Current Status
The Delaware state legislature is not considering an aid in dying bill in 2020.
Take Action
Tell Delaware Legislators to Support Death with Dignity Legislation
Send a Letter ›Write your Delaware State Legislators to urge their support for death with dignity legislation
The Delaware General Assembly in 2019 did not advance a death with dignity bill. Such legislation would allow qualified adult residents of Delaware with a terminal illness to legally obtain a prescription from their physician for medications to end their life peacefully, in a dignified way, at the place and time of their choosing.
Polling
A 2020 GBAO Strategies poll found 72 percent of Delaware residents support aid in dying legislation.
History
2019
HB 140, the Ron Silverio/Heather Block End of Life Options Act, introduced by Delaware State Representative Paul Baumbach (D-23), was heard in a House committee and pulled from consideration by the sponsor.
HB 140
- Full text of HB 140
- Legislative history of HB 140
- Introduced on May 2, 2019
- Sponsors: Delaware State Representatives Paul S. Baumbach (D) (primary sponsor), Representative Edward S. Osienski (D), Gerald L. Brady (D), John A. Kowalko (D), and Raymond Seigfried (D), and Delaware State Senators David P. Sokola (D) and Stephanie L. Hansen (D)
- Referred to the House Health and Human Development Committee
- Heard in Committee on May 8, 2019, with no action by the Committee
2017-2018
Representative Paul Baumbach and 3 co-sponsors, Representative Bryon Short (D-7), Senator David Sokola (D-8), and Senator Margaret Henry (D-2) introduced HB 160, End of Life Options Act, on May 2, 2017. The bill was assigned to the House Health and Human Development Committee, which voted to send it to the full House for a vote (the vote was 1 in favor, 5 on its merits, i.e. the legislators neither supported nor opposed the bill but believed it should get a House floor vote, and 2 opposed. The bill was amended on June 28. No further action occurred in 2017.
The bill was rolled over to 2018. After another amendment, the vote in the House was delayed twice, and the bill did not advance.
2015-2016
In 2015, Representative Paul Baumbach sponsored HB 150, which was tabled in Committee.
While the bill did not have enough support to move forward, another bill in the same session related to end-of-life options did become law: HB 64, Delaware Medical Orders for Scope of Treatment Act, established a different end-of-life option.
