DOVER, DE- Terminally ill adults in Delaware now have a new option at the end of life. On Tuesday, Gov. Matt Meyer signed House Bill 140 into law, legalizing medical aid in dying for mentally capable patients with a prognosis of six months or less.
Community members, advocates, and state leaders gathered at Legislative Hall as Meyer signed the End-of-Life Options Act.
Gov. Matt Meyer, who has long supported the measure, said the new law ensures Delawareans can approach the end of life on their own terms.
"Every Delawarean should have the right to face their final chapter with peace, dignity, and control."
The signing marked an emotional moment for many who spent years advocating for the legislation, which follows nearly a decade of intense debate in the state legislature.
Judy Govatos, who spent nearly a decade advocating for the bill, said her own experience with serious illness motivated her fight.
"I'm a person who has had cancer twice. And it's just recurred for the third time."
After previous rounds of treatment, she said she couldn't imagine going through it again.
"After the second time that I got remission and had the chemo, that while I was grateful for the remission, I could not do that chemo again. I was near death."
In 2024, a similar bill passed both chambers of the General Assembly but was vetoed by then-Governor John Carney, who cited religious objections.
Kevin Diaz, with Compassion & Choices Action Network, said that the veto had serious consequences.
"It was terribly disappointing. As you heard in those remarks, people have died since then, and had to worry about what their last days would look like."
Still, Diaz said he and his organization never stopped fighting to give patients more peace and control.
"We don't know what it will be like when you're in that position. It's critical that people have that freedom so that they don't have to worry at the end for sure."
The law includes several safeguards, such as requiring only the patient to request the medication. Two medical providers must confirm the person is terminally ill, mentally capable, and acting voluntarily.
A psychological evaluation is required if there are concerns about a patient's decision-making capacity. Patients must also complete a witnessed written request and be offered the chance to rescind it before receiving the prescription.
Delaware is now the 12th U.S. jurisdiction to legalize medical aid in dying. The law is expected to take effect by Jan. 1.
It is formally named the Ron Silverio/Heather Block End of Life Options Law, in honor of two advocates who died before seeing its passage.