Illinois Agrees Not to Enforce Assisted Suicide Mandate Against Catholic Nuns, Pharmacist

September 18, 2026

Illinois officials have agreed to a federal court order temporarily preventing the state from enforcing portions of its new assisted suicide law against Catholic plaintiffs while their lawsuit challenging the measure moves forward.

Christianity Daily reports that the order, issued last week, protects the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Chicago, two orders of Catholic nuns and an Illinois pharmacist from penalties tied to provisions of the End-of-Life Options for Terminally Ill Patients Act and parts of the Health Care Right of Conscience Act.

The plaintiffs argue that the laws conflict with their religious convictions about the sanctity of human life and challenges provisions requiring healthcare providers to inform terminally ill patients about “the foreseeable risks and benefits” of end-of-life options, including assisted suicide.

The plaintiffs also object to requirements that providers with religious objections refer patients elsewhere and refrain from interfering with a “qualified patient” who seeks to obtain or self-administer aid-in-dying medication.

Mark Rienzi, president of Becket, which is representing the plaintiffs, described the challenged requirements as a “blatant attack on religious freedom” and said the law would force Catholic religious sisters to “help people commit suicide.”

Rienzi said, “We look forward to ending this mandate for good and protecting the right of patients to spend their final days with those who will offer them compassionate, life-affirming care.”

According to Christianity Daily, The plaintiffs are asking the court to block enforcement of the challenged provisions, declare them unconstitutional and award damages and attorneys’ fees.

The plaintiffs are asking the court to block enforcement of the challenged provisions, declare them unconstitutional and award damages and attorneys’ fees.

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