Williamsville, N.Y. (WBEN) - It was back in June when the New York State Legislature passed the Medical Aid in Dying (MAID) Act, which allows for physician-assisted suicide in end-of-life situations. Many people supporting this bill have been waiting for the signature of the governor to enact the law, but the clock is ticking to get it done.
Gov. Kathy Hochul has until the end of the year to either sign the bill into law or veto it, and she recognizes that element to this piece of legislation.
"My policy has not been to disclose until I have a chance to talk to the parties involved about my position, do any final last-minute negotiations," said Hochul during a recent visit to Western New York.
Hochul has plenty of work remaining on her plate before the New Year, as more than 250 bills dropped on her desk last June to review.
"I spend an enormous amount of my time reading every word to make sure there's not an outcome that is not anticipated. That's our job. We have to be the firewall against bad policy that could happen. So we've had to veto a number, we've also signed a number of bills," Hochul said.
She anticipates the MAID Act being one of the last batch of bills to review before the end of the year.
Hochul admits the MAID Act is a very difficult bill not just for herself, but for a number of others in New York State.
"There's a moral aspect of it, a religious aspect of it as well. There are a lot of people in opposition to this as well, so I have to factor all those considerations. But for me, personally, I have to set aside my religious upbringings, in this case, as I've had to do in some other tough situations, and do what I think is best for the people of the State of New York," Hochul said. "The conversations are ongoing, and all be told, in a couple of days, this will be resolved very shortly."
A number of local advocates for physician-assisted suicide have made the final push to get Hochul to sign the bill.
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