Lawmakers in Albany voted months ago to legalize assisted suicide. Presumably, Governor Kathy Hochul didn’t want to sign the bill before the elections. Now that she’s clear of them, it appears she’s proposing amendments — including videotaped requests, a few days’ waiting period, and mandatory psychiatric consultation to determine eligibility, as well as confining the law to New York residents. I’m surprised by the latter, given that Hochul has been an advocate of abortion tourism to New York and has defended Empire State doctors’ sending abortion pills to Texas and Louisiana.
However, she’s on record for none of this, and it’s unclear how serious she might be about adding any limits to the proposed bill. She may be pushing for delayed implementation, too. That would at least buy people of faith some time and give them an opportunity to prepare families for the newfound pressure on the sick and elderly to end their lives.
The last thing we need is more suicide.
We can still pray. As it happens, there are prayer vigils tonight and tomorrow throughout the state. Keep it up. Governor Hochul has praised Pope Francis. Maybe he can help with a miracle.