ALBANY, N.Y. — New York lawmakers have passed a bill that would grant terminally ill patients the legal right to end their lives with prescribed medication. The measure, which passed on Monday, now moves to Governor Kathy Hochul’s desk for review.
Under the bill, individuals with incurable illnesses could request life-ending drugs from their doctors, provided they meet certain requirements. The proposal mandates that two physicians approve the request, and the person must be expected to die within six months.
Governor Hochul’s office has stated that she will carefully review the legislation before deciding whether to sign it into law.
Key Provisions of the Bill
The legislation requires that a terminally ill patient make a written request for the life-ending drugs, with two witnesses confirming that the request is voluntary and not the result of coercion. The request must then be approved by both the attending physician and a consulting physician.
State Senator Brad Hoylman-Sigal, a Democrat and the bill’s sponsor, emphasized that the legislation is about ending suffering, not hastening death. “It’s not about hastening death, but ending suffering,” Hoylman-Sigal said during the debate.
Opposition to the Bill
While supporters argue that the bill would allow terminally ill individuals to die with dignity, opponents have voiced concerns. Some believe that the state should focus on improving end-of-life medical care instead of legalizing medically assisted suicide. Others have opposed the measure on religious grounds.
“We should not be in the business of state-authorized suicide,” said State Senator George Borrello, a Republican.
Historical Context and National Trends
The bill was initially introduced in 2016 but had failed to pass in previous legislative sessions. If signed into law, New York will join 11 other states and Washington, D.C., where medically assisted suicide is legal, according to the advocacy group Compassion & Choices. The group’s local campaign director, Corinne Carey, expressed support for the measure, stating that lawmakers had acknowledged the importance of granting terminally ill New Yorkers greater autonomy in their end-of-life decisions.
“The option of medical aid in dying provides comfort, allowing those who are dying to live their time more fully and peacefully until the end,” Carey said.
Related topics:
