California

Status of Medical Aid in Dying

The California End of Life Option Act went into effect on June 9, 2016. This compassionate option allows for an eligible terminally ill adult, with a prognosis of six months or less to live, to request and receive a prescription form their doctor that they can self-ingest to peacefully end their suffering.

An improvement bill, SB 380, took effect in 2022. The Department of Public Health’s annual data report showed there was a 47% increase in Californians who used the law in 2022, increasing access to the law exactly as intended.

We will continue to work on reauthorizing this law, removing the sunset provision, and reducing barriers to access while ensuring safeguards remain intact.

The CDSS issued a notice to adult and senior care facilities about the End of Life Option Act. Residents who qualify for medical aid in dying living in assisted facilities and other adult or senior care facilities are able to take their medication in their home and can’t be evicted for choosing this option.

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Access California's form at CaringInfo

Find free advance directives and instructions for each state that can be opened as a PDF (Portable Document Format) file
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Additional Information

Schedule a Presentation: We’ll explain the full range of end-of-life options and explain step-by-step how the law works – in English and in Spanish.

Find resources in Spanish

Visit our End-of-Life Resource Center

California Stories

Latest California News

California Medical Aid-in-Dying Law to Go Into Effect in 91 Days
March 10, 2016

(Sacramento, CA – March 10, 2016) Compassion & Choices today praised the California legislature for closing the special session on healthcare that will allow the historic End of Life Option Act to go into effect in 91 days, on June 9. Governor Jerry Brown signed the bill into law last October after the legislature passed…

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California Law Withstands Referendum Threat
January 14, 2016

California’s new aid-in-dying law remains safe: A group aiming to overturn the End of Life Option Act failed to collect enough signatures to get their referendum on the November ballot. “An overwhelming majority of Californians supports the End of Life Option Act,” said Compassion & Choices California Campaign Director Toni Broaddus. “Opponents simply could not…

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Petition Drive to Overturn California Aid-in-Dying Law Fails
January 5, 2016

(Los Angeles, CA – Jan. 5, 2016) An attempt to overturn the state’s new aid-in-dying law has failed to collect enough signatures to qualify a referendum for the November ballot, according to news reports. “An overwhelming majority of Californians supports the End of Life Option Act,” said Toni Broaddus, California campaign director for Compassion & Choices,…

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What Lawyers Should Know About the End of Life Option Act
December 11, 2015

This op-ed original appeared online for the Daily Journal on December 11, 2015.  When Gov. Jerry Brown signed the End of Life Option Act back in October, California became the largest state in the nationto authorize doctors to offer the option of medical aid in dying to terminally ill adults facing unbearable suffering. Since the Legislature…

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Death With Dignity Wins in California!
September 14, 2015

Compassion & Choices achieved an enormous victory on Friday when, after months of frenzied strategizing, campaigning and lobbying, California lawmakers gave final approval to the End of Life Option Act. Following emotional debate, the Assembly passed the bill with support 43 to 34 on Wednesday, and senators approved it on a 23 to 14 bipartisan…

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Olmos Joins Prominent Latino Voices Endorsing California Death-With-Dignity Bill
July 6, 2015

By Maureen Kennedy Actor/Director Edward James Olmos has added his voice to the community of Latino supporters of California’s End of Life Option Act (SB 128). Best known for his Academy Award-nominated performance as renowned educator Jaime Escalante in the 1988 film Stand and Deliver, Olmos is a veteran social activist. He founded Latino Public Broadcasting,…

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Latino Labor Leader Dolores Huerta Endorses Medical Aid-in-Dying Bill
June 26, 2015

(Sacramento, CA – June 25, 2015) Latino labor leader and civil right activist Dolores Huerta today publicly endorsed the End of Life Option Act (SB 128) and encouraged Latino legislators to vote for it. Her endorsement is critical because she is a leader in the labor, civil rights, and Latino communities.  Several Latino legislators serve on…

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Poll: CA Voters Strongly Support Bill Inspired by Brittany Maynard
June 23, 2015

Nearly seven in ten California voters (69%) support a bill the California Assembly is considering that “would allow a terminally ill adult who is mentally competent the option to request and receive aid-in-dying medication from a physician,” according to a bipartisan poll. Just two in ten (20%) voters oppose the bill, called the End-of-Life Option Act…

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