Michigan Democrats propose package seeking to legalize assisted suicide

Democrats in the Michigan House have proposed a package of bills that aim to legalize medically assisted suicide for certain terminally ill adults.

The package, which would create a Death with Dignity Act, would allow certain terminally ill adults with six months or less to live to request and receive medication to end their own life.

As part of the package, patients would need to make multiple requests, both in written and oral form, and must wait at least 15 days between requests. They must also receive an evaluation from two doctors, potentially receive a mental health evaluation, be informed of alternatives such as hospice and pain care and be told they may change their minds at any time.

“A person who without authorization of the patient willfully alters or forges a request for medication under this act or conceals or destroys a rescission of that request with the intent or effect of causing the patient’s death is guilty of a felony punishable by imprisonment for not more than 20 years or a fine of not more than $375,000.00, or both,” the legislation reads.

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The proposal also does not allow a doctor or anyone else to directly cause death through lethal injection, mercy killing or active euthanasia.

The package would protect doctors and others from criminal or civil liability if they follow the law, allow providers to opt out and protect patients from insurance discrimination.

Doctors, pharmacists and other licensed professionals cannot be investigated or disciplined simply for assisting in so-called death with dignity, as long as they follow the law, according to the measure.

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The state health department would review cases and publish annual reports. The department would have access to prescription records related to life-ending medication to monitor compliance.

Additionally, health insurers would not be allowed to deny or limit coverage because a person plans to end their lives under the Death with Dignity Act.

Existing insurance rules would be amended so that a patient choosing medical aid when dying would not be treated as having died by suicide for insurance purposes. Life insurance rules about suicide would not apply if a person dies under the Death with Dignity Act.

Michigan would join about a dozen other states and Washington, D.C., in adopting laws allowing physician-assisted suicide for terminally ill adults, including Delaware, New York and Illinois, which each approved legislation in 2025 that will take effect this year.

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Several other countries, including Canada, Germany, Belgium, Switzerland, the Netherlands, Australia and Colombia, have also legalized so-called death with dignity.

Supporters of the legislation, including medical-aid-in-dying advocacy groups, argue that it would give mentally capable, terminally ill adults an additional end-of-life option, while preserving safeguards such as multiple requests, physician review, waiting periods and the ability to rescind a request at any time.

Republicans and faith leaders, particularly within Catholic and Evangelical communities, have long raised concerns about assisted suicide, citing the sanctity of life, as well as moral and ethical concerns.

“So-called assisted death endangers the weak and marginalized in a society, and it corrupts medicine and erodes our obligations to family,” U.S. House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., previously said. “And we will promote and respect every life, no matter how old or sick or weak those persons may be.”