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In the early hours of October 31, the Illinois Senate narrowly voted to legalize physician-assisted suicide. The bill that would allow physicians to prescribe life-ending drugs to terminally ill patients had already passed the state House in May.
The Catholic Church opposes this legislation because it’s at odds with physicians’ responsibility to care for patients and can open the door to more suicide. The Catholic Conference of Illinois, which represents the Catholic Church at the state capitol in Springfield, has asked the governor “not only to veto this bill in totality, but also to address humanely the reasons why some view assisted suicide as their only option and to heed the impact of similar legislation on other states and nations.”
Catholics in Illinois
The Latest News & Updates
ASK GOV. PRITZKER TO VETO SB 1950: LEGALIZES ASSISTED SUICIDE
Please contact Governor Pritzker, asking him to VETO SB 1950. As you know, life is sacred from conception to natural death, and assisted suicide violates that basic tenet of Church teaching, making it morally unacceptable. The Church also calls us to protect the...
CCI Statement on Passage of Assisted Suicide – SB 1950
Statement on Passage Assisted Suicide: SB 1950October 31, 2025 With the passage of legislation to legalize assisted suicide in Illinois, the Illinois General Assembly has put our state on a slippery path that jeopardizes the well-being of the poor and marginalized,...
Update on Educational Choice for Children Act
On Monday, June 16th the Senate Finance Committee released their portion of the “One Big Beautiful Bill Act” making changes what the House of Representatives passed on May 22nd regarding ECCA. The full Senate is expected to vote on the bill around July 4th and further...
Assisted Suicide Bill Fails to Advance
We have incredibly great news to share! Thanks to your prayers, tireless efforts and engagement with your legislators on the dangerous assisted suicide bills, the legislation did not pass the Senate. It was not called for a vote in the Illinois Senate before...
Assisted Suicide Bill – Passes House and Advances to Senate
The Illinois House of Representatives passed SB 1950 (the assisted suicide bill) this evening. It is now going to the Senate where it will pass or fail within the next 48 hours. Our vote count indicates that there is an extremely narrow margin. Laws permitting...
HELP STOP ASSISTED SUICIDE IN FINAL DAYS OF 2025 LEGISLATIVE SESSION
While most of us are preparing to honor those who have served and died for our nation this Memorial Day weekend, the Illinois General Assembly just filed a new bill, SB 1950 (House Amendment #2), to legalize assisted suicide in Illinois. Make no mistake about it –...
Habemus Papam!
The Catholic Conference of Illinois rejoices today in the news that the first American Pope and Chicago native Cardinal Robert Prevost is Pope Leo XIV! Born in Chicago in 1955, after studying at the novitiate of the Order of Saint Augustine in St. Louis he went on to...
The Educational Choice Act for Children (ECCA): Scholarship Opportunities in all 50 States
The Educational Choice for Children Act (ECCA) is a federal proposal (H.R. 833 & S 292) to provide $10 billion annually in scholarships to students. It is an important step in the effort to bring universal school choice to every state. TAKE ACTION TODAY! Ask your...
House Bill 2827 – Update
UPDATE 4/10/25: The Catholic Conference of Illinois testified in opposition to HB 2827 on March 19th because of the reporting requirements for the nonpublic schools. We did not negotiate the language that was adopted by the committee on April 9th. However, the...
Oppose Assisted Suicide Legislation
We are asking you to file witness slips in opposition to both of these pieces of identical legislation. (Instructions for submitting a witness slip can be found HERE.) Witness slip for Senate Bill 9 Witness slip for House Bill 1328 We are also asking that you contact...
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CCI coordinates a statewide effort of prison and jail ministry offered through the dioceses. Lay Catholics receive training to offer hope to inmates through the salvation of the Gospel.
