History of Our Work in Illinois

Compassion & Choices has been engaged in on the ground, grassroots work in Illinois since 2018, joining the efforts of Final Options Illinois, founded in 1986, and the ACLU of Illinois. In that time, Illinoisans have formed action teams throughout the state, offered hundreds of educational events and workshops, and supported the first bills introduced in the Illinois legislature since 1997.

We have joined together with over a dozen sponsors and cosponsors, thousands of advocates, and numerous organizational allies to build support for the authorization of medical aid in dying and raise awareness for advance care planning.

Timeline:

2025

On January 13, Assistant Senate Majority Leader Linda Holmes reintroduced the End of Life Options Act as SB 9. Current co-sponsors include Sen. Mary Edly-Allen and Sen. Laura Fine. The bill is pending in front of the Senate Executive Committee.
On January 14, House Majority Leader Robyn Gabel introduced the bill in the House as HB 1328. Co-sponsors include Rep. Kelly Cassidy, Rep. Janet Yang Rohr, Rep. Harry Benton, and Rep. Mary Beth Canty. The bill is pending in front of the House Rules Committee.

2024

On February 9, Assistant Senate Majority Leader Linda Holmes introduced the End-of-Life Options for Terminally Ill Patients Act (SB 3499). On February 28, the bill was assigned to the Executive Committee, followed by the Subcommittee on End of Life Issues on March 7. The bill was discussed widely throughout the state, amassing over 90 media hits, as well as eight co-sponsors in the Senate. Some media highlights from 2024 include:
- Chicago Tribune: Our sons' agony taught us the importance of medical aid in dying by Nilsa Centeno & Suzy Flack
- Chicago Sun-Times: Should Illinois become 11th state to adopt ‘right-to-die’ legislation? By Tina Sfondeles
- Daily Herald: On her own terms: Illinois lawmakers propose medical aid in dying bill by Alicia Fabbre
Remembering those we’ve lost: Col. Sharon Andrews & Robert Foote
- Col. Sharon Andrews died at home at the age of 71 on Sunday, September 29. She became a Compassion & Choices storyteller in May 2023, sharing her story further through letters to the editor and meetings with her legislators. She was not able to see her wish to access medical aid in dying become a reality.
- Robert Foote died at the age of 70 on Tuesday, February 20. He became a Compassion & Choices storyteller in April of 2020. He is survived by his sister, Karen Retzer, his wife, Cheryl, and his son, Jonathan.

2023

On October 25, the Illinois End of Life Options Coalition hosted an Exhibit Day in Springfield. Storytellers and volunteers from across the state gathered at the capitol to talk with lawmakers and encourage them to introduce legislation that would authorize medical aid in dying. Posters were displayed near the rotunda sharing stories, support, and information about the medical aid in dying.

On April 25, Compassion & Choices hosted a legislative dinner in Springfield, gathering legislative advocates and storytellers to talk about introducing medical aid in dying legislation in the state. Assistant Senate Majority Leader Linda Holmes and House Majority Leader Robyn Gabel were both among attendees, both of whom would later introduce bills in their respective houses.

Pre-2023

With the COVID-19 pandemic, Illinois Compassion & Choices adapted to virtual advocacy and education to make progress in bringing medical aid in dying to the state’s policy agenda and to educate people on how to make sure their end-of-life wishes are documented and honored. As folks were slowly able to resume their daily lives, this creativity did not diminish, and Compassion & Choices was able to transition to a mixture of hybrid, virtual, and in-person events throughout the state. The Midwest Train the Advocate Workshop was developed, as well as relationships with supportive legislators and local organizations. Our volunteer and supporter base grew - and with it, so did the discussion about legislation in the state.
Remembering those we’ve lost: Andrew Flack, Kari Alice Lynn, and Miguel Carrasquillo
- Andrew Flack was a teacher, hockey fan and advocate living with advanced cancer. He used California’s End of Life Option Act to access medical aid in dying and passed away on November 16, 2022. Andrew could not die at home in Illinois, where he grew up, because it does not yet allow the option of medical aid in dying.
- Kari Alice Lynn voluntarily stopped eating and drinking in order to control her end-of-life journey from lung cancer. She died peacefully at home, with the support of hospice, on January 29, 2021.
- Miguel Carrasquillo, a Chicago-based chef from Puerto Rico, died at age 35 from an aggressive form of brain cancer on June 5, 2016.

Illinois