New York to legalize medically-assisted death for terminally ill, Hochul announces

New York’s Medical Aid in Dying Act sparks debate, sit-down with Mamdani, more news | Politics Unusual FULL EPISODE

In this episode, Mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani and End of Life Choices New York’s Mandi Zucker discuss the Medical Aid in Dying Act — a bill that would allow terminally ill adults with six months or less to live the option to end their lives with prescribed medication. The measure is awaiting Gov. Kathy Hochul’s signature, though she hasn’t said if she will sign or veto it. Washington, D.C., and 11 other states, including New Jersey, already have similar laws on the books.

ALBANY, N.Y. - New York Gov. Kathy Hochul announced Wednesday that she will sign the Medical Aid in Dying Act in the new year. 

New York Medical Aid in Dying Act

What we know:

Hochul announced that she reached a deal with state lawmakers on Wednesday, adding several amendments to the bill before it passes in January. 

The law will give terminally ill New Yorkers the option to end their lives on their own terms, with a doctor's help. The agreement includes restrictions meant to prevent patients from being coerced into seeking out medically-assisted death, and from doctors or religious institutions being forced to offer it.

How will medical aid in dying work in New York?

Dig deeper:

The act only applies to New York residents with six months left to live or less. It requires patients to submit a written and recorded oral request for life-ending medication as well as a mental health evaluation. Another new amendment establishes a mandatory five-day waiting period between when the prescription is written and when it can be filled.

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What they're saying:

Hochul said that her decision was informed, in part, by her mother's battle with ALS.

"I am all too familiar with the pain of seeing someone you love suffer and being powerless to stop it," Hochul said. "Although this was an incredibly difficult decision, I ultimately determine that with the additional guardrails agreed upon with the legislature, this bill would allow New Yorkers to suffer less—to shorten not their lives, but their deaths."

State Senator Brad Hoylman-Sigal, who introduced the bill, called it "a monumental victory for every New Yorker who has wished to peacefully end their suffering from a terminal illness."

The other side:

Cardinal Timothy Dolan and New York's bishops issued a statement after Hochul's announcement Wednesday, saying that it "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."

Big picture view:

With the passage of this bill, New York will become the 13th state plus Washington, D.C., to legalize medical aid in dying. Oregon was the first to legalize the process in the '90s, with Delaware and Illinois passing acts earlier this year. California, Colorado, Hawaii, Maine, Montana, New Jersey, New Mexico, Vermont and Washington state also offer medically-assisted suicide.

When will the law go into effect?

What's next:

Hochul's office said the governor is expected to sign the bill in January, and it would be enacted six months after that.