Earlier this month, the Illinois Senate Executive Committee held a hearing on legalizing assisted suicide (SB 9). The bill passed out of committee on a partisan roll call of 8-3. It is now on a third reading and could be voted on by the full Illinois Senate this week, or anytime up until May 9th.
Sponsored by Senator Linda Holmes (D-Aurora) and co-sponsored by six others, they have titled their proposal the End-of-Life Options for Terminally Ill Patients Act, but let’s be clear: it only gives one option – death by suicide.
Proponents argue that people should have this “choice.” But their arguments are based on sentiments like compassion, autonomy, and relief from unbearable suffering. But as we know from the testimony of medical professionals, pain relief is not the primary concern for most patients who seek suicide assistance.
Studies from Oregon (where assisted suicide is legal) show that in 2022, only 24% of patients cited inadequate pain control as a top reason for their request. Instead, concerns like loss of autonomy (92%), diminished dignity (72%), or feeling like a burden (48%) ranked much higher.
Despite these facts, this legislation is being pushed hard by proponents of death in our state. A vote in the Illinois Senate may come as early as Tuesday, April 29th. We need you to speak out now, as your voice can make a difference. Our Illinois State Senators need to hear from their constituents that this bill has STRONG opposition.
Take ACTION: Click HERE to email your state senator and urge him/her to oppose SB 9, the End-Of-Life Options Act. Respectfully tell your state senator that Illinois should never legalize, sanction, or normalize suicide. Public policy should seek to improve healthcare and protect the vulnerable, not commend death.
You may also want to ask them to consider how this could become a slippery slope to “killing becoming an alternative to medical care,” in which the sick, disabled, and elderly may begin to feel that they have a duty to die because they have become burdens. Every human being is created by Almighty God in His image and therefore has inherent dignity and worth. Terminal illnesses, age, disability, and/or suffering do not diminish this fact.
Some Good News!
We’ve just learned that during their annual meeting this past weekend, the Illinois State Medical Society (ISMS) voted to oppose physician assisted-suicide. This is a significant development, as they could have decided to remain neutral, and not get involved. Moreover, the ISMS voted to send official notice to Illinois Senate leadership to inform them of their opposition. Please pray that this helps to keep SB 9 from moving forward.
More Info
Wesley J. Smith, a senior fellow at the Discovery Institute’s Center on Human Exceptionalism, discussed the normalization of the assisted suicide movement in his article “Assisted-Suicide Death Ceremonies Becoming Normalized,” published earlier this year. Smith argues that when a country or state legalizes assisted suicide or euthanasia, it can no longer call itself anti-suicide, as it specifically approves some suicides.
You can learn much more by watching/listening to Mr. Smith’s interview with Kansans for Life on YouTube:
We also recommend this short video featuring hospice & palliative medicine internist Dr. Kevin Garner, MD, who explains his opposition to this agenda.
Lastly, recent testimony given by Dr. Matthew Eppinette about suicide contagion should alarm every one of us. Dr. Eppinette is the executive director of The Center for Bioethics & Human Dignity, and he pointed out that suicidal behavior increases the likelihood of suicidal thoughts or actions in others, particularly among those who are vulnerable. Watch his 6-minute testimony HERE.
