Vermont Governor Phil Scott Tuesday signed H. 190, which removes the residency requirement from Vermont’s patient choice at end-of-life laws.

The bill amends Vermont Statute Title 18 Chapter 113 § 5283 to remove the Vermont residency requirement. Now, under the law, a physician can prescribe a patient life-ending medicine that is self-administered by the patient. The physician must first determine that: the patient (A) was suffering from a terminal condition based on the physician’s review of the patient’s relevant medical records and a physician’s physical examination of the patient; (B) was capable; (C) was making an informed decision; and (D) had made a voluntary request for medication to hasten the patient’s own death. The patient must be at least 18 to take advantage of the law.

In response to the bill, President of Patient Choices Vermont Betsy Walkerman stated, “We would like to express our profound thanks to sponsors of the bill, legislative committee chairs and members, and to the vast majority of our legislators who supported this important change. They recognized the essential and very personal right of people to seek medical care of their choosing.”

Vermont is the first state in the US to allow terminally ill out-of-staters to use its end-of-life laws. Currently, nine states have some variation of death with dignity laws that allow residents with terminal conditions to receive life-ending care.