Emilia-Romagna has approved a regional law regulating procedures for medically assisted suicide, becoming the third Italian region to adopt end-of-life legislation, after Tuscany and Sardinia. The measure translates into operational procedures the principles established by the Constitutional Court regarding medical assistance in voluntary death.

The regional legislative assembly approved the law with favorable votes from the Democratic Party (Pd), Greens and Left Alliance (AVS), Civic groups, and the Five Star Movement (M5S), while Brothers of Italy (FdI), Forza Italia, the League, and Rete Civica voted against. The first signatory of the proposal is Paolo Trande of the Greens and Left Alliance. During committee review, the text was combined with a popular initiative proposal called "Liberi Subito," filed in 2023 by the Luca Coscioni Association with 7,300 signatures.

According to Regional President Michele de Pascale, the law does not create new rights or introduce conditions different from those already defined by the Constitutional Court, but translates the Court's principles into objective, impartial, and equal procedures for all. In the absence of a national law, the choice of a regional law was described by de Pascale as the most transparent and public instrument to ensure uniform application.

The law regulates access to medically assisted suicide for people affected by irreversible pathologies that are a source of physical or psychological suffering deemed intolerable, who are kept alive by life-sustaining treatments and are capable of making free and informed decisions, according to the criteria indicated by the Constitutional Court. The obligation remains to inform the patient about all available therapeutic alternatives, including palliative care.

Verification of requirements is entrusted to a multidisciplinary evaluation commission composed of various healthcare professionals, including a palliative care physician, psychiatrist, anesthesiologist, forensic doctor, psychologist, and nurse. The commission also relies on the non-binding opinion of the Regional Committee for Clinical Ethics. The procedure is free of charge and, following amendments approved in committee, the first visit is to be conducted at the patient's location, individuals designated by the patient may be heard, and activities related to carrying out assisted suicide are to be performed exclusively by volunteer personnel. The legislative assembly is required to review the law's application annually.

The Luca Coscioni Association described the approval as a success achieved also in light of the absence of parliamentary action at the national level, and announced its intention to promote the proposal in all regions with the aim of ensuring uniform procedures across the country. With Emilia-Romagna, 19 local health authorities in Italy now operate on the basis of timelines and procedures defined by regional laws.