Table 1

Facilitated Suicide Legislation in Each U.S. State and the District of Columbia

StateLawType of CrimeType of PunishmentNotes
Alabama22-8BClass C felonyUp to 10 years in prison
Up to $15,000 in fines
Specifically criminalizes physical facilitation by health care providers
Alaska11.41.120Manslaughter (class A felony)Up to 20 years in prison
Up to $250,000 in fines
Arizona13-1103Manslaughter (class 2 felony)Up to 12.5 years in prisonCriminalizes strictly physical facilitation
Arkansas5-10-104Manslaughter (class C felony)Up to 10 years in prison
Up to $10,000 in fines
California401FelonyUp to life imprisonmentSpecifically criminalizes advising and encouraging
Legalizes physician-assisted suicide
Colorado18-3-104Manslaughter (Class 4 felony)Up to 6 years in prison
Up to $500,000 in fines
Legalizes physician-assisted suicide
Connecticut952.53a-54aCausing suicide: murder (class A felony)Up to life imprisonment
Up to $20,000 in fines
Defines causation as through force, duress, or deception
952.53a-56Assisting suicide: manslaughter (class C felony)Up to 10 years in prison
Up to $10,000 in fines
Criminalizes causing or aiding by means other than force, duress, or deception
Delaware632Manslaughter (class B felony)Up to 25 years in prison
District of ColumbiaCommon lawRefers to “the crime of assisted suicide” in 7-651.13
Legalizes physician-assisted suicide
Florida782.08Manslaughter (second degree felony)Up to 40 years in prison
Up to $10,000 in fines
Georgia16-5-5FelonyUp to 10 years in prisonCriminalizes strictly physical facilitation
Hawaii707-702Manslaughter (class A felony)Up to 20 years in prison
Up to $50,000 in fines
Idaho18-4017FelonyUp to 5 years in prisonCriminalizes strictly physical facilitation
Illinois720 ILCS 5/12-34.5Suicide (Class 2 felony)Up to 14 years in prison
Up to $50,000 in fines
Specifically criminalizes physical and verbal coercion
Suicide (Class 4 felony)Up to 6 years in prison
Up to $50,000 in fines
Criminalizes strictly physical facilitation
Attempted suicide (Class 3 felony)Up to 10 years in prison
Up to $50,000 in fines
Specifically criminalizes physical and verbal coercion
Attempted suicide (Class A misdemeanor)Less than 1 year in prison
Up to $2,500 in fines
Criminalizes strictly physical facilitation
Indiana35-42-1-2Causing suicide (level 3 felony)Up to 16 years in prison
Defines causation as through force, duress, or deception
35-42-1-2.5Assisting suicide (level 5 felony)Up to 6 years in prison
Up to $10,000 in fines
Criminalizes strictly physical facilitation
Iowa707A.2Class C felonyUp to 10 years in prison
Up to $10,000 in fines
Specifically criminalizes physical facilitation
Specifically criminalizes solicitation and incitement
Kansas21-5407Assisting suicide (level 3, person felony)Up to 100 years in prison
Up to $300,000 in fines
Defines causation as through force or duress
Assisting suicide (level 9, person felony)Up to 13 years in prison
Up to $100,000 in fines
Criminalizes strictly physical facilitation
Kentucky216.302Causing suicide (class C felony)Up to 10 years in prison
Up to $10,000 in fines
Defines causation as through force or duress
Assisting suicide (class D felony)Up to 5 years in prison
Up to $10,000 in fines
Criminalizes strictly physical facilitation
Louisiana14:32.12N/AUp to 10 years in prison

Up to $10,000 in fines
Specifically criminalizes advising and encouraging
Specifically criminalizes physical facilitation
Maine17-A, 204Class D crimeUp to 364 days in prison
Up to $2,000 in fines
Specifically criminalizes solicitation
MarylandCriminal law, 3-102FelonyUp to 1 year in prison
Up to $10,000 in fines
Defines causation as through coercion, duress, or deception
Specifically criminalizes physical facilitation
MassachusettsCommon lawFirst- or second-degree murderUp to life imprisonment
Michigan750.329aFelonyUp to 5 years in prison
Up to $10,000 in fines
Specifically criminalizes physical facilitation
Specifically criminalizes helping in planning
Minnesota609.215SuicideUp to 15 years in prison
Up to $30,000 in fines
Attempted suicideUp to 7 years in prison
Up to $14,000 in fines
Mississippi97-3-49FelonyUp to 10 years in prison
Up to $1,000 in fines
Criminalizes assistance in any manner, including advising and encouraging
Missouri565.023.1Voluntary manslaughter (class B felony)Up to 15 years in prison
Montana45-5-102Assisting suicide (criminal homicide)Up to life imprisonmentAlthough not clearly stated in the statute, assisting suicide is a homicide offense as per the Montana Criminal Law Commission*
45-5-105Assisting attempted suicideUp to 10 years in prison
Up to $50,000 in fines
Specifically criminalizes solicitation
Does not criminalize physician-assisted suicide
Nebraska28-307Class IV felonyUp to 2 years in prison
Up to $10,000 in fines
NevadaNot addressedSpecifies that it does not authorize “assisted suicide” in 449.670
New Hampshire630:4Causing suicide (class B felony)Up to 7 years in prison
Up to $4,000 in fines
Specifically criminalizes solicitation
Otherwise (misdemeanor)Up to 1 year in jail
Up to $2,000 in fines
New Jersey2C:11-6Causing suicide (crime of the second degree)Up to 10 years in prison
Up to $150,000 in fines
Otherwise (crime of the fourth degree)Up to 18 months in prison
New Mexico30-2-4Fourth-degree felonyUp to 18 months in prison
Up to $5,000 in fines
New YorkPenal law 125.15Manslaughter in the second degree (class C felony)Up to 15 years in prison
Up to $15,000 in fines
Punishable as murder (class A-I felony) if the person “causes or aids the suicide by the use of duress or deception”
Penal law 120.30Promoting a suicide attempt (class E felony)Up to 4 years in prison
Up to $5,000 in fines
Punishable as attempt to commit murder (class A-I felony) under penal law 120.35 if the person “causes or aids the suicide attempt by the use of duress or deception”
North CarolinaNot addressed
North Dakota12.1-16-04Causing suicide (class AA felony)Up to life imprisonmentDefines causation as through deception, coercion, or duress
Assisting suicide (class C felony)Up to 5 years in prison
Up to $10,000 in fines
Specifically criminalizes physical facilitation
Specifically criminalizes incitement and solicitation
Ohio3795Felony of the third degreeUp to 60 months in prison
Up to $10,000 in fines
Criminalizes strictly physical assistance
Oklahoma21-813FelonyUp to 2 years in prison
Up to $1,000 in fines
Criminalizes assistance in any manner, including advising and encouraging
Oregon163.125Manslaughter in the second degree (class B felony)Up to 10 years in prisonSpecifically criminalizes physical facilitation
Legalizes physician-assisted suicide
163.193Assisting another person to commit suicide (class B felony)Up to $250,000 in fines
PennsylvaniaTitle 18, 2505Causing suicide (criminal homicide)Up to life imprisonmentQualifies as such if causation was through force, duress, or deception
Causing suicide (felony of the second degree)Up to 10 years in prison

Up to $25,000 in fines
Qualifies as such if causation was through other means
Specifically criminalizes solicitation
Otherwise (misdemeanor of the second degree)Up to 2 years in prison
Up to $5,000 in fines
Specifically criminalizes solicitation
Rhode Island11-60FelonyUp to 10 years in prison
Up to $10,000 in fines
Criminalizes strictly physical facilitation
South Carolina16-3-1090FelonyUp to 15 years in prison
Defines causation as through force or duress
Specifically criminalizes physical facilitation
South Dakota22-16-37Class 6 felonyUp to 2 years in prison
Up to $4,000 in fines
Criminalizes assistance in any manner, including advising and encouraging
Tennessee39-13-216Class D felonyUp to 12 years in prison
Up to $5,000 in fines
Criminalizes strictly physical facilitation
TexasPenal code 22.08Causing suicide or serious bodily injury (state jail felony)Up to 2 years in jail
Up to $10,000 in fines
Criminalizes facilitation and attempting to facilitate
Assisting suicide (class C misdemeanor)Up to $500 in fines
Utah76-5-205Manslaughter (felony of the second degree)Up to 15 years in prison
Up to $10,000 in fines
Criminalizes strictly physical facilitation
VermontCommon lawLegalizes physician-assisted suicide
Virginia8.01-622.1Civil liabilityLiability for damagesPunishes strictly physical facilitation
Washington9A.36.060Class C felonyUp to 5 years in prison
Up to $10,000 in fines
Legalizes physician-assisted suicide
West VirginiaCommon lawRefers to “the crime of assisting suicide” in 16-30-14
Wisconsin940.12Class H felonyUp to 6 years in prison
Up to $10,000 in fines
WyomingNot addressed
  • * As per the 2012 Annotations to the Montana Code Annotated by the Montana Legislative Services Division.