The Thomas More Society has filed a federal lawsuit challenging Illinois's new assisted suicide law, set to take effect September 12, on behalf of four physicians, a Catholic bishop, and a Lutheran care center. The law reportedly requires doctors to discuss the option of assisted suicide with patients and bars religious hospitals from disciplining staff who assist patients in ending their lives off-site.
Plaintiffs, including Dr. Mary Keen Kirchoff and Bishop Thomas Paprocki of Springfield, argue the law forces them to violate their religious convictions or face fines up to $10,000, license loss, and criminal prosecution. The lawsuit also challenges a provision stating assisted suicide does not legally constitute suicide, with doctors warned against contradicting that characterization.
The lawsuit seeks a federal injunction freezing the law's mandates before the September 12 effective date, giving the plaintiffs roughly a month to secure relief in court.
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