Terminally ill people will have the option to end their own lives with a doctor’s prescription in Illinois next year, under legislation signed by Gov. JB Pritzker on Friday.

Illinois joins 11 other states and Washington, D.C., that have passed so-called “right-to-die” legislation, which is opposed by religious leaders including Chicago Cardinal Blase Cupich, as well as advocates for people with disabilities.

The law will go into effect next September.

“I have been deeply impacted by the stories of Illinoisans or their loved ones that have suffered from a devastating terminal illness, and I have been moved by their dedication to standing up for freedom and choice at the end of life in the midst of personal heartbreak,” Pritzker said in a statement. “Today, Illinois honors their streng

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