New York Governor Kathy Hochul is considering signing a “nightmare” bill that would make the Empire State a sanctuary state for those looking to kill themselves via assisted suicide.
The New York Assembly approved the Medical Aid in Dying Act (AB 136) on April 29 in a 81-67 vote. The state Senate subsequently passed the bill on June 9 in a 35-27 vote.
The bill permits individuals with “an incurable and irreversible illness, with six months or less to live,” to kill themselves with a doctor’s help via a lethal cocktail of drugs. Importantly, the bill contains no residency requirement, allowing terminally ill individuals from out of state to come to New York to end their lives.
This provision would ensure Americans from all 50 states could access physician assisted suicide.
The New York Families Foundation, a Focus on the Family ally organization, has strongly opposed the legislation.
Additionally, the New York Alliance Against Assisted Suicide has raised several concerns, warning the bill would:
- Allow terminally ill persons to be prescribed lethal drugs without an in-person visit with a physician.
- Make New York into an assisted suicide tourism state.
- Not require any psychiatric assessment of a person requesting state-sanctioned suicide.
- Open the door to future expansions of state-sanctioned deaths, which has occurred in Canada.
To date, Gov. Hochul hasn’t publicly revealed whether she will sign the legislation into law. However, on September 26, the governor claimed she can separate her personal beliefs from her decision-making process as governor.
“So I do have the ability — and have many times embarked on this — to separate my personal beliefs, my religious beliefs,” Hochul said. “But I always have a very solid moral code that never leaves me when I make decisions for New Yorkers.”
“I hear from a lot of people on [the issue of assisted suicide]; it is strong,” she added. “There are strong views on both sides of the spectrum, intense views on this, and I’m conscious of that, and it’s gonna be a very weighty decision on me between now and the end of the year.”
Of course, no politician can fully separate their “personal beliefs” from their political views. There is not a divide between religious conviction and public duty. And every politician has a duty to protect their citizens. Gov. Hochul surely knows this.
Brooklyn Bishop Robert Brennan is urging Hochul to veto the bill.
“As you review the assisted suicide legislation, we respectfully urge you to veto it,” he wrote on X, adding,
Assisted suicide targets the poor, the vulnerable, and especially individuals suffering with mental illness. There are better ways to support those facing end-of-life challenges, through improved palliative care, pain management, and compassionate support systems.
Furthermore, the Catholic bishops of New York have signed a joint letter, urging Gov. Hochul to veto the bill.
“Sadly, we are facing a suicide crisis among young people in our state, and the government rightly spends large sums of money to prevent these tragedies and to deliver a consistent message that life is worth living,” the bishops wrote. “Now our state will be telling its citizens that some lives – perhaps where there has been a loss of autonomy or a disability – are not worth living.”
“We pray that the legislature reconsiders this disastrous public policy, and we call on Governor Hochul to exercise her veto authority should the bill come to her desk,” they added.
If you live in New York, please consider contacting the governor, respectfully urging her to veto AB 136. You can also sign the New York State Catholic Conference’s pre-filled message asking Gov. Hochul to veto the bill.
To speak with a family help specialist or request resources, please call us at 1-800-A-FAMILY (232-6459).
Focus on the Family offers a one-time counseling consultation with a licensed or pastoral counselor free of charge thanks to generous donor support. If you would like to request a consultation with Focus’ Counseling Department, call 1-855-771-HELP (4357) weekdays from 6:00 AM to 8:00 PM (Mountain Time) or complete our Counseling Consultation Request Form.
Related articles and resources:
Counseling Consultation & Referrals
Understanding God’s Plan for the End of Life
Answers to Common Questions About Physician-Assisted Suicide
Aging Loved Ones and Physician-Assisted Suicide
NY Legislature Passes ‘Nightmare’ Bill Legalizing Physician-Assisted Suicide
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