New York State Passes Landmark Law Regarding Assisted Death

A historic change to healthcare has passed in New York State. This is a massive change for those New Yorkers suffering from debilitating, terminal diseases in the state.

Personally, I don't believe that any government should regulate what a person does to themselves. I believe people should have bodily autonomy, even if that includes suicide. If a person wants to do something to themselves that does not physically harm anyone else, I believe that they have that right (whether I agree with it or not). Unfortunately, we live in a society where people feel they have a right to control other people's bodies, especially women's, based on their own personal beliefs. I don't agree. There are too many people who are control freaks in this world who are weirdly obsessed with other people's bodies!

Gov. Hochul Signs Landmark Legislation

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New York Senate Bill S138/Assembly Bill A136 both passed. These bills permit doctors in New York to help those suffering from terminal illness end their lives if they have six months or less to live. The bill, known as the Medical Aid in Dying Act, sponsored by Brad Hoylman-Sigal, a Democrat representing the 47th Senate District, has passed in the Senate. The Assembly version of the bill passed the New York State Assembly on April 29, 2025. The bill,

"Relates to the medical aid in dying act; relates to a terminally ill patient's request for and use of medication for medical aid in dying."

Gov. Hochul Gives New Yorkers the Choice to Suffer Less

Per the bill's language, doctors and healthcare professionals do NOT have to participate. However, if a patient transfers to a doctor who will administer life-ending care, the previous doctor must send the medical records to the new doctor. Health insurance companies will not have to cover the cost of helping a patient die.

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Governor Kathy Hochul, who recently signed the bill into law, said,

“Our state will always stand firm in safeguarding New Yorkers' freedoms and right to bodily autonomy, which includes the right for the terminally ill to peacefully and comfortably end their lives with dignity and compassion. This journey was deeply personal for me. Witnessing my mother's suffering from ALS was an excruciating experience, knowing there was nothing I could do to alleviate the pain of someone I loved. It took years of intimate discussions with our bill sponsors, health experts, advocates, and most importantly, families who have similar firsthand experiences. New Yorkers deserve the choice to endure less suffering, not by shortening their lives, but by shortening their deaths — I firmly believe we made the right decision.”

States or Jurisdictions where "Death with Dignity" is Legal:

- California
- Colorado
- District of Columbia
- Hawai’i
- Maine
- Montana
- New Jersey
- New Mexico
- New York
- Oregon
- Washington

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