During the early evening hours on Thursday, the Illinois House narrowly passed the controversial physician-assisted suicide bill (SB 1950 Amendment 2) by a vote of 63 to 42, with two members voting “present.” Eleven state representatives did not cast a vote on the legislation.
The bill now returns to the Illinois Senate for its consideration, debate, and a vote – a process likely to occur within the next two days.
Physician-assisted suicide is not purely personal, nor is it benign, no matter how badly some might wish it to be.
Take ACTION: Please pray that God would stop this agenda from moving forward in Illinois. Earlier today I recorded a short video prayer that you can access here. Ask God to change the hearts and minds of state senators who support or are unsure about this bill. Pray that this agenda stalls out in the Senate.
More ACTION: Click HERE to email your state senator to ask him or her to vote NO. While our chances are slim, stopping this bill in the Senate will require a significant dose of ‘salt and light’ from Christians.
Republican State Representatives Charlie Meier, Tom Weber, Ryan Spain, Rick Reick, Chris Miller, Tony McCombie, and Amy Grant all spoke in opposition to the bill. State Representative Bill Hauter, the chamber’s only medical doctor, provided arguably the strongest opposition. You can watch the video below for his three minute allotment, or click here to watch the entire 74 minute debate.
Representative Hauter forcefully opposed the assisted suicide legislation, warning, “Don’t undermine the relationship physicians have with their patients. Don’t give insurance companies another tactic, another tool to pressure patients—to pressure the disabled, the poor, the terminally ill with no care—with death.” Underscoring his concerns on this point, Rep. Hauter stated, “The cheapest care is no care.”
Please pray, then speak out to your state senator, then pray some more.
