With most state legislative sessions done for the year, Compassion & Choices’ National Center for Medical Aid in Dying is celebrating our wins and taking stock of ongoing campaigns.

For the first time since 2019, we successfully passed medical aid-in-dying authorization bills in two states: Delaware and New York.

Delaware officially became the 12th jurisdiction to authorize medical aid in dying with Gov. Matt Meyer’s May 20 signature of the Ron Silverio/Heather Block End of Life Options Act, successfully capping more than a decade of campaigning in The First State.

“This signing today is about relieving suffering and giving families the comfort of knowing that their loved one was able to pass on their own terms, without unnecessary pain, and surrounded by the people they love most,” Gov. Meyer told supporters in an emotional speech before the signing. 

Delaware’s law will take effect on January 1, 2026, or once regulations supporting the law are finalized, whichever is sooner.

On June 9, we celebrated the historic 35-27 Senate passage of New York’s Medical Aid in Dying Act. While lawmakers have since returned to their home districts, our advocacy team remains steadfast as Governor Kathy Hochul must still sign the bill into law.

We don’t know where Gov. Hochul stands on the bill, and the rules about when the Legislature must officially send the bill to her for consideration and her deadlines for signing are complicated. Our New York supporters have already sent thousands of messages to Gov. Hochul through our action alert form and we will remain in Albany until the bill is signed into law.

No less impressive than our authorization bills is our successful repeat defense of medical aid in dying in Montana.

On April 9, the Montana House of Representatives rejected SB 136 — which would have charged physicians with homicide for providing the option of medical aid in dying to qualifying adults —  in a bipartisan 42-58 vote. A bill to criminalize medical aid in dying in Montana has now been introduced and rejected each legislative session for more than 15 years. Our success year was marked by unprecedented bi-partisan support with 16 Republican reps voting against SB 136.

This is especially notable given Montana’s political landscape: In 2020, nearly half of Montana voters identified as conservative, and in 2024, the state voted to re-elect President Donald Trump by a 20-point margin.

Most recently, we applauded our partners at Maine Death with Dignity for successfully campaigning to reduce barriers to accessing Maine’s Death with Dignity Act. On June 23, Gov. Janet Mills signed a bill (LD613) allowing Maine physicians to waive up to 10 days of the 15-day waiting period for otherwise qualified patients who request medical aid in dying. The bill will become effective in September. 

As we celebrate, we also hope that these victories buoy momentum for our continuing campaigns in California, Illinois and Massachusetts.

In California, legislation introduced by Senator Catherine Blakespear (SB 403) seeks to make the End of Life Options Act a permanent law by removing the sunset provision that would expire the law on January 1, 2031. The bill passed out of the Senate on June 4 with a 25-6 vote, and our team expects the Assembly will act as soon as this week.

As the most populous state in the nation, California has always held a significant place in the end-of-life options movement. It is also the only state in the nation that has a medical aid-in-dying law with a sunset provision. California supporters should watch their inboxes this week for the latest advocacy opportunities.

Illinois’s End-of-Life Options Act passed the House 63-4, but was not heard on the Senate floor before session ended. Lawmakers will return to Springfield later this year for their annual fall veto session, where the Senate may act on the bill.

Our rapid success in Illinois is owed in large part to years of grassroots volunteer advocacy. Our bill was only introduced in 2024, but the groundwork laid by advocates like Miguel Carrasquillo — a Chicago-based chef from Puerto Rico who died at age 35 from an aggressive form of brain cancer in 2016 after spending his final weeks advocating for medical aid in dying — ensured lawmakers were well aware of the end-of-life options movement.

Illinois supporters can email lawmakers using our email alert form linked here. This year to date, our supporters have contacted Illinois lawmakers more than 3,500 times.

On January 16, the Massachusetts End of Life Options Act was introduced for the 2025-2026 legislative session. Compassion & Choices and Compassion & Choices Action Network have been on the ground in the Commonwealth since 2012, when a citizen-led ballot initiative was narrowly defeated (51% to 49%).

A hearing was held by the Joint Committee on Public Health on March 24, and a vote is pending. Our field team remains active on Beacon Hill, including recently hand-delivering lobby day invitations to all legislators. Since 2025 is the start of a 2-year session cycle, our bills will carry into next year.

Massachusetts supporters are invited to add to the more than 1,100 messages already delivered to state lawmakers using our email alert form linked here.

In addition to these campaigns, authorization bills remain under consideration in Pennsylvania, where lawmakers meet throughout the calendar year; Rhode Island and New Hampshire, whose sessions both end today (June 30).

An improvement bill in New Jersey that would waive the 15-day waiting period between oral requests for a M.A.I.D. prescription under certain circumstances and would allow for a reduced waiting period between the initial oral request and the writing of the prescription to 48 hours is also awaiting a hearing, which we expect will likely occur following November elections.

As you can tell, we have been busy! We are committed to staying on top of every legislative development and keeping you informed at every point on the journey. We could not do this without dedicated advocates who share their stories, changing lawmakers’ hearts and minds. Thanks for all you do to empower everyone to choose end-of-life care that reflects their values, priorities and beliefs. 

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