from the previous year —
  • Delaware, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, New Hampshire, New York, Pennsylvania, Iowa, Wisconsin.
• Ten states introduced new legislation —
  • Arizona, Florida, Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Maryland, Missouri, Rhode Island, Tennessee, Virginia.
• Two states have introduced bills to improve their existing medical aid-in-dying laws:
  • New Jersey, Colorado.

Medical aid in dying is under attack in three states:

• California, litigation.
• New Jersey, litigation and legislation.
• Washington, litigation.

Updates This Week

Week ending May 3, 2024

Federal

On Friday, April 26, Rep. Brittany Pettersen (D-CO) introduced HR 8137, which would exempt current and future states and jurisdictions that allow medical aid in dying from the provisions of the Assisted Suicide Funding and Restriction Act (AFRA). C&C worked on this bill with the congresswoman. Currently, ASFRA prohibits the use of federal funds to provide or pay for any healthcare item, service, or health benefit coverage to cause or assist the death of any individual.

Massachusetts

Compassion & Choices and our partners with the End-of-Life Options Coalition are hosting a lobby day on June 5 to tell lawmakers, in person, that NOW is the time to authorize medical aid in dying in Massachusetts. R egister for our 2024 MA End of Life Options Coalition Lobby Day.

New Hampshire

On Wednesday, May 1, the Senate Committee on Health and Human Services voted 3-2 to refer the state's medical aid-in-dying bill to “Interim Study." The bill will be heard on the Senate floor on May 16, 2024, and the full Senate will vote on whether or not to accept the committee's recommendation.

New York

Compassion & Choices is hosting a Spring Lobby Day - United for Compassion -  on Tuesday, May 7, in Albany to press lawmakers to take up and pass the Medical Aid in Dying Act.

Find the Latest Updates in Your State

Use the dropdown button below to find updates, resources, and opportunities to get involved in your state.