Estate Planning State Laws: Death with Dignity
This chart includes information about state laws related to death with dignity laws. Check back often, as this chart is updated frequently.
If you don't find what you're looking for, see our chart of state laws related to Remote Execution of Estate Planning Documents, Funeral Designations, and Creating a Valid Will.
For more information, see our Estate Planning Materials & Resources, and our State-Specific Estate Planning Toolkit.
| State | Death with Dignity Law | Requirements | Request Procedure | Written Request Form | Legislative Activity | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ALABAMA | ||||||||
| ALASKA | ||||||||
| ARIZONA | ||||||||
| ARKANSAS | ||||||||
| CALIFORNIA | End of Life Option Act (June 9, 2016) | https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/billTextClient.xhtml?bill_id=201520162AB15 (legislation) | • Be at least 18 years old and a resident of California • Have a terminal disease that is expected to result in death within 6 months (as determined by 2 physicians) • Have the capacity to make medical decisions • Documents request according to procedure • Has the physical and mental capacity to self-administer aid-in-dying medications | • A patient must make 3 requests for the aid-in-dying medication directly to the attending physician • The requests should be 2 oral (at least 48 hours apart) and 1 written (on a special form with 2 witnesses). | x | https://www.mbc.ca.gov/Download/Forms/aid-in-dying-request.pdf | ||
| COLORADO | Colorado End-of-Life Options Act (December 16, 2016) | https://advance.lexis.com/documentpage/?pdmfid=1000516&crid=241371e1-8f22-455d-9772-1582c14eaab4&pdistocdocslideraccess=true&config=014FJAAyNGJkY2Y4Zi1mNjgyLTRkN2YtYmE4OS03NTYzNzYzOTg0OGEKAFBvZENhdGFsb2d592qv2Kywlf8caKqYROP5&pddocfullpath=%2Fshared%2Fdocument%2Fstatutes-legislation%2Furn%3AcontentItem%3A61P5-WW41-DYDC-J38W-00008-00&pdcomponentid=234177&pdtocnodeidentifier=AAZAALABFAAE&ecomp=g2vckkk&prid=e5d0193a-c965-47bf-9701-1bb47d4a4e32 | • Be 18 years or older and a resident of Colorado • Be terminally ill with a prognosis of six months or less to live (confirmed by 2 physicians) • Has mental capacity • Voluntarily expresses wish to receive prescription for medical aid-in-dying medication | • A patient must make 2 oral requests (separated by at least 15 days) and 1 written request to the attending physician. • The written request must be signed and dated by the patient and witnessed by at least two individuals (at least one cannot be a relative) • The witness must attest, to the best of their knowledge, that the patient is mentally capable, acting voluntarily, and not being coerced | x | https://drive.google.com/file/d/18h_O3OfJchcfFSFHnKchAuRMdL2V9OOb/view | ||
| CONNECTICUT | ||||||||
| DELAWARE | ||||||||
| DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA | The D.C. Death with Dignity Act (February 18, 2017) | https://dchealth.dc.gov/sites/default/files/dc/sites/doh/page_content/attachments/Death%20With%20Dignity%20Act.FINAL_.pdf | • Be 18 years or older and a District of Columbia resident. • Be under the care of a physician • Have a terminal disease, which is expected to result in death within 6 months (confirmed by 2 physicians) • Must be acting voluntarily and be capable of making own healthcare decision • Can self-ingest the aid-in-dying medication | • A patient must make 2 oral requests to the attending physician (separated by at least 15 calendar days) and; • Must make a written request before the second oral request and at least 48 hours before any medication is dispensed or prescribed. • A written request must witnessed by at least 2 individuals (only one of them can be a family member) | x | https://dchealth.dc.gov/sites/default/files/dc/sites/doh/publication/attachments/Request%20for%20Medication%20to%20End%20My%20Life%20in%20a%20Humane%20Dignified%20Manner.03.14.18.pdf | ||
| FLORIDA | Pending legislation | House Bill 561: End of Life Options was introduced in November 2023 and referred to committee for the 2024 session | https://www.flsenate.gov/Session/Bill/2024/561/?Tab=BillHistory | |||||
| GEORGIA | ||||||||
| HAWAII | Our Care, Our Choice Act (effective 2019) | https://www.capitol.hawaii.gov/sessions/session2023/bills/HB650_SD1_.HTM | • Be 18 years or older and a Hawaii resident • Have a medically confirmed terminal illness with a prognosis of 6 months or less to live (as determined by 2 physicians) • Can make medical decisions for themselves and make the request voluntarily. • Can self-administer the drug. | • A patient must make 2 oral requests directly to the attending physician (at least 5 days apart) and; • Must make a written request which is signed by the patient and two witnesses (only one of them can be a family member) • Must wait at least 48 hours after making the written request to receive the prescription | x | https://health.hawaii.gov/opppd/files/2018/12/Patient-Written-Request-for-Medication-eff.-1_1_19.pdf | ||
| IDAHO | ||||||||
| ILLINOIS | ||||||||
| INDIANA | ||||||||
| IOWA | ||||||||
| KANSAS | ||||||||
| KENTUCKY | ||||||||
| LOUISIANA | ||||||||
| MAINE | Maine Death with Dignity Act (March 19, 2019) | https://legislature.maine.gov/legis/bills/bills_129th/chapters/PUBLIC271.asp | • Be 18 years or older and a Maine resident. • Be diagnosed with a terminal disease that will lead to death within 6 months (Confirmed by attending and consulting physicians) • Be able to make an informed decision and voluntarily express the wish to die. • Can self-administer the medication. | • A patient must make 2 oral requests (separated by at least 15 days) and 1 written request to the attending physician. • The written request must be signed and dated by the patient and witnessed by at least two individuals (only one of them can be a relative) at least 48 hours prior to the writing of the prescription for the drug. | x | https://www.maine.gov/dhhs/mecdc/public-health-systems/data-research/vital-records/documents/pdf-files/Request-for-Medication-to-End-My-Life-in-a-Humane-and-Dignified-Manner-Form.pdf | ||
| MARYLAND | ||||||||
| MASSACHUSETTS | ||||||||
| MICHIGAN | Pending legislation | Senate Bill 681 was introduced in November 2023 and was referred to committee | https://www.legislature.mi.gov/(S(3oyzxher042nbkpkb5yv2v5j))/mileg.aspx?page=getObject&objectName=2023-SB-0681 | |||||
| MINNESOTA | ||||||||
| MISSISSIPPI | ||||||||
| MISSOURI | ||||||||
| MONTANA | End-of-life option legal through Baxter v. Montana (2009) | https://law.justia.com/cases/montana/supreme-court/2009/50c59956-3100-468d-b397-4ab38f6eda4d.html | • Be 18 years or older • Be terminally ill • Be mentally competent • Able to self-administer the medication. • Must voluntarily express a wish to receive a prescription for aid-in-dying medication | • There is currently no legal framework to follow | The ruling is regularly challenged in the Montana legislature, but no bills have been successful in overriding the state Supreme Court decision. | |||
| NEBRASKA | ||||||||
| NEVADA | ||||||||
| NEW HAMPSHIRE | ||||||||
| NEW JERSEY | Medical Aid in Dying for the Terminally Ill Act (MAID) | https://pub.njleg.gov/bills/2018/PL19/59_.HTM | • Be 18 years or older and a New Jersey resident. • Must be mentally capable of making and communicating health care decisions • Must be diagnosed with a terminal disease with a life expectancy of 6 months or less (confirmed by 2 physicians) • Can self-administer the medication. • Must voluntarily express a wish to receive a prescription for aid-in-dying medication | • A patient must make 2 oral requests (separated by at least 15 days) and 1 written request to the attending physician (at least 48 hours prior to writing the prescription for the drug). • The written request must be signed and dated by the patient and witnessed by at least two people (only one of them can be a relative). | x | https://medex.nj.gov/forms/MAID/patient_request_medication.pdf?_gl=1*1ap9xkw*_ga*MTM0MzI2NjE3NC4xNjk4ODc1Mjgz*_ga_5PWJJG6642*MTcwMTQ2Nzk4OS4xLjEuMTcwMTQ2ODMxNy4wLjAuMA.. | ||
| NEW MEXICO | Elizabeth Whitefield End-of-Life Options Act | https://nmonesource.com/nmos/nmsa/en/item/4384/index.do#a7C | • Be 18 years or older and a resident of New Mexico • Be terminally ill with a prognosis of six months or less to live (confirmed by 2 physicians) • Must voluntarily make the request and have the capacity to understand and appreciate health care options • Can self-administer the aid-in-dying drug | • A patient must make a written request which is signed by the patient and two witnesses (only one can be a relative) at least 48 hours prior to administering the drug. | x | https://endoflifeoptionsnm.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/07/REQUEST-FOR-MEDICATION-TO-END-MY-LIFE.pdf | ||
| NEW YORK | ||||||||
| NORTH CAROLINA | ||||||||
| NORTH DAKOTA | ||||||||
| OHIO | ||||||||
| OKLAHOMA | ||||||||
| OREGON | Death with Dignity Act (1994) | https://www.oregon.gov/oha/PH/PROVIDERPARTNERRESOURCES/EVALUATIONRESEARCH/DEATHWITHDIGNITYACT/Pages/ors.aspx | • Be 18 years or older • Be terminally ill with a prognosis of six months or less to live (confirmed by 2 physicians) • Must be acting voluntarily and capable of making and communicating health care decisions for him/herself | • A patient must make 2 oral requests (separated by at least 15 days) and 1 written request to the attending physician. • The written request must be signed and dated by the patient and witnessed by at least two people (only one of them can be a relative), and submitted at least 48 hours before the writing of the prescription for the drug. | x | https://www.oregon.gov/oha/PH/PROVIDERPARTNERRESOURCES/EVALUATIONRESEARCH/DEATHWITHDIGNITYACT/Documents/pt-req.pdf | ||
| PENNSYLVANIA | Pending legislation | Bills have been introduced in the House and the Senate. HB543 was referred to committee in March 2023 and SB816 was referred to committee in June 2023 | https://www.legis.state.pa.us/cfdocs/billInfo/billInfo.cfm?sYear=2023&sInd=0&body=H&type=B&bn=543\ | |||||
| *PUERTO RICO | ||||||||
| RHODE ISLAND | ||||||||
| SOUTH CAROLINA | ||||||||
| SOUTH DAKOTA | ||||||||
| TENNESSEE | ||||||||
| TEXAS | ||||||||
| UTAH | ||||||||
| VERMONT | Act 39, Vermont Patient Choice and Control at the End of Life Act (May 2013) | https://legislature.vermont.gov/statutes/fullchapter/18/113 | • Be 18 years or older • Be terminally ill with a prognosis of six months or less to live (confirmed by 2 physicians) • Must be informed, requesting voluntarily and capable • Can self-administer the aid-in-dying drug | • A patient must make 2 oral requests (separated by at least 15 days) and 1 written request to the attending physician. • The written request must be signed and dated by the patient and witnessed by at least two people (both of them cannot be an interested person) | x | https://www.healthvermont.gov/sites/default/files/documents/2016/11/End_of_Life_Choice_patient_medication_request_form.pdf | ||
| VIRGINIA | ||||||||
| WASHINGTON | The Washington Death with Dignity Act (March 5, 2009) | https://app.leg.wa.gov/rcw/default.aspx?cite=70.245&full=true | • Be 18 years or older and a resident of Washington • Be terminally ill with a prognosis of six months or less to live (confirmed by 2 physicians) • Must be informed, acting voluntarily and competent • Can self-administer the aid-in-dying drug | • A patient must make 2 oral requests and a written requests to the attending physician. • Oral requests should be separated by at least 7 days • The written request must be signed and dated by the patient and witnessed by at least two people (only one can be a relative), and submitted at least 48 hours prior to the writing of the prescription. | x | https://doh.wa.gov/sites/default/files/2023-06/422-063-RequestMedicationEndMyLifeHumaneDignifiedManner2023.pdf | ||
| WEST VIRGINIA | ||||||||
| WISCONSIN | ||||||||
| WYOMING | ||||||||
| GUAM | ||||||||
| last updated | 12/23 |