After more than a decade of advocacy, the so-called "Medical Aid in Dying" Act has passed the state Senate.
The legislation allows those with terminal illness to medically end their own life.
Advocates have argued the bill limits what they call "unnecessary suffering for individuals who are in end-of-life situations."
Guard rails have been put in place, including the need for both a written and oral request and the need for the individual to administer the prescription themselves.
The bill has received pushback from disability rights advocates and other groups who are concerned people could be pressured into the procedure.
Earlier Monday, bill sponsor state Sen. Brad Hoylman-Sigal had this to say about the legislation, "This conversation has been a journey for each and every one of us; a soul-searching exercise that we haven't confronted in a similar vein since maybe marriage equality, maybe abortion rights, maybe gestational surrogacy."
The Assembly passed the bill at the end of April.
It will now head to the governor's desk, where it's unclear whether the bill will be signed into law.
The Catholic Conference, which led the lobby against the bill, released a statement Monday night, saying:
"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. 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 Governor has said she will review the legislation when it gets to her desk. We expect that when she does so, she will conclude what 27 of her fellow Democrats in the legislature have – that this bill would be catastrophic for medically underserved communities, including communities of color, as well as for people with disabilities and other vulnerable populations who will be at the mercy of a healthcare industry that will soon be reeling from federal Medicaid cuts.
Governor Hochul has acted boldly to address the suicide crisis in our state and has made access to mental health care a hallmark of her tenure as Governor, with historic investments the last two years. This bill undermines those priorities. The legislation passed in the Senate and Assembly contains no requirement for a psychological screening for depression or other mental illness, and not even so much as a brief waiting period for people who might be in despair following a terminal diagnosis.
We fully expect the Governor will also hear the concerns of the disabilities community, which has expressed grave concern that they will be coerced toward assisted suicide due to loss of independence or bodily function.
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. We look forward to continuing to work with the Governor on these priorities following her veto of this disastrous bill.”
