New York Governor to Sign Medically Assisted Suicide Legislation

New York Governor Kathy Hochul announced her intention to sign legislation legalizing medically assisted suicide for terminally ill patients, following an agreement with state legislative leaders. The measure, which was approved by state lawmakers earlier this year, will go into effect six months after receiving the governor’s signature in 2025.

In an op-ed published in the Albany Times Union, Hochul, who is Catholic, explained her decision came after careful consideration of various perspectives. “I listened to New Yorkers in the throes of pain and suffering, as well as their children, while also hearing out individuals of many faiths who believe that deliberately shortening one’s life violates the sanctity of life,” she wrote.

The governor described it as one of the most difficult decisions she has made while in office. “Who am I to deny you or your loved one what they’re begging for at the end of their life?” Hochul said. “I couldn’t do that any longer.”

With this move, New York will join 12 other states and Washington, D.C. in legalizing physician-assisted suicide for terminally ill adults. Delaware and Illinois approved similar legislation this year, with implementation set for 2026. Internationally, countries including Canada, Germany, Belgium, Switzerland, the Netherlands, Australia, and Colombia have already legalized what advocates call “death with dignity” measures.

New York’s Medical Aid in Dying Act includes strict requirements intended to prevent abuse. The legislation mandates that a terminally ill person expected to die within six months make a written request for life-ending drugs. This request must be signed by two witnesses to ensure the patient is not being coerced and must receive approval from both the patient’s attending physician and a consulting physician.

The governor has worked to add additional safeguards to the legislation. These include requiring confirmation from a medical doctor that the patient truly has less than six months to live, as well as verification from a psychologist or psychiatrist that the patient is mentally capable of making the decision without duress.

Other protective measures include a mandatory five-day waiting period and both written and recorded oral requests to “confirm free will is present.” Hochul has also specified that the law should only apply to New York residents, a limitation that mirrors a recent federal appeals court ruling regarding New Jersey’s similar law.

Outpatient facilities affiliated with religious hospitals will have the option not to participate in medically assisted suicide services, acknowledging the religious objections that have long delayed the bill’s passage.

The legislation has faced significant opposition from religious groups since it was first introduced in 2016. The New York State Catholic Conference has been particularly vocal, arguing that it devalues human life and undermines the traditional role of physicians as healers. Following Hochul’s announcement, Cardinal Timothy Dolan and New York’s bishops released a statement saying her support “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.”

Supporters of the legislation counter that it will reduce suffering for terminally ill individuals and empower them with agency over their final days. Hochul framed the decision in compassionate terms, writing that the law 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… not hearing the droning hum of hospital machines but instead the laughter of their grandkids echoing in the next room.”

The measure represents a significant shift in end-of-life options for New Yorkers and continues a national trend toward allowing terminally ill patients more control over their final moments.