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State Rep. Robyn Gabel, D-Evanston, attached the stalled
assisted suicide bill’s language to a food preparation safety
bill as an amendment.
“Medical aid in dying is a trusted and time-tested medical
practice that is part of the full spectrum of end of life care
options,” Gabel said during Wednesday’s House Executive
Committee hearing.
Known as the “End of Life Options for Terminally Ill Patients
Act,” the House amendment to Senate Bill 1950 would allow a
person considered terminally ill to receive and self-administer
lethal drugs after a physician determined they had less than six
months to live.
State Rep. Bill Hauter, R-Morton, who is a practicing physician,
takes issue with the fact that this important legislation is
tucked inside a food prep sanitation bill.
“I have to object to the process that we are tackling today,”
said Hauter. “When you have a process of fundamentally changing
the practice of medicine, and we’re putting it inside a shell
bill.”
The Catholic Conference of Illinois, staunch opponents of the
measure, said Gabel is quietly trying to push the bill through
the legislature in a last ditch effort to get assisted suicide
legalized in Illinois.
Oregon was the first state to legalize medical aid in dying
through a ballot initiative in 1994. Since then, 10 other states
and the District of Columbia have authorized the practice.
Hauter remains opposed to the legislation.
“I’m definitely not speaking for the whole house of medicine,
but I do think I can confidently speak for a significant
majority of the house of medicine in that this topic really
violates and is incompatible with our oath,” said Hauter.
The measure is headed to the House floor for consideration. The
spring session is scheduled to end Saturday.
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