Sad news: New York Governor will sign the assisted suicide bill.

The assisted suicide lobby are already vowing to lobby for expansions of the law.

Alex Schadenberg
Executive Director, Euthanasia Prevention Coalition

I have bad but possibly not unexpected news.

New York Governor Kathy Hochul wrote an article that was published in the Albany Times Union explaining why she will sign the assisted suicide bill. When Bill A136/S138 is signed it will make New York the 13th US state to legalize assisted suicide. Legalizing assisted suicide gives medical professionals the right to be involved with poisoning their patients to death.

Governor Kathy Hochul

Jimmy Vielkind reported for the Gothamist that:

The Democratic governor wrote Wednesday in the Albany Times Union that she’s approving the legislation after state lawmakers agreed to enact additional safeguards. They include residency restrictions, a five-day waiting period, and a requirement that patients record their oral request to end their lives.

Vielkind reported for the Gothamist on December 3 that Hochul was negotiating amendments to the bill with the sponsors of the assisted suicide bill.

After Hochul signs the bill, the sponsors will have to introduce a bill in the new year to amend the legislation based on the agreement with Governor Hochul.

Mandi Zucker, the executive director of End of Life Choices New York stated in a letter to their supporters that:

We will also continue to advocate for changes to the law once enacted that will make the option of medical aid in dying more accessible to everyone.

Once assisted suicide is legal, the assisted suicide lobby will lobby or launch court cases to expand the law. The original assisted suicide bill is designed to pass in the legislature, once passed incremental extensions will follow.