Governor Kathy Hochul’s announcement today, that she intends to sign the Medical Aid in Dying Act (A.136/S.138) – subject to chapter amendments – next month, will make New York the 14th U.S. jurisdiction to authorize this compassionate end-of-life option. 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 next month is an 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 is forced to endure unbearable suffering in their final days.
“This law will represent the culmination of more than 10 years of determined, consistent effort by hundreds, no, 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.
“Many 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. That day next month – when the Medical Aid in Dying Act becomes the Medical Aid in Dying Law – is for them, for their families, and for everyone who simply wants the freedom to make deeply personal decisions about how they die. This law is about compassion, family, love, and respect for bodily autonomy. New Yorkers deserve nothing less,” Carey said.
“I am grateful that Governor Hochul listened to the voices of people whose lives and deaths were directly affected,” Carey said. “And soon, the next phase of the work will begin. 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 moving forward by requesting this legislation with proposed amendments. For New Yorkers facing their final months, weeks, or days with a terminal illness, what matters most is that the option of medical aid in dying will be available. We believe 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 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 wanted. 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. This agreement reflects their persistence and ensures that others will now have 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 that this bill will soon be signed into law 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: “The imminent enactment of New York’s Medical Aid in Dying law is an act of kindness. An act of compassion. 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, 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: “Today, from all corners of the state, New Yorkers breathe freedom. 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 agreeing to sign 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 at all stages of life.”
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 will sign 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 next month. I remain full of fight and hope, supported by incredible doctors and the love of my wife and two teenage daughters. However, finding the holiday spirit has been difficult this year, which makes the announcement of the signing of this just and compassionate bill an incredibly welcome 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 breast cancer, said: “Knowing that New York will very soon recognize 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 will be 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.”
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. With today’s agreement, New York affirms that people deserve comfort, autonomy, and dignity at the end of life.”
Senator Brad Hoylman-Sigal, the Senate sponsor, said: “This law is about love, respect, and human dignity. I am thankful that the Governor heard the voices of New Yorkers who simply wanted the freedom to make their own end-of-life decisions. And 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.”
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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