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Democrats in the Michigan House of Representatives have proposed a package of bills aimed at legalizing physician-assisted suicide for certain terminally ill adults.
The package, which would create a Death with Dignity Act, would allow certain terminally ill adults with six months or less to live to apply for and receive medications to end their own lives.
As part of the package, patients would have to make multiple requests, both written and oral, and would have to wait at least 15 days between requests. They must also receive an evaluation from two doctors, potentially receive a mental health evaluation, be informed about alternatives such as palliative care and pain care, and be told they can change their mind at any time.
“A person who, without authorization from the patient, intentionally alters or falsifies a request for medication under this law or conceals or destroys a rescission of that request with the intent or effect of causing the death of the patient is guilty of a felony punishable by imprisonment for not more than 20 years or a fine of not more than $375,000.00, or both,” the legislation says.
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Democrats in the Michigan House of Representatives have proposed a package of bills aimed at legalizing physician-assisted suicide for certain terminally ill adults. (Peter Nicholls/Getty Images)
The proposal also does not allow a doctor or anyone else to directly cause death through lethal injection, mercy killing or active euthanasia.
The package would protect doctors and others from criminal or civil liability if they follow the law, allow providers to opt out, and protect patients from insurance discrimination.
Doctors, pharmacists and other licensed professionals cannot be investigated or punished simply for assisting in so-called death with dignity, as long as they comply with the law, according to the measure.
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Protesters gather during a demonstration organized by Dignity in Dying Scotland, as the Scottish Parliament holds the final vote on the Assisted Dying Bill on March 17, 2026 in Edinburgh, Scotland. (Jeff J. Mitchell/Getty Images)
The state health department would review cases and publish annual reports. The department would have access to prescription records related to life-ending medications to monitor compliance.
Additionally, health insurers would not be allowed to deny or limit coverage because a person plans to end their life under the Death with Dignity Act.
Existing insurance rules would be changed so that a patient who chooses medical assistance in dying would not be treated as if he or she died by suicide for insurance purposes. Life insurance rules on suicide would not apply if a person dies under the Death with Dignity Act.
Michigan would join a dozen other states and Washington, D.C., in adopting laws allowing physician-assisted suicide for terminally ill adults, including Delaware, New York and Illinois, each of which passed laws in 2025 that will go into effect this year.
Michigan would join a dozen other states and Washington, D.C., in adopting laws allowing physician-assisted suicide for terminally ill adults. (Spencer Platt/Getty Images)
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Several other countries, including Canada, Germany, Belgium, Switzerland, the Netherlands, Australia and Colombia, have also legalized so-called death with dignity.
Supporters of the legislation, including medical aid in dying advocacy groups, argue that it would give mentally capable and terminally ill adults an additional option at the end of life, while preserving safeguards such as multiple applications, medical review, waiting periods and the ability to rescind an application at any time.
Republicans and religious leaders, particularly within the Catholic and evangelical communities, have long expressed concern about assisted suicide, citing the penalty of life as well as moral and ethical concerns.
“So-called assisted dying endangers the weak and marginalized in a society, corrupts medicine, and erodes our obligations to family,” U.S. House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-Louisiana, previously said. “And we will promote and respect every life, no matter how old, sick or weak those people may be.”