Earlier today, Governor Kathy Hochul announced that her administration has reached an agreement with the New York State Legislature to pass the Medical Aid in Dying Act. The law will allow terminally ill New Yorkers with less than six months to live to seek medical aid in dying. The bill, including amendments developed after discussions with advocates and legislators, is scheduled for passage and signing in January, and will take effect six months later.
During her remarks, Governor Hochul recognized advocates who have campaigned for the legislation for years. “As I sat and talked to our incredible advocates, someone who’ve been on the journey for a decade — I said two words come to mind. One is courage and one is love,” she said. She acknowledged individuals including Lindsey Wright, Stacey Gibson, Kate Sanford, Barbara Thomas, Eric Wessman and Monoma Yin.
The event included representatives from advocacy organizations such as Compassionate Choices and End of Life Choices New York. Legislators present included Assemblymembers Linda Rosenthal, Amanda Septim, Al Taylor, as well as the bill’s sponsors Assemblymember Amy Paulin and Senator Brad Hoylman-Sigal.
Governor Hochul reflected on her personal experience with her mother’s illness: “She became a great social worker and put her heart out there… That’s the kind of mom that I lost to a disease that robbed her of everything, including her own voice.”
Hochul described how she weighed concerns about coercion or pressure on vulnerable patients before agreeing to move forward with the legislation. “I was concerned about that and I said, ‘How can we get out from under that?’ That everyone will know that someone who makes that decision did it of free will, not under pressure.” She outlined requirements such as evaluation by doctors to ensure patients have mental capacity and a prognosis of six months or less to live.
The law will not require any hospital or provider with religious objections to participate. “Any hospital for because of their religious beliefs, who does not want to offer this, is not going to be required to,” Hochul stated.
She emphasized that this decision was difficult but necessary given the stories shared by advocates: “Because who am I to deny you or your loved one what they’re begging for at the end of their life? I couldn’t do that any longer.”
The new law adds New York to a group of states where terminally ill adults can choose medical aid in dying under strict conditions.