New York Governor Kathy Hochul's assisted‑suicide law takes effect

New York’s Medical Aid in Dying Act, signed by Governor Kathy Hochul on February 6, 2026, became effective on August 5, 2026. The legislation makes New York the thirteenth U.S. jurisdiction, alongside the District of Columbia, to permit physician‑assisted suicide for terminally ill patients.

The law includes several safeguards introduced after negotiations with disability‑rights groups: a mandatory five‑day waiting period, an in‑person physician evaluation, and a mental‑health assessment. Opponents, including the New York State Catholic Conference and the disability‑rights coalition End Assisted Suicide, have filed a lawsuit arguing that the measure discriminates against people with disabilities and effectively “allows providers to prescribe drugs… to cause the death of the patient.”

Governor Hochul, a Catholic, cited her mother’s battle with ALS as a personal influence on her decision, emphasizing “the right to bodily autonomy” and a dignified end‑of‑life choice for New Yorkers.