For additional information and a reservation, click Unit Info above and click on the July Newsletter.
The Winnebago County Retired Teachers Association is pleased to announce the following scholarship winners.
Left to right: Kelcy Dodd, Noah Brockway, Jenna Carpenter, Alaina Curtis
The Winnebago County Retired Teachers Association is pleased to announce the following scholarship winners.
Left to right: Kelcy Dodd, Noah Brockway, Jenna Carpenter, Alaina Curtis
Newly Retired Teachers
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For current legislative news, click on Pension/Legislative New above.
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Medical Aid in Dying in Illinois
Medical Aid in Dying was authorized in Illinois on December 12th, 2025, when Gov. Pritzker signed SB 1950, the End-of-Life Options for Terminally Ill Patients Act. Illinois became the 13th U.S. Jurisdiction to allow Medical Aid in Dying, and the first in the Midwest. The law goes into effect September 12, 2026. The information below will help you understand the important pieces of the bill.
Illinois End-of-Life Options for Terminally Ill Patients Act SB 1950 allows a terminally ill, mentally capable adult with a prognosis of six months or less to live the option to request, obtain and take medication, should they choose, to die peacefully in their sleep if their suffering becomes unbearable.
The bill is modeled after laws in authorized jurisdictions, including the first legislation in Oregon, which has had over 25 years of experience with this law and has never had a single instance of abuse or coercion.
Eligibility Criteria
In all authorized states, to be eligible, a person must be:
This information is provided by Compassion and Choices whose mission is to improve care, expand options and empower everyone to chart their end-of-life journey. Visit CompassionandChoices.org
Medical Aid in Dying was authorized in Illinois on December 12th, 2025, when Gov. Pritzker signed SB 1950, the End-of-Life Options for Terminally Ill Patients Act. Illinois became the 13th U.S. Jurisdiction to allow Medical Aid in Dying, and the first in the Midwest. The law goes into effect September 12, 2026. The information below will help you understand the important pieces of the bill.
Illinois End-of-Life Options for Terminally Ill Patients Act SB 1950 allows a terminally ill, mentally capable adult with a prognosis of six months or less to live the option to request, obtain and take medication, should they choose, to die peacefully in their sleep if their suffering becomes unbearable.
The bill is modeled after laws in authorized jurisdictions, including the first legislation in Oregon, which has had over 25 years of experience with this law and has never had a single instance of abuse or coercion.
Eligibility Criteria
In all authorized states, to be eligible, a person must be:
- An adult, aged 18 or older
- Terminally ill with a prognosis of 6 months or less to live
- Mentally capable of making an informed healthcare decision
- The individual must be able to self-administer the medication. Self-administration does not include administration by intravenous (IV) injection or infusion by any person, including the doctor, family member or patient themselves.
- Two physicians must confirm that the person is terminally ill with a prognosis of six months or less to live, mentally capable and not being coerced.
- A terminally ill person can withdraw their request for medication, not take the medication once they have it, or otherwise change their mind at any point.
- The attending physician must inform the requesting individual about all their end-of-life care options, including comfort care, hospice and pain control.
- There is a mandatory mental health evaluation if either physician has concerns about the patient’s capacity to make an informed health care decision; the prescription cannot be written until the mental health provider confirms capacity.
- Healthcare providers who participate and comply with all aspects of the law are given civil and criminal immunity.
- Life insurance payments cannot be denied to the families of those who use the law.
- No healthcare provider is required to participate.
- Unused medication must be disposed of according to the guidelines specified by the U.S. Drug Enforcement Agency.
- The individual must make two separate oral requests for the medication, with a five-day waiting period between the first and second oral request.
- A written request is also required, which at least two witnesses must sign. At least one witness cannot be a relative or someone who stands to benefit from the person’s estate.
- Prescribing healthcare providers must comply with medical-record documentation requirements and make records available to the state department of health.
- The state department of health is required to issue a publicly available annual report. Identifying information about individual patients and doctors is kept confidential.
This information is provided by Compassion and Choices whose mission is to improve care, expand options and empower everyone to chart their end-of-life journey. Visit CompassionandChoices.org