Medical aid in dying was authorized in Montana when the state Supreme Court found in 2009 that “[The] Rights of the Terminally Ill Act clearly provides that terminally ill patients are entitled to autonomous end-of-life decisions.” Compassion & Choices litigated this case.
On January 14th, 2025, Sen. Carl Glimm (R-Kila) introduced SB 136 (read our bill summary here), the latest version of the Physician Imprisonment Act, which would criminalize medical aid in dying in Montana. There was a Senate Judiciary committee hearing on the bill on January 30, and on February 3 the committee voted 7-2 to advance the bill. Contact your senators to encourage them to vote no.
In 2023, we defeated similar legislation, which failed on the Senate floor by a vote of 24 to 26. With your support, we have defended the right of Montanans to make their own end-of-life care decisions in virtually every legislative session since 2009.
In a February 2023 poll, 88% of Montana voters opposed the Physician Imprisonment Act. In the 2025 legislature, we will protect medical aid in dying if criminalization legislation is introduced.
URGENT: End-of-life options are under attack in Montana. Please urge your lawmakers to vote NO on the Physician Imprisonment Act!
Overview – Over 80% of Montanans Support Medical Aid in Dying
Susquehanna Polling and Research – Montana Statewide Public Opinion Survey
My dad Bob was terminally ill with chronic lymphocytic leukemia when he became the lead plaintiff in the 2009 Baxter ruling, which authorized aid in dying in Montana. He wanted to decide when he had endured enough suffering and wanted the option to die peacefully at home. He continued the effort, even when he realized the decision…
This week, we saw some incredible victories: In Montana, on Monday, we struck down an egregious attempt to criminalize doctors for relieving their patients’ unbearable pain. In New Mexico, in partnership with the New Mexico End of Life Options Coalition, we’ve cleared legislation that would authorize medical aid in dying through the House. On Monday, it…
The Montana Senate today failed to approve a bill that would have allowed the state to prosecute doctors and imprison them, simply for writing a prescription for aid-in-dying medication for a mentally capable terminally ill adult who requests it to peacefully end their suffering. The roll call was a tie, 25 to 25, with both…
The Montana Senate Judiciary Committee today voted to advance a bill that would allow the state to prosecute doctors and imprison them or sentence them to death, simply for writing a prescription for aid-in-dying medication for a mentally capable terminally ill adult who requests it to peacefully end their suffering. Despite hearing from dozens of…
An excerpt from the Missoulian guest column, “Maintain death with dignity,” by Mark Connell, published February 23, 2021: “Since 2008, our state courts have recognized Montanans’ fundamental right of ‘death with dignity,’ also known as ‘medical aid in dying.’ That’s the right of a terminally ill patient, one who’s experiencing intractable suffering as death approaches,…
Compassion & Choices recently hosted a statewide webinar with dozens of passionate volunteer advocates to discuss protecting access to the end-of-life care option of medical aid in dying in Montana. Click here to watch the video of the webinar and click here to read a transcript. Compassion & Choices President and CEO Kim Callinan shared…
December 31, 2019, marked 10 years since the landmark Baxter v. Montana ruling, which authorized medical aid in dying in Montana. Compassion & Choices continues efforts on the ground in Montana to educate and empower residents to learn about their end-of-life options and to protect medical aid in dying from legislative attacks. Bob Baxter volunteered…
End-of-life liberty is protected in Montana and it remains an authorized state for terminally ill patients to seek medical aid in dying. The full Montana Senate today voted today on second reading, against a House-approved bill that would have allowed the state to imprison, and potentially sentence doctors to the death penalty, for writing a…
The Montana Senate Judiciary Committee today held a hearing on a House-passed bill that would allow the state to imprison, and potentially sentence doctors to the death penalty, for writing a prescription for aid-in-dying medication for a terminally ill adult who requests it to peacefully end their suffering. The committee did not take executive action…
Mail contributions directly to:
Compassion & Choices Gift Processing Center
PO Box 485
Etna, NH 03750
