Illinois Rep. Grasse’s advance directive information bill passes House and Senate

Passed bill authored by State Rep. Nicolle Grasse aims to improve accessibility and standardization of advance directive information and related forms through the Department of Public Health, with a focus on uniformity and training, according to the Illinois General Assembly.

In the House, 76 Democrats voted in favor of the bill, while 40 Republicans opposed it.

Meanwhile, in the Senate, 39 Democrats and 19 Republicans voted in favor of the bill.

Grasse introduced the bill in the Illinois House on Jan. 24, 2025 during the 104th session.

The legislation, known as HB1712, was passed on May 21, 2025 during the general assembly session 104.

According to the Illinois General Assembly site, the legislature summarized the bill’s official text as follows: “Amends the Department of Public Health Powers and Duties Law of the Civil Administrative Code of Illinois. Provides that the Department of Public Health is vested with the duty and responsibility for oversight and training connected with the use of the Department of Public Health Uniform POLST form at all hospitals, healthcare facilities, and other facilities and providers that use the Department of Public Health Uniform POLST form. Provides that the Department of Public Health shall develop, in consultation with stakeholders determined by the Director of Public Health, training resources to support informed decisions and accurate completion of the Department of Public Health Uniform POLST form. Provides that the Department of Public Health shall establish a simple, efficient, and effective process to ensure oversight of and accountability for training to support informed decisions and accurate completion of the Department of Public Health Uniform POLST form at all hospitals, healthcare facilities, and other facilities and providers that use the Department of Public Health Uniform POLST form. Provides that, in consultation with various organizations, the Department of Public Health shall adopt rules implementing these policies no later than 2 years after the effective date of this amendatory Act. Provides that the Department of Public Health, in connection with implementing these policies, may also consult with the Office of the Secretary of State with respect to the Advance Directive Registry established by the Secretary of State.”

The following is our breakdown, based on the actual bill text, and may include interpretation to clarify its provisions.

In essence, the bill amends the Department of Public Health Powers and Duties Law of the Civil Administrative Code of Illinois, specifically regarding advance directive information. It mandates the Department of Public Health to prepare and publish a summary of advance directives law with related forms, including the Department of Public Health Uniform POLST form, on the web. Spanish language versions of several statutory forms must also be published. The department is tasked with developing a uniform form for CPR or life-sustaining treatment orders, which can be electronically managed. The bill directs the Studying of a statewide registry for advance directives and POLST forms, to be reported by Jan. 1, 2021. Additionally, the department must approve training resources for accurate completion of POLST forms, providing annual training for specific healthcare providers. The publish date for the updated Uniform POLST form was set for Jan. 1, 2015.

The bill was sponsored by Rep. Amy Briel (Democrat-76th District), Rep. Camille Y. Lilly (Democrat-78th District), and Sen. Cristina Castro (Democrat-22nd District), along with 12 other sponsors.

Bills in Illinois follow a multi-step legislative process, beginning with introduction in either the House or Senate, followed by committee review, floor debates, and votes in both chambers before reaching the governor for approval or veto. The General Assembly operates on a biennial schedule, and while typically thousands of bills are introduced each session, only a fraction successfully pass through the process to become law.

You can read more about bills and other measures here.

Grasse graduated from Elmhurst College with a BA.

Grasse, a Democrat, was elected to the Illinois State House in 2024 to represent the state’s 53rd House District, replacing previous state representative Mark L. Walker.

Lawmakers listed as “Not Voting” were present for the vote but did not cast a vote. Those marked as having an “Excused Absence” were not present and formally provided a reason for their absence, which was accepted.