We are deeply disturbed by the Senate’s decision to pass legislation legalizing assisted suicide—particularly at a time when the state is actively dismantling vital healthcare infrastructure for people with disabilities and seniors. This vote comes as thousands of New Yorkers face disruptions in care due to the chaotic transition to a single fiscal intermediary for the Consumer Directed Personal Assistance Program (CDPAP) and while threats to Medicaid and Medicare continue to loom.

The passage of this bill—without holding a single substantive public hearing to examine its far-reaching consequences—reflects a reckless disregard for the most vulnerable members of our society.

This legislation perpetuates harmful and deeply misguided notions of what it means to live with dignity. In Oregon, where similar laws have been enacted, the top five reasons people request lethal prescriptions are not due to unmanageable pain but rather to fears related to reduced ability to participate in activities, loss of autonomy, loss of “dignity,” loss of control over bodily functions, and the feeling of being a burden to family or caregivers. These deeply human concerns call for comprehensive, compassionate support—not a life-ending prescriptions.

Experience from other states and countries has shown that once these laws are enacted, eligibility expands, safeguards erode, and the number of people dying by suicide rises sharply. Under this legislation, no witness is required at the time of death. This creates a dangerous loophole that allows abuse to go undetected and unpunished.

The reality is that disabled and elderly individuals already face alarmingly high rates of abuse, neglect, and coercion. This bill hands potential abusers another deadly tool. Worse still, more than 80% of U.S. physicians hold the flawed belief that people with significant disabilities have a lower quality of life—an implicit bias that already drives disparities in care and could further influence life-ending decisions.

There is no meaningful oversight or accountability embedded in this legislation. And with insurance companies constantly seeking to minimize costs, we fear a future in which coverage for long-term care and supports is quietly replaced by cheaper, lethal alternatives.

This is not a compassionate or ethical solution—it is a dangerous and discriminatory policy that devalues the lives of people with disabilities, chronic illnesses, and aging New Yorkers. We call on lawmakers and the public to demand real conversations, real protections, and real investments in life-affirming care. Assisted suicide cannot and should not be the state’s answer to systemic failure. We demand Governor Hochul veto this legislation.