Alex Schadenberg
Executive Director, Euthanasia Prevention Coalition
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| Governor Kathy Hochul |
We were wondering what was happening to the New York assisted suicide bill since the bill had not yet reached Governor Hochul for signing.
An article by Jimmy Vielkind that was published by the Gothamist on December 3 is reporting that Governor Hochul is negotiating with the sponsors of the assisted suicide bill to amend the bill. According to Vielkind:
New York Gov. Kathy Hochul wants to add a requirement that people videotape their requests for physician-assisted deaths, one of several conditions she’s put forward to sign the hotly debated Medical Aid in Dying Act.
The Democratic governor proposed the amendments to the Legislature late last month, according to two people briefed on the negotiations but not authorized to speak publicly about them. Talks are ongoing, the people said.
Hochul is seeking a waiting period and to restrict the bill to New York residents. Vielkind wrote:
Hochul is also pushing to create a seven-day waiting period for terminally ill patients who seek life-ending drugs from physicians. Another proposed provision would require all patients who ask doctors to help end their lives to undergo a mental health evaluation by a psychiatrist.
The governor also wants to restrict the practice to New York residents. And instead of having the bill become law immediately after her signature, she has proposed delaying its effective date by a year.
Vielkind reported that:
Assemblymember Amy Paulin and state Sen. Brad Hoylman-Sigal, the bill’s sponsors, said they couldn’t comment about the bill’s status. Hochul’s spokesperson Kara Cumoletti said the governor “continues to review the legislation.”
Sadly this means that Governor Hochul doesn't recognize that assisted suicide is innately dangerous, discriminatory and wrong.
The Euthanasia Prevention Coalition is urging all of its supporters to call New York Governor Kathy Hochul at: 518-474-8390 and urge her to veto the assisted suicide bill.
4 comments:
This is very sad, because it shows that the Governor has no understanding of what is proposed. She still apparently believes that assisted death is something that may be strictly limited. She is not aware of how meaningless "safeguards" inevitably become.
In particular, she talks of psychiatric consultation. But to determine what? Let us say for argument, that a patient is depressed and that a Psychiatrist correctly diagnoses that depression. Will that disqualify the patient for MAID? Not at all!
All that any medical treatment requires is capacity to consent. And according to current dogma, now practiced in virtually all circumstances, the mentally ill are indeed found capable. They are not necessarily making useful choices. But they are considered capable of choice, and of consent for medical purposes.
Hence, psychiatric evaluations, even of very disturbed people, will not, normally render them ineligible for MAID.
Sadly, the naïve Governor is just getting rolled.
I think this is sad, but for a different reason. I don't believe Hochul is naive about where legal Assisted Suicide will go...I think she knows it is wrong per se and is trying to create a RECORD of having built guard rails. She should be opposing this on principle, not trying to tweak the legislation.
It is frustrating that she hasn’t vetoed it, but the fact that she has doubts is hopeful. Everyone, especially NY residents should be in contact to express opposition.
anon is very possibly correct. However, as Meghan implies, she may be testing the waters, in which case a strong response might still win the day.
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