Minnesota end-of-life bill reintroduced, faces stiff opposition

The bill would allow adults with terminal illnesses to choose to end their lives with medication, but it faces stiff political opposition. 

Author: Danny Spewak

SAINT PAUL, Minn — DFL lawmakers in the House and Senate re-introduced the End-of-Life Options Act this week in both chambers, a measure that would allow adults with terminal illnesses to choose to end their lives with medication.

Ten states and the District of Columbia have passed similar laws, including Oregon, which serves as the model for Minnesota's proposed legislation. Under the bill, a person would need to have six months or fewer to live and must be deemed mentally capable of making medical decisions, along with a diagnosis from two independent providers.

"We've seen from other states that most people who choose this option, do so not because they're in physical pain," House sponsor Rep. Mike Freiberg (DFL - Golden Valley) said, "but because they want to maintain control, avoid unnecessary suffering and preserve dignity in the face of death."

Freiberg said he has carried the bill for at least nine years now. However, with committee deadlines looming on Friday and political opposition from Republicans, the bill still has little chance of passing in 2025.

"We're not going to go away," Freiberg said at a news conference on Thursday alongside the advocacy group Compassion & Choices. "I'm going to keep fighting for it. I'm hopeful we can get there this session, but many times legislation can be a multi-year battle. If that's what this ends up being, I'm willing to take as many years as it takes."

Tom Albin and Becki Sinks also joined the news conference to lend support for the bill. Albin was diagnosed with ALS in 2022, while Sinks' husband, Brad took his own life in 2020 during a battle with brain cancer.

"I strongly believe I should have the right to have a say in my life," Albin said.

Sinks added: "I've always loved in obituaries, where they say 'surrounded by family and friends.' But that option was taken away from Brad."

Despite support from many in the DFL, the bill still did not pass the Senate last year and is unlikely to pass the House, where Republicans share power with a tie this session. Last year, under DFL control, the bill advanced through four House committees.

"I am a firm pro-life believer, from conception to natural death, so it's disheartening that it's back again," Republican Rep. Krista Knudsen (R - Lake Shore) said. "A lot of times, people are seeking this option because they feel as though they are a burden at the end of their life on their families. And all life has value."

The bill also faces opposition from groups such as Minnesota Citizens Concerned for Life and the Minnesota Alliance for Ethical Care.

Jessica Rodgers with the Patients Rights Action Fund, a national group that works to defeat similar legislation, called the proposal in Minnesota "dangerous."

"I grew up in a state where it's legal and I saw first-hand, when a patient has a terminal diagnosis, having assisted suicide as an option changes the relationship between doctors and patients," Rodgers said. "We see red and blue states all across the country continuing to reject it. No new state has passed it in four years."

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Minnesota end-of-life bill reintroduced, faces stiff opposition