Gov. Kathy Hochul is facing a political tripwire as she weighs the future of a decade-old bill that would allow terminally ill people to obtain life-ending medication.
The bill would make New York the 12th state in the country to legalize medical aid in dying.
Hochul is already assessing her options. Her office began meeting with key interest groups shortly after the Legislature's end of session last month, signaling the Democratic governor may act sooner rather than later.
Advocates who fought for years to pass the measure are hopeful Hochul will sign the bill without demanding changes.
Among the most influential voices boosting the bill is the Medical Society of the State of New York, whose decision to back medical aid in dying last year was considered pivotal in getting the Legislature to pass it this year.
“We’ve learned from other states what’s important,” Jane Simpson, the society’s vice speaker and a palliative care physician, told POLITICO.
That includes a requirement that two doctors sign off on a patient’s request and a provision allowing doctors to not participate in the program.
The bill is set to land on Hochul’s desk as she gears up for a tough reelection contest next year, when she will likely see challengers from the left and the right.
One likely opponent, Republican Rep. Elise Stefanik, is already wielding the issue as a political brickbat.
“Instead of investing in palliative care, mental health support and life-affirming resources for those facing terminal illness, this legislation offers an immoral shortcut that devalues human life,” Stefanik said in a statement after the bill’s passage in the Assembly.
But hospice and palliative care providers have denounced arguments that pit the two treatment pathways against each other.
“This is not an independent decision on medical aid in dying — this is about quality of end-of-life care,” Jeanne Chirico, president of the Hospice & Palliative Care Association of New York State, told POLITICO.
IN OTHER NEWS:
— 1199SEIU United Healthcare Workers East endorsed Democratic mayoral nominee Zohran Mamdani on Friday after backing Andrew Cuomo’s failed primary bid, POLITICO Pro reported.
“We are proud to endorse Zohran Mamdani who will fight side-by-side with us to ensure New Yorkers get the services they need, build affordable housing, and create safe communities,” union president Yvonne Armstrong said in a statement. “We need a mayor like Zohran who has a plan to ensure frontline caregivers can continue working and living in our city.”
ON THE AGENDA:
— Tuesday, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. The state Opioid Settlement Fund Advisory Board will meet.
— Thursday at 10:30 a.m. The state Medicaid Evidence Based Benefit Review Advisory Committee will meet.
MAKING ROUNDS:
— George Han was appointed director of research for NYC Health + Hospitals/Elmhurst.
GOT TIPS? Send story ideas and feedback to Maya Kaufman at mkaufman@politico.com and Katelyn Cordero at kcordero@politico.com.
Want to receive this newsletter every weekday? Subscribe to POLITICO Pro. You’ll also receive daily policy news and other intelligence you need to act on the day’s biggest stories.
|
