Democrats in the New York Legislature approved a bill on Monday that gives individuals with terminal illnesses the right to end their own lives, known as medical aid in dying (MAID).
The New York State Senate approved S138, or the “Medical Aid in Dying Act,” which allows those with incurable illnesses to be prescribed medication to “hasten the patient’s death,” according to the bill’s text. The legislation will now head to Democratic New York Gov. Kathy Hochul’s desk, and if enacted, New York will join 11 other states and the District of Columbia with similar assisted suicide laws.
“It’s not about hastening death, but ending suffering,” said state Sen. Brad Hoylman-Sigal, a Democrat who sponsored the proposal, according to ABC News. Hoylman-Sigal did not respond to the Daily Caller News Foundation’s request for comment.
The bill was approved by the Senate with a 35-27 vote, with no Republicans supporting it and six Democrats joining the opposition. In April, the State Assembly passed the bill by a vote of 81-67, also with no Republican votes in favor.
New Yorkers who are expected to die within six months, as confirmed by two doctors, would be able to request lethal medications, according to the bill’s text. Two witnesses must sign the request to confirm that the patient has decision-making capacity and is acting voluntarily, without any coercion.
“Assisted suicide? That’s the priority, with all the issues facing New Yorkers?” Republican state Sen. Rob Ortt said at a news conference on Monday, as reported by The New York Times.
Critics are concerned that the bill could put New York on a similar path as Canada, which has among the most expansive MAID laws in the world. In 2023, 4.7% of deaths in Canada were assisted by physicians.
“This is a dark day for New York State. For the first time in its history, New York is on the verge of authorizing doctors to help their patients commit suicide,” said the New York State Catholic Conference in a statement following the Senate’s passage of the bill. “We reject the false notion that suicide is ever a solution. Instead, we call on New York State to expand palliative and hospice care, mental health services, and family caregiver support.”
The Medical Aid in Dying Act has been endorsed by several medical organizations, including the Medical Society of the State of New York, New York State Academy of Family Physicians, the New York State Psychiatric Association and the New York State Nurses Association.
Hochul’s office has indicated that she will be reviewing the legislation, though it is not yet known whether she will sign it into law, according to the NYT.
“Make no mistake – this is only the beginning, and the only person standing between New York and the assisted suicide nightmare unfolding in Canada is Governor Hochul,” the New York State Catholic Conference said.
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