Summer is here, and while many state legislatures have wrapped up their work for the year and begun preparing for the 2027 session, a handful remain active through the summer or year-round. 

Here’s a look at where aid-in-dying legislation stands across the country as we head into the second half of the year. 

Active Death with Dignity States

These states have introduced medical aid-in-dying legislation, and the bill or amendment is still under consideration by the Legislature. They remain active until a deadline or the end of the session.

Massachusetts: The End of Life Options Act (H2505/S1486), bills that would legalize Death with Dignity in the state, carried over into the 2026 session. S1486 is currently in the Senate Ways and Means Committee, having passed last year out of the Joint Committee on Public Health and the Joint Committee on Health Care Financing. Its companion, H2505, remains in the Joint Committee on Health Care Financing. The Massachusetts legislative session ends on July 31, 2026.

If you’re a Massachusetts resident, tell your lawmakers to support the End of Life Options Act (H2505/S1486)! If you do not live in the state, please share this pre-written letter with your Massachusetts community.

Michigan: The Michigan House introduced the Death with Dignity Act (HB5825), a bill that would legalize medical aid in dying, and a series of bills that would create additional safeguards (HB5826, HB5827, HB5828). HB5825 is currently in the House Committee on Government Operations.

If you’re a Michigan resident, ask the House Government Operations Committee to support HB5825! If you do not live in the state, please share this pre-written letter with your Michigan community.

New Jersey: This session, S710, an amendment to the Aid in Dying for the Terminally Ill Act, was introduced. The amendment would waive the 15-day waiting period for patients unlikely to survive that long. The bill was referred to the Senate Health, Human Services, and Senior Citizens Committee. To date, no hearing has been scheduled on the bill. The New Jersey session runs through the end of 2027.

If you’re a New Jersey resident, ask the Senate Health, Human Services, and Senior Citizens Committee to support S710! If you do not live in the state, please share this pre-written letter with your New Jersey community.

North Carolina: H410, a bill that directs the North Carolina Institute of Medicine to conduct a study on medical aid in dying, carried over into the 2026 session. Last session, the bill was referred to the House Rules, Calendar, and Operations Committees. Dying Right North Carolina joins with us in supporting the legislation. The North Carolina session is expected to adjourn near the end of August 2026.

If you’re a North Carolina resident, tell your legislators to support H410! If you do not live in the state, please share this pre-written letter with your North Carolina community.

Ohio: State Representative Eric Synenberg introduced the Ohio Medical Aid in Dying Act (HB835), a bill that would legalize Death with Dignity in the state. The bill was referred to the House Health Committee.

Our partner, Ohio End of Life Options, has been a leader in advocating for scheduling a hearing for the bill. We expect a sponsor hearing in the fall, and are working to schedule a public hearing this session.

If you’re an Ohio resident, tell your legislators to support the Ohio Medical Aid in Dying Act (HB835)! If you do not live in the state, please share this pre-written letter with your Ohio community.

Pennsylvania: The Compassionate Aid in Dying Act (HB1109/SB570), bills that would legalize Death with Dignity in the state, carried over into the 2026 session. Both bills are now in the House and Senate Judiciary Committees. The last day of the Pennsylvania session is December 31, 2026.

If you’re a Pennsylvania resident, tell your legislators to support The Compassionate Aid in Dying Act (HB1109/SB570)! If you do not live in the state, please share this pre-written letter with your Pennsylvania community.

Session Ends, and Medical Aid in Dying Bill Does Not Advance

These states introduced medical aid-in-dying legislation this session, but the bills did not move forward before adjournment and will not advance this year.

Arizona: The Thomas M. Dow Act (HB2569), a bill that would legalize Death with Dignity in the state, was introduced and referred to the House Rules and Health and Human Services Committee. The bill did not meet the crossover deadline, and the bill did not move forward this session.

Georgia: The Georgia Death with Dignity Act (SB610), a bill that would legalize medical aid in dying in the state, was introduced and referred to the Senate Health and Human Services Committee. The session ended, and the bill did not advance.

Illinois: Republican Representative Brad Halbrook introduced HB4381, a bill that would repeal the End-of-Life Options for Terminally Ill Patients Act, eliminating the existing Death with Dignity law set to go into effect on September 12, 2026. The law was signed by Governor Pritzker at the end of 2025.

Indiana: The End of Life Options Act (HB1011), a bill that would legalize Death with Dignity in the state, was introduced and referred to the House Committee on Public Health, but did not advance to a floor vote before the session ended. We’re thankful for the bill sponsor, Representative Matt Pierce, for introducing Death with Dignity legislation this year.

Iowa: The Iowa Our Care, Our Options Act (HF2262), a bill that would legalize medical aid in dying in the state, was introduced and referred to the Health and Human Services Committee. Iowa’s HF2262 had a hearing scheduled in the House Health and Human Services Subcommittee on February 17. The hearing was cancelled 24 hours in advance of the scheduled hearing.

HF2262 did not meet the crossover deadline and did not move forward this year.

Kentucky: Rena’s Law (HB408), a bill that would legalize Death with Dignity for terminally ill Kentuckians, was introduced and referred to the House Committee on Health Services.

HB646 was also introduced and would move Kentucky in the opposite direction. The bill would increase government interference in deeply personal medical decisions at the end of life. The session ended, and neither bill passed.

Minnesota: The End of Life Option Act (HF2998/SF3215), bills that would legalize Death with Dignity in the state, carried over to the 2026 legislative session and remained in the House Health Finance and Policy and Senate Health and Human Services Committees. The bills did not meet the crossover deadline and did not move forward this year.

Missouri: The Death with Dignity Act (HB2188) and the Death with Dignity Act (HB3497), bills that would legalize aid in dying in the state, were introduced in the Missouri Legislature. HB2188 and HB3497 did not meet crossover deadlines and did not advance.

Rhode Island: The Lila Manfield Sapinsley Compassionate Care Act (S2051/H7760) was introduced and referred to the House and Senate Judiciary Committees. Public hearings were scheduled for both bills, and the committee recommended that the bills receive further study. We are thankful for both bill sponsors, Representative Edith Ajello and Senator Meghan Kallman, and for Representative Ajello for reading our written testimony during the public hearing for H7760.

Tennessee: SB640, a bill that would legalize Death with Dignity in the state, carried over to the 2026 session and stayed in the Senate Judiciary Committee. The bill did not meet the crossover deadline, and the bill did not advance.

Virginia: HB886/SB359, bills that would legalize Death with Dignity in the state, were both introduced and referred to committees. HB886 was referred to the House Committee on Courts of Justice, and SB359 to the Senate Education and Health Committee. SB359 received a public hearing in the Senate Education and Health – Health Subcommittee and advanced on a 3–2 vote. The bill then received a hearing in the full Senate Education and Health Committee, but failed to report out on a 7–8 vote.

HB886 received a hearing in the House Committee on Courts of Justice and was tabled until 2027. We’re disappointed by the results in Virginia, but we’re hopeful the momentum from this session will send HB886 to the finish line in the 2027 session.

Wisconsin: Wisconsin introduced the Our Care, Our Options Act (AB1164/SB1114), bills that would legalize medical aid in dying in the state. SB1114 was read for the first time and referred to the Senate Committee on Licensing, Regulatory Reform, State and Federal Affairs.

AB1164 was sent to the Assembly Committee on Health, Aging, and Long-Term Care. The session ended, and the bills did not advance.

Washington: HB1876, an amendment to Washington’s Death with Dignity Act, carried over to the 2026 legislative session. This amendment would allow exceptions to the seven-day waiting period for patients with fewer than seven days to live. In 2025, the amendment received a hearing in the House Committee on Early Learning and Human Services, but did not receive further action before the session ended in 2026. 

While medical aid in dying remains legal under Washington’s existing law, changes proposed this session did not advance and would need to be revisited in 2027.

Don’t see your state listed? You can still stay informed and take meaningful action. Find out the status of your state and how you can advocate for medical aid in dying where you live. Whether it’s contacting your lawmakers, sharing your story, or connecting with local advocates, there are many ways to help move this issue forward in your state.