Repealing U.S. MAID Laws - More Moves in Legislatures & Courts

No U.S. jurisdiction that authorized medical aid in dying (MAID) ever repealed that authorization. But there have been significant efforts to repeal MAID laws.  

In the past few days, federal legislators introduced H.R.7196 to repeal the DC Death with Dignity Act. And Illinois legislators introduced H.B. 4381 to repeal the Illinois End-of-Life Options for Terminally Ill Patients Act.

Past efforts to repeal state MAID laws failed in DC, New Jersey, and Montana. Lawsuits challenging the legitimacy of MAID laws failed in California, Delaware, New Jersey, and Oregon. Two such lawsuits are still pending in California and Colorado.

Meanwhile, more states are considering MAID bills in 2026, including: Arizona, Kentucky, Missouri, Rhode Island, and Virginia. New Jersey is considering legislation to follow the majority of MAID states and reduce its mandatory waiting period.