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Minnesota

Current Status

Companion End-of-Life Options Bills, SF1352 and HF 1358, were introduced on February 22, 2021 in the Senate and House. The bills have been assigned to respective Senate and House health committees.

Follow progress on our Legislative Tracker.

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Resources

Minnesota State Legislature website

Death with Dignity Legislative Tracker

Polling

A September 2016 Greenberge Quinlan Rosner Research poll found that 73 percent of Minnesotans support “medical aid in dying,” with 55 percent favoring the end-of-life option strongly.

Also in 2016, a Minnesota House of Representatives’ State Fair Poll [pdf] found 67 percent of Minnesotans in support of aid in dying legislation.

History

2019-2020

HF 2152

  • Introduced on March 7, 2019
  • Full text of HF 2152 (2019)
  • Legislative history of HF 2152
  • Sponsors: Minnesota State Representatives Robert Bierman (DFL-57A), Hunter Cantrell (DFL-56A), John Considine Jr. (DFL-19B), Heather Edelson (DFL-49A), Steve Elkins (DFL-49B), Mike Freiberg (primary sponsor) (DFL-45B), Aisha Gomez (DFL-62B), Kaohly Her (DFL-64A), Jerry Hertaus (R-33A), John Huot (DFL-57B), Fue Lee (DFL-59A), John Lesch (DFL-66B), Tina Liebling (DFL-26A), Todd Lippert (DFL-20B), Diane Loeffler (DFL-60A), Jamie Long (DFL-61B), Tim Mahoney (DFL-67A), Alice Mann (DFL-56B), Kelly Morrison (DFL-33B), Jennifer Schultz (DFL-07A), and Cheryl Youakim (DFL-46B)
  • Referred to the Committee on Health and Human Services Policy

SF 2286 / SF 2487

  • Introduced on March 11 / March 14, 2019
  • Full text of SF 2286 (2019)
  • Legislative history of SF 2286
  • Full text of SF 2487 (2019)
  • Both referred to Health and Human Services Finance and Policy Committee.
  • Sponsors of SF 2286: Minnesota State Senators Chris Eaton (DFL-40), D. Scott Dibble (DFL-61), Matt Klein (DFL-52), John Marty (DFL-66), and Sandra Pappas (DFL-65)
  • Sponsors of SF 2487: Minnesota State Senators Carolyn Laine (DFL-41) and Senator Steve Cwodzinski (DFL-4)

2017-2018

Minnesota State Senators Chris Eaton (D-Brooklyn Center), Matt Klein (DFL-52), John Marty (DFL-66), D. Scott Dibble (DFL-61), and Ron Latz (DFL-46) introduced SF 1572, Minnesota End-of-Life Option Act of 2017, on February 27, 2017. The bill was referred to the Health and Human Services Finance and Policy Committee.

The companion bill in the Minnesota State House, HF 1885, is sponsored by Representative Mike Freiberg (D-Hopkins) and 19 co-sponsors, and has been referred to the Committee on Health and Human Services Reform. According to media reports, Senator Eaton “has not asked for a committee hearing on her bill and does not expect to get one.”

2015-2016

In 2015, Senators Eaton, Sandra Pappas, D. Scott Dibble, and John Marty sponsored SF 1880, Minnesota Compassionate Care Act; a group of 17 Representatives introduced a companion bill in the state House (HF 2095). The bill received a discussion-only hearing, with no legislative action taken.

Because the Minnesota legislature is on a biennium, the bill was carried over to 2016. A hearing in the Senate Health, Human Services, and Housing Committee took place place on March 16, 2016. Sen. Eaton withdrew the bill from consideration before a vote could take place due to insufficient support.

The 2015-2016 session was the first time a death with dignity bill was considered in the Minnesota legislature.

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