Gov. Hochul To Sign Bill That Would Legalize Medically Assisted Death In NY

NEW YORK CITY — Gov. Kathy Hochul on Wednesday said she would sign the Medical Aid in Dying Act that would physician-assisted death.

New York would be the 13th state in the country to enact similar legislation.

Hochul disclosed her decision in a piece in the Albany Times Union, sharing how she watched her mother die from ALS.

"I was taught that God is merciful and compassionate, and so must we be. This includes permitting a merciful option to those facing the unimaginable and searching for comfort in their final months in this life," the governor wrote.

Under the legislation, a patient must be the one to request life-ending medication. Then, two physicians must prove that the patient has an irreversible or incurable illness with six months or less to live.

In addition, there is a residency restriction, a five-day waiting period and a requirement that patients record their oral request to end their lives.

Hochul is also pushing for additional requirements, including doctors signing off that the patient is capable of making the decision and is not under duress. Two other witnesses must sign off, but they cannot be a relative of the patient or someone who has previously treated them,according to Gothamist.

After those steps, the patient is given a lethal dose of drugs to self-administer.

State lawmakers will vote on a separate bill with the amendments next month.

The Medical Aid in Dying Act will afford terminally ill New Yorkers the right to spend their final days not under sterile hospital lights but with sunlight streaming through their bedroom window,” the governor wrote. “The right to spend their final days not hearing the droning hum of hospital machines, but instead the laughter of their grandkids echoing in the next room. The right to tell their family they love them and be able to hear those precious words in return.”

Senator Brad Hoylman-Sigal, who sponsored the legislation, praised Hochul for deciding to sign the bill.

“Today, we make history. This agreement on Medical Aid in Dying is a monumental victory for every New Yorker who has wished to peacefully end their suffering from a terminal illness. Since we first introduced this legislation nine years ago, I have consistently said this bill is not about ending life, it's about shortening death," he said in a statement.

"I’m proud that New York is now the 13th state, along with Washington, D.C., that will offer expanded end-of-life care so that terminally ill New Yorkers gain greater autonomy over how much pain and suffering they must endure."