Gov. JB Pritzker on Monday wouldn’t commit to signing legislation narrowly approved by the Illinois General Assembly that would allow terminally ill people to end their own lives with a doctor’s prescription, but he said he’s “deeply” affected by the plight of residents seeking end-of-life options.

The Illinois Senate passed the polarizing bill with a bare-minimum 30-27 majority last week during the waning overnight hours of the Legislature’s fall veto session, leaving Pritzker’s signature as the final hurdle toward granting patients access to life-ending medicine if they have six months or less to live.

Like many other Springfield observers, the Democratic governor said he was surprised to see the bill taken up five months after it passed the Illinois House with just three votes to spare.

“It was something that I didn’t expect and didn’t know was going to be voted on, so we’re examining it even now,” Pritzker said after an unrelated press conference Monday in Glen Ellyn.

“I know how terrible it is that someone who’s in the last six months of their life could be experiencing terrible pain and anguish, and I know people who’ve gone through that. I know people whose family members have gone through that, and so it hits me deeply and makes me wonder about how we can alleviate the pain that they’re going through,” Pritzker said.

Lawmakers in 11 other states and Washington D.C. have passed so-called “right-to-die” legislation, which is opposed by religious leaders including Chicago Cardinal Blase Cupich.

Illinois’ bill, championed by Democratic Aurora state Sen. Linda Holmes, would open the door for people 18 or older with a terminal diagnosis to be prescribed a fatal dose of medicine.

They would have to be assessed by a physician and a mental health professional as being “of sound mind,” and make a series of oral and written requests for the drug, with witnesses attesting.

Doctors would be required to explain other end-of-life care options such as hospice. If prescribed a life-ending drug, patients would administer it themselves. Health care providers wouldn’t be required to participate.

“This is a choice,” Holmes said during Senate floor debate. “If you are opposed to it, whether the reason is moral, religious, you just don’t like the idea — fine.
I would never tell you you should choose this option. What I’m saying is, why? Why, if I am facing an illness where I am going to die in pain, do you think you should tell me I don’t have the option to alleviate that pain?”

Holmes, whose parents died of terminal cancer, urged colleagues to “let people make the decision on how their lives are going to end.”

State Sen. Chris Balkema, R-Channahon, denounced the effort “to introduce a culture of death into Illinois.”

“Assisted suicide forces doctors into a role that contradicts their professional ethics. Illinois’ values overall are at stake,” Balkema said. “Whether the Lord chooses to take somebody today or 50 years from now, it shouldn’t be our choice to walk down that slippery slope, only to come back later, to have a future general assembly, open the guardrails and allow more of this.”

Archdiocese leaders of the Catholic Conference of Illinois urged Pritzker “not only to veto this bill in totality, but also to address humanely the reasons why some view assisted suicide as their only option.”

“It defies common sense for our state to enact a 9-8-8 suicide hotline, increase funding for suicide prevention programs and then pass a law that, based on the experience of other jurisdictions, results in more suicide,” Catholic Conference leaders said in a statement.

Bill proponents from the ACLU of Illinois and the nonprofit Compassion & Choices hailed the legislation to ensure “everyone in Illinois has the ability to access all options at the end of life.”

“Our hearts are with the families and individuals who have courageously shared their stories in the effort to advance this legislation. Their honesty and openness will make life better for Illinoisans once the law is implemented,” supporters said in a statement.

Pritzker has two months to consider the bill.

UNINCORPORATED HARVARD, Ill. (WLS) — Two children were among five people injured in a head-on crash in the north suburbs on Sunday afternoon, officials said.

The Harvard Fire Protection District said first responders were dispatched to the area of Route 14 and Lembcke Road in unincorporated Harvard just after 4 p.m.

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Crews found an SUV and a sedan, which were both heavily damaged, and debris scattered across the roadway.

Two children, who were in the SUV, suffered injuries, fire officials said. One child was airlifted from the scene in serious condition to a Level I trauma center. An ambulance took the other child, who suffered minor injuries, to a local hospital.

One of the injured children was reportedly ejected from their car seat.

Firefighters also worked to free sedan’s driver, who was trapped in his vehicle, officials said. An ambulance transported him to a local hospital in serious condition.

Officials said two other adults, who were in the SUV, suffered moderate injuries and were also taken to a local hospital.

The roadway was closed for nearly 90 minutes in both directions.

The McHenry County Sheriff’s Office is investigating.

Luke Altmyer threw for 235 yards and four touchdowns and ran for 88 yards and a TD to lead Illinois to a 35-13 victory Saturday over Rutgers.

Altmyer completed 19 of 31 passes as the Illini (6-3, 3-3 Big Ten) ended a two-game losing streak and became bowl-eligible in back-to-back seasons for the first time since 2010-11.

“I put us as good as any 6-3 team out there. That doesn’t mean anything, but I like this team,” said Illinois coach Bret Bielema.

Hudson Clement caught five passes for 84 yards and a touchdown in the West Virginia transfer’s best game as an Illini.

Rutgers (4-5, 1-5) lost for the fifth time in six games.

Athan Kaliakmanis was 25 of 45 for 253 yards and a TD for the Scarlet Knights. K.J. Duff caught nine passes for 93 yards and a TD and Ian Strong had six receptions for 85 yards.

“Give credit to Illinois. We didn’t coach well enough and didn’t play well enough, and it starts with me,” said Rutgers coach Greg Schiano. “We’re going to get on a plane, go home, and fix what we can fix.”

Altmyer’s 3-yard TD run late in the second quarter came on a trick play on fourth down. He took a handoff from Kaden Feagin, who was lined up in the wildcat formation, faked a handoff, and ran untouched into the end zone.

Illinois’ first TD, a 7-yard pass from Altmyer to Feagin, was at the end of a 12-play, 99-yard drive that took more than six minutes.

The takeaway

Rutgers: Kaliakmanis came into the game with more passing yards than any other QB in the Big Ten, but he couldn’t get untracked against Illinois. He was inaccurate on several throws. The 6-foot-6 Duff had 241 receiving yards last week in a walk-off win over Purdue, but he didn’t have any big plays against the Illini.

Illinois: The Illini defense had a bounce-back game after giving up 76 points the last two games in losses to No. 1 Ohio State and Washington. Rutgers had just 59 yards rushing, averaging 2.2 yards per carry.

“Our defense took the aggression to them, which was fun to watch, and our secondary guys played with much better awareness,” Bielema said. “I’m really proud of the defense. Now, they’ve got to repeat it.”

Rare stretch of sellouts

Saturday’s game was Illinois’ fourth straight sellout. The Illini hadn’t sold out four consecutive games since 2008.

FG streak ends at a dozen

David Olano’s streak of 12 straight made field goals over seven games ended when the Illini kicker missed a 45-yarder in the fourth quarter.

Finally, a sack

Rutgers’ Eric O’Neil almost single-handedly set up Jai Patel’s 40-yard field goal in second quarter. After sacking Altmyer — the Scarlet Knights’ first sack in three games — O’Neal tipped an Altmyer pass four plays later and it was intercepted by Farell Gnago.

Up next

Rutgers: Home vs. Maryland on Nov. 8.

Illinois: Home vs. Maryland on Nov. 15 after a bye week.