Supporters of the Medical Aid in Dying Act celebrated a major milestone today as the bill was reported out of the Assembly Health and Codes Committees.
Corinne Carey, Compassion & Choices’ senior campaign director for New York and New Jersey, praised the advancement. “On behalf of the hundreds of advocates who have been waiting for this day for a long time – including some who sadly have passed away pleading for this option – we are grateful for the leadership and courage of Assembly Speaker Carl Heastie, the determination Assemblymember Amy Paulin, and the solid support of many other champions in the Assembly for taking this momentous step,” Carey said.
The Medical Aid in Dying Act (A.136/S.138) would allow terminally ill, mentally capable adults with six months or less to live to request a prescription for medication they could take to die peacefully. According to Compassion & Choices, ten states, including New Jersey, Vermont, and Maine, along with Washington, D.C., have authorized this practice. The organization noted that over the last twenty-five years, more than one-third of patients who obtain the prescription do not use it but find peace of mind knowing it is available.
Carey described the moment as filled with “both gratitude and with resolved determination to see the Medical Aid in Dying Act become law – making New York the next state to authorize this compassionate end of life care option – this session.” She added, “I look forward to the debate on the Floor of the Assembly, knowing it will be hard to keep a dry eye.”
The bill has received backing from a wide array of advocacy organizations, including the New York Civil Liberties Union, League of Women Voters of NYS, Medical Society of State of NY, Planned Parenthood Empire State Acts, and the NYS Nurses Association, among others.
More information about the legislation and the ongoing campaign is available through Compassion & Choices’ website and social media platforms.
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