Governor Kathy Hochul signed the Medical Aid in Dying Act (A.136/S.138, Chapter 714 of the Laws of 2025) today – including chapter amendments (A.9515/S.8835, Chapter 1 of the Laws of 2026) – making New York the 13th state and the 14th jurisdiction (Washington, D.C.) in the United States to authorize medical aid in dying.
Medical aid in dying allows eligible terminally ill adults to seek a prescription for medication they may choose to self-ingest to bring about a peaceful death if their suffering becomes too great.
The Governor’s signature on the law is a historic milestone after more than a decade of advocacy from New Yorkers living with terminal illnesses, grieving families, clinicians, and supporters across the state who worked tirelessly to ensure that no New Yorker who wants the option of medical aid in dying is forced to endure unbearable suffering in their final days.
“This law is the culmination of more than 10 years of determined, consistent effort by thousands of New Yorkers who advocated for this law,” said Corinne Carey, senior campaign director for Compassion & Choices NY/NJ. “I’ve had and continue to have the honor of walking alongside New Yorkers who faced terminal diagnoses with bravery and love – people who opened their homes, their hearts, and often their final months to this movement.
“Sadly, too many of these advocates did not live to see this day. We carry the memory of 29 advocates we lost along the way, whose suffering might have been eased had this option been available. Today is for those 29 beautiful people, their families and loved ones, and for everyone who simply wants the freedom to make the deeply personal decisions about how they will die. The Medical Aid in Dying Law is about compassion, family, love, and respect for bodily autonomy,” Carey said.
“I am grateful that Governor Hochul listened to the voices of people whose lives and deaths were directly affected,” Carey said. “ And now, the next phase of the work begins. We must ensure that every New Yorker — no matter where they live, the resources they have, or their familiarity with the healthcare system — can understand, trust, and access this option if it is what they choose.”
Kevin Díaz, President & CEO of Compassion & Choices and Compassion & Choices Action Network, said: “We appreciate Governor Hochul’s thoughtful and deeply personal engagement on this issue, and we commend her for signing this bill into law today. For New Yorkers facing their final months, weeks, or days with a terminal illness, what matters most is knowing that the full range of end-of-life care will soon be available. This legislation reflects a compassionate commitment to patient autonomy and end-of-life choice, and we look forward to continuing to work with the Governor and the Legislature to ensure New Yorkers have access to care that honors their values at the end of life.”
Dr. Jeremy Boal, an internist, geriatrician, and physician executive from Columbia County living with ALS, said: “After my ALS diagnosis, fear of how my illness might end made it difficult to live in the present. Knowing that medical aid in dying will soon be available in New York has lifted that fear, even though I may never choose to use it. I am deeply grateful to the Legislature and to Governor Hochul for ensuring that this option will soon be available to all dying New Yorkers, because it has given me the peace of mind to live my best life for whatever time I have left.”
Amanda Cavanaugh, a lobbyist at Malkin & Ross, who has helped lead the campaign to pass the Medical Aid in Dying Act for more than a decade, said: “My work on medical aid in dying began after my partner Chrissy died without access to the peaceful end she deserved. Since then, I’ve had the privilege of working alongside advocates and legislators across New York who fought — often while facing illness or loss themselves — to make this law a reality. Today reflects our collective persistence and ensures that terminally ill adults will now have access to options that were once denied.”
Iris Dudman, of Hastings-on-Hudson, who is living with glioblastoma, said: “Every MRI could bring news that changes everything. The fear of a painful, disorienting death hangs over each scan. Knowing that I will soon have the option of a peaceful exit, at home, in the community I have loved for 40 years, brings indescribable relief. I don’t see this as ending life—I see it as making the inevitable more gentle and loving. I am grateful that New York will finally recognize this basic human need.”
Jules Netherland, of the Bronx, who is living with stage 4 cancer, said: “Knowing this law will soon take effect, gives me a sense of calm that is hard to overstate, and I know many other terminally ill New Yorkers feel the same. But equity matters at the implementation stage. Medical aid in dying must be accessible to people regardless of income or zip code, without added hardship during the final chapter of life. A peaceful death should not be a privilege – it should be an option for anyone who wants it.”
Stacey Gibson, of Garrison, whose husband Sid died an agonizing death from a neurological disease, said: “For me, today represents an act of kindness, an act of compassion, and an act of bravery. I have been advocating for this bill for more than 10 years. I promised my late husband Sid, whose death was not in keeping with his glorious life, that I would try to make things better for other New Yorkers. These 10 years have enriched my life in ways I never thought possible. Thank you, Assemblymember Paulin, former Senator Holyman-Sigal, and all the legislators who fought with us side by side. Thank you to Compassion & Choices for its fearless leadership and unrelenting positivity. To all the advocates, current and those we lost, we did it. And thank you Governor Hochul for allowing me to fulfill my promise.”
Nancy Murphy, of Vermontville, whose sister used Vermont’s medical aid in dying law, said: “When my sister Joan died using Vermont’s medical aid in dying law, it was peaceful, loving, and deeply affirming of who she was. That experience stayed with me. With this law soon to be in place, New Yorkers – today and for generations to come – will face the end of life knowing they have choices, including the option of a peaceful death surrounded by those they love.”
Arelis Torres, of Queens, said: “New Yorkers from all corners of the state can breathe freedom today. The freedom to die as they lived; with love for life and respect for one’s beliefs and values. New Yorkers facing terminal illness have bodily autonomy and choices that bring peace of mind at such a challenging time in one’s life. Thank you, Governor Hochul, for signing into law the Medical Aid In Dying Act which is supported by most New Yorkers. Gracias for showing compassion and respect for people’s bodily autonomy and choices.”
Darren Chervitz, of Riverdale, a young father of two who has battled aggressive stage 3 prostate cancer, said: “I am profoundly grateful to learn that Governor Hochul signed the Medical Aid in Dying Act. I recently learned that after a year of experimental trials and surgery, my prostate cancer is still with me, and I must begin radiation therapy. I remain full of fight and hope, supported by incredible doctors and the love of my wife and two teenage daughters. But the signing of this just and compassionate law is such an incredible gift. It is a blessing for all New Yorkers who believe in bodily autonomy and the right to a death with dignity and peace.”
Susan Rahn of Rochester, who is living with metastatic breast cancer, said: “Knowing that New York recognizes the importance of choice at the end of life gives me a deep sense of peace. Even as I continue treatment, it matters enormously to know that I will have options if circumstances change. That knowledge makes it easier to focus on living, rather than worrying about how life might end.”
Lindsay Wright of Manhattan said: “Ten years ago I moved with my late husband, Youssef Cohen, as he was dying from lung cancer, to Oregon to access medical aid in dying. He was the first public advocate in New York to urge legislators to pass MAID for all New Yorkers. I promised to continue his advocacy and to do everything I could to meet and speak with legislators and the public to ensure that other New Yorkers with terminal illnesses didn’t have to move far away from family and friends to die peacefully, free of pain and suffering. Thank you, Governor Hochul, for listening to New Yorkers, who have said time and again they support medical aid in dying as an option at the end of their lives. Signing this bill into law is a gift to all New Yorkers.”
Rachel Remmel of Rochester said: “I have been advocating for medical aid in dying since my brother Ethan Remmel used Washington state’s law in 2011 to hasten his death from metastatic colon cancer that had spread to his bones. I am grateful to New York’s campaign leaders, tireless advocates, legislative champions, and Governor Hochul, who have now ensured that New Yorkers will also have the peace of mind that comes with knowing that they can control their end-of-life choices. I not only want this right for myself, but also for my loved ones and community members. As a longtime advocate, I am particularly grateful that I will no longer annually hear fresh harrowing stories from new advocates about how their loved ones suffered during terminal illness. I hope this law will replace those stories with ones that are no less sad and meaningful, but that will reflect the end of life choices that the terminally ill can now make for themselves about their own deaths.”
Monona Yin of Brooklyn, who lost her mother Fay Hoh Yin in 2020 said: “I’m profoundly grateful to the Governor for signing this bill. She approached the issue with care, humility, and deep reflection, drawing on both personal experience and a thorough vetting of the legislation. When she ultimately gave her support, she did so with clarity and conviction, grounding her decision in the fundamental American principles of individual liberty and respect for personal choice.”
Kate Sanford of Accord said: “As a grieving mother, today is deeply meaningful for me as New York brings MAID into law. It is also bittersweet—this moment comes too late to help my son—but I know he would be proud of me and of every advocate who bravely shared their story of their loved ones’ suffering and helped bring this issue into the light. I am deeply grateful to Governor Hochul for her thoughtful consideration, to bill sponsors Amy Paulin and Brad Hoylman-Sigal, and to all the legislators who listened to their constituents and voted with both their hearts and their minds. I know that this compassionate law will help ease suffering and bring some peace to families like mine who carry profound loss.”
Eric Wessman of Pelham, who lost his brother to cancer in 2020, said: “I am very pleased that this bill is being finalized. It has been a long time coming, with many people working hard to make it happen. This gives all New Yorkers who choose to exercise this option the opportunity to end prolonged pain and suffering and to die peacefully at home surrounded by family.”
Assemblymember Amy Paulin, the Assembly sponsor of the bill, said: “I am grateful to the Governor for recognizing the deep compassion at the heart of this legislation. But the real credit belongs to the advocates – those who shared their stories, who relived their grief, who spent their final months fighting so others could avoid needless suffering. Their courage guided this law. Today, New York affirms that people deserve comfort, autonomy, and dignity at the end of life.”
Manhattan Borough President and former Senator Brad Hoylman-Sigal, who carried the bill in 2025 when it passed both chambers of the legislature, said: “This law is about love, respect, and human dignity. I am thankful that the Governor heard from the voices of New Yorkers who simply wanted the freedom to make their own end-of-life decisions; I appreciate the resolve of Leader Stewart-Cousins to move this important legislation; and I thank my former Senate colleagues for their support. I am especially grateful to the advocates who showed us what compassion looks like in action. Their persistence and humanity shaped this bill, and their stories will continue to guide its implementation.”
Senator Jessica Scarcella-Spanton said: “Throughout this long journey, I have been humbled by the families who shared intimate and painful stories to help us understand why this option matters. Today’s agreement is a testament to their strength. This law respects the wishes of terminally ill adults and provides a compassionate option for those who need it. I am grateful the Governor has acted, and I am even more grateful for the advocates who carried this cause forward.”
Assemblymember Amanda Septimo said: “For years, New Yorkers have asked us to honor their autonomy, respect their values, and allow love – not fear – to guide their final days. The advocates who came to Albany again and again, even while facing illness or grief, are the reason we are here. I thank the Governor for signing this bill, and I thank the families, clinicians, and patients who showed us what true compassion looks like.”
Assemblymember Al Taylor said: “The law includes strong safeguards and is entirely voluntary for both patients and healthcare professionals. Experience from other states demonstrates that authorizing medical aid in dying improves end-of-life care overall, encouraging earlier conversations about prognosis, values, and goals, and giving families clarity and peace during some of the most difficult moments of their lives.”
Senate Health Committee Chair Gustavo Rivera said: “I’m honored to carry the Medical Aid in Dying Act on behalf of the new Manhattan Borough President Brad Hoylman-Sigal. Our state must ensure terminally-ill New Yorkers can choose their journey,” said State Senator Gustavo Rivera. “I want to thank Assemblymember Paulin and former Senator Hoylman-Sigal for the tireless work to give these New Yorkers the option to make an end-of-life care decision in a dignified and compassionate manner.”
Safeguards at a Glance
▸ Patients must be mentally capable adults with a terminal diagnosis and six-month prognosis.
▸ Patients must be residents of New York State.
▸ Requests must be voluntary and free from coercion.
▸ Two physicians must confirm eligibility.
▸ Patients must undergo a mandatory mental health evaluation by a psychologist, neurologist or psychiatrist.
▸ Patients must be able to self-ingest the medication.
▸ Healthcare providers may opt out; participation is never mandatory.
▸ Patients may rescind their request at any time.
More information on medical aid in dying and the New York campaign can be found on Compassion & Choices’ website, Facebook or Twitter.
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