As we spring into March, things are heating up with legislative action happening every week. Multiple bills and amendments are starting to receive public hearings, some are making progress like never before, and we even defeated an opposition bill!

Here’s the latest on Death with Dignity legislation across the country:

Bill introductions

  • Oregon introduced an amendment to its Death with Dignity law, SB1003. The bill has been referred to the Senate Judiciary Committee. This amendment would:
    • Expand the definition of providers to include physicians, physician associates, and nurse practitioners.
    • Reduce the waiting period from 15 days to 48 hours, with an exception for patients expected to die very soon.
  • Maine introduced an amendment to the Maine Death with Dignity Act, LD613. The amendment would allow attending physicians to waive any portion or all of the waiting periods if it’s in the best interest of the qualified patient. The bill was referred to the Health and Human Services Committee.

Committee Referrals

Florida’s End-of-Life Options Act (H471) was referred to the Health Professions and Programs Subcommittee. Florida residents, tell the committee to give H471 a public hearing today!

Public Hearings

  • We’ve been keeping you in the loop about a dangerous bill in Montana that could ban Death with Dignity, but so far, it hasn’t passed. Here’s the good news: a new bill, HB637, has been introduced to protect Death with Dignity by making it legal through legislation! On February 26, HB637 had a public hearing in the House Judiciary Committee where dozens of passionate supporters spoke up, along with the bill’s strong sponsor, Representative Julie Dooling.

    Right now, Montanans have access to this option thanks to the 2009 Baxter v. Montana court case. We’re working hard to get legislation passed that solidifies this court decision, making it easier for patients to follow the steps and ensuring continued access to this compassionate end-of-life choice. We’ll keep you posted on how this bill moves forward!
  • Tennessee‘s Death with Dignity bill, HB598, is set for a public hearing in the House Population Health Subcommittee on March 3, 2025 — this is the furthest Tennessee’s bill has ever gone! Tennessee residents, support this bill by writing a letter to the committee urging them to pass HB598 this session.
  • New Hampshire has a crucial public hearing scheduled for the New Hampshire End of Life Freedom Act (HB254) on March 3, 2025, in the House Judiciary Committee. This vote will decide whether the committee recommends the bill, and the bill will receive a vote in the House shortly after. New Hampshire residents, our partner, the New Hampshire Alliance for End of Life Options is looking to present the legislature with 2025 signatures from Granite Staters supporting Death with Dignity — sign their New Hampshire petition now!
  • Maryland is holding its first two public hearings of the year: HB1328 before the House Health and Government Operations Committee on Monday, March 3, and SB926 before the Senate Judicial Proceedings Committee on Wednesday, March 5. We’ll be closely watching these hearings and will keep you updated on the next steps for these bills!

Opposition Bills We Blocked

A few weeks ago, we shared with you a dangerous bill Republican Representative Mark Anderson introduced in Connecticut, HB5712 — bill that would force the death certificate of a patient who chooses Death with Dignity to list their cause of death as “suicide.” We’re very enthusiastic to report that the bill did not receive a public hearing in time. This was thanks to the nearly 3,000 letters you sent to the Joint Committee on Public Health opposing HB5712!

Based on committee deadlines, it appears we have defeated Connecticut’s opposition bill. However, if we’ve learned anything in the last 30 years of legislative work, we know that our opponents are willing to resort to last-minute legislative trickery to take away our rights.

The opposition will keep trying to push through harmful legislation to stop Death with Dignity, however, we’ve shown, time and time again, that when we fight back with PEOPLE POWER, we win!

We’ll keep you updated as things develop — legislation moves fast, and your voice matters! Stay connected by following us on Meta, Instagram, X, and Bluesky, and make sure to sign up for Death with Dignity email alerts!

Thank you for reading. We work tirelessly to keep you informed on our latest legislative work and how you can advocate in your state. As we continue the fight in 2025, we hope you’ll make a charitable gift to defend Death with Dignity to fund our legal and policy teams to protect your end-of-life freedoms.