This story discusses suicide. If you or someone you know is having thoughts of suicide, please contact the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline by dialing 988.
Minnesota state lawmakers are re-introducing a bill to legalize medically-assisted in dying, which is legal in 10 states and Washington, D.C.
The controversial bill would allow Minnesotans with terminal illnesses to self-administer a prescription medication that would kill them over a period of time — a practice that some argue is an ethical way to end suffering while others argue that it is a dangerous slippery slope for those in a vulnerable mental state.
“I’m proud to carry the Minnesota End-of-Life Options Act once again at the legislature. Over the past several years, I’ve heard countless stories from Minnesotans who want the ability to decide, with their doctors and loved ones, how they spend their final days,” State Rep. Mike Freiberg said during a Thursday press conference, as FOX 9 Minneapolis first reported. “Their message is clear: They want compassion, autonomy and peace at the end of life.”
The Minnesota legislation is modeled on Oregon’s 1997 Death with Dignity Act.
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Minnesota lawmakers are re-introducing the controversial End-of-Life Options Act. (iStock)
“The person has to be an adult with a terminal illness and a prognosis of six months or less to live. They must be mentally capable of making decisions, and they must be able to self-ingest the medication,” Freiberg said during the Thursday press conference.
He added that two medical clinicians must be able to confirm the person’s diagnosis and consent, and the person undergoing medically-assisted death must also take a mental health examination.
Medically-assisted suicide is legal in 10 states and Washington, D.C. (Thomas Jansen-Lonnquist for The Washington Post )
The legislation is aimed at alleviating suffering for those with terminal, life-altering illnesses that impact physical and mental capability, such as ALS.
Tom Albin, who has ALS, spoke during the Thursday presser, as FOX 9 first reported.
“ALS is cruel. It will eventually trap me in a body that can’t move.”
“I am not suicidal, I love my life and the people in it,” Albin said. “With my medical team, I’ve done things to extend my life with a feeding tube and a non-invasive ventilator. But ALS is cruel. It will eventually trap me in a body that can’t move. But I’ll be fully aware of it the whole time. And there’s no escape.”
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Tom Albin, who has ALS, spoke in favor of the Minnesota End-of-Life Options Act on Thursday. (FOX 9)
Gina Schneider, regional campaign and advocacy manager for Compassion & Choices Action Network, told Fox News Digital that the organization is “so grateful for lead sponsor Rep. Mike Freiberg’s dedication to bringing the compassionate option of medical aid in dying to Minnesota by reintroducing the End-of-Life Options Act”
“All Minnesotans deserve a full range of end-of-life care options,” Schneider said. “We hope the legislature will honor the will of 73.2% of Minnesota voters who support this option for terminally ill adults in their final six months or less of life by getting HF 2998 to Governor Walz so he can make it law in 2025.”
The Minnesota Alliance for Ethical Healthcare is taking a different stance, with spokesperson Nancy Utoft highlighting the potential dangers of such legislation in a news release shared with FOX 9.
The Minnesota legislation is modeled on Oregon’s 1997 Death with Dignity Act. (Getty Images)
“Physician-assisted suicide is often framed as a compassionate option, but the reality is that it deepens existing inequities in our healthcare system and places vulnerable individuals—especially those with disabilities, limited financial resources, and communities of color—at greater risk,” Utoft said. “We should be saying yes to better care, not legalizing an option that pressures people into ending their lives prematurely.”
Canada legalized medical assistance in dying (MAID) in 2017, and the nationwide law has prompted arguments about how medically-assisted suicide may prompt those suffering from mental health disorders to end their lives prematurely.
Minnesota state senators are expected to introduce the bill next.