New York reaches deal to legalize medically assisted suicide with guardrails, Hochul says

ALBANY, N.Y. — New York Gov. Kathy Hochul said Wednesday that she has reached a deal with state legislative leaders to approve a bill that would allow terminally ill residents to end their lives with prescribed medication. In an op-ed published in the Albany Times Union, Hochul said she supports the measure but that she and lawmakers would add guardrails before she signs it into law. She noted that she was moved by the experiences of New Yorkers in pain and their families and acknowledged opposition from people of faith who believe ending a life violates the sanctity of life.

The Medical Aid in Dying Act would allow a patient who is expected to die within six months to request life-ending drugs in writing, with two witnesses to confirm there is no coercion. The request would require approval by the patient’s attending physician and a consulting physician. Hochul said the changes would include confirmation from a medical doctor that the person truly has less than six months to live and confirmation from a psychologist or psychiatrist that the patient is capable of making the decision and is not under duress. A five-day waiting period would be required, along with a written and recorded oral request to confirm free will is present. Outpatient facilities affiliated with religious hospitals may elect not to offer the option. She added that this is a right afforded to New Yorkers only. A spokeswoman for Hochul said the governor will sign the bill into law next year with her changes woven into the proposal.

Hochul, a Catholic, wrote in the op-ed that she came to the decision after hearing from New Yorkers in the throes of pain and suffering as well as their children, and after weighing opposition from individuals of many faiths who believe that deliberately shortening a life violates the sanctity of life. Hochul said she was taught that God is merciful and compassionate, and that the option should exist to ease suffering for those facing unimaginable circumstances. This includes permitting a merciful option for those in their final months who are seeking comfort.

Supporters say the measure would relieve suffering for terminally ill patients and let them die on their own terms. The bill has been discussed in New York for years, first introduced in 2016, but stalled amid opposition from the New York State Catholic Conference and other groups. The legislation was approved during lawmakers' regulation session earlier this year. Cardinal Timothy Dolan and the state’s bishops criticized the move, saying Hochul's position signals our government's abandonment of its most vulnerable citizens, telling people who are sick or disabled that suicide in their case is not only acceptable, but is encouraged by our elected leaders.

The measure would bring New York in line with roughly a dozen other states and the District of Columbia, which already allow medically assisted death. In nearby Illinois, Gov. JB Pritzker signed legislation Friday to allow terminally ill residents of that state to end their lives. Supporters say the bill would reduce suffering for terminally ill patients and let them die on their own terms. The governor’s office has said Hochul plans to sign the bill into law next year with the changes woven into the proposal. The legislation’s passage marks the culmination of a years-long debate that now moves to implementation and oversight.