Virginia · 2026 Regular Session · Bill
SB 359: Health care; decision-making, end of life, penalties.
In committee Official data
- Introduced
- In committee
- Passed one chamber
- Passed both chambers
- Enacted
Last official action: ·Record last updated:
Plain-language summary
SB 359 is a bill introduced in the Virginia Senate on January 13, 2026. According to its official title, it concerns: Health care; decision-making, end of life, penalties. Primary sponsor: Jennifer Boysko (Democratic). Most recent recorded action (February 5, 2026): Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (SB359).
Generated automatically from the official title, sponsor list, and status record only. It does not characterize the bill’s purpose or effects. How summaries are written
Official summary
Abstract published by the legislature (via Open States). Text as published by the legislature; reproduced verbatim.
Health care; decision-making; end of life; penalties. Allows an adult diagnosed with a terminal disease to request and an attending health care provider to prescribe self-administered aid in dying medication for the purpose of ending the patient's life. The bill requires that a patient's request for self-administered aid in dying medication to end his life be given orally on two occasions and in writing, signed by the patient and one witness, and that the patient be given an express opportunity to rescind his request at any time. The bill makes it a Class 2 felony (i) to willfully and deliberately alter, forge, conceal, or destroy a patient's request, or rescission of request, for self-administered aid in dying medication to end his life with the intent and effect of causing the patient's death; (ii) to coerce, intimidate, or exert undue influence on a patient to request self-administered aid in dying medication for the purpose of ending his life or to destroy the patient's rescission of such request with the intent and effect of causing the patient's death; or (iii) to coerce, intimidate, or exert undue influence on a patient to forgo self-administered aid in dying medication for the purpose of ending the patient's life. The bill also grants immunity from civil or criminal liability and professional disciplinary action to any person who complies with the provisions of the bill and allows health care providers to refuse to participate in the provision of self-administered aid in dying medication to a patient for the purpose of ending the patient's life.
Sponsors
Sponsors by party (alphabetical): Democratic 1
| Name | Role | Party | Chamber | District |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jennifer Boysko | Primary sponsor | Democratic | Senate | 38 |
“Support” is shown only as formal sponsorship recorded by the legislature. Roll-call votes are available on the official bill page.
Recent official actions
- Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (SB359)
- Failed to report from Education and Health with amendments (7-Y 8-N)
- Senate subcommittee amendments offered
- Assigned Education sub: Health
- Fiscal Impact statement From VCSC (1/20/2026 1:39 pm)
- Referred to Committee on Education and Health
- Prefiled and ordered printed; Offered 01-14-2026 26105032D