British lawmakers are set to decide Friday whether to legalize assisted dying, a contentious proposal that would make the United Kingdom one of a small handful of nations to allow terminally ill people to end their lives.

The bill, modeled after Oregon’s law, would apply to terminally ill patients and could usher in one of the most dramatic social changes Britain has seen in years.

Women hug each other during a demonstration in support of assisted dying outside the British parliament after lawmakers voted in favour of the assisted dying law, in London, Britain, November 29, 2024.