Medical Aid-in-Dying: Relief and Agency for New Yorkers

Gov. Kathy Hochul has said she will sign the Medical Aid In Dying Act after the Legislature adds agreed safeguards, and the law is expected to take effect in July. If enacted, New York would join 12 states and Washington, D.C., with an aid-in-dying law.

New York is poised to adopt a medical aid-in-dying law after Gov. Kathy Hochul said she will sign the Medical Aid In Dying Act once the state Legislature adds a few agreed safeguards. If signed as indicated, the law is expected to take effect in July. This would make New York the 13th state, plus the District of Columbia, to have such a law. The article places the change in a personal and historical context, describing why it is being discussed now. Key points: - Gov. Kathy Hochul announced she will sign the Medical Aid In Dying Act after additional safeguards are added by the Legislature, according to the article. - The article reports the law is expected to take effect in July if signed. - New York would be the 13th state, plus Washington, D.C., with an aid-in-dying law. - The author notes that, across jurisdictions beginning with Oregon, about 12,425 people have taken prescribed medication under such laws over roughly 29 years, and the article states there have been no substantiated, legally documented cases of abuse. Summary: The article presents the pending law as a notable change framed around relief and agency for people facing terminal illness. The next procedural step described is for the Legislature to add agreed safeguards and for Gov. Hochul to sign the bill by the end of the month; if signed, the law would take effect in July.