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Medical Aid in Dying passes Assembly, awaits Senate vote

Beat Memo Democratic Lawmakers and advocates are closing in on the votes needed to pass Medical Aid in Dying, a long-lingering measure that would allow doctors to prescribe euthanizing medication to people with terminal illnesses. The legislation passed the Assembly at the end of April, but 32 votes are needed to pass the measure in the Senate. The Senate has 26 co-sponsors on its bill, but state Sen. Brad Hoylman-Sigal, who is sponsoring it, said he is hopeful they will be successful in securing the remaining votes to pass the chamber. If it passes into law, New York would become the 11th state to legalize some form of assisted suicide. The Catholic Church and other religious groups have strongly opposed the measure. Republicans sided with them, arguing that legalizing prescriptions for suicide is a slippery slope. Advocates for and against the measure visited the Capitol last week, aiming to either strike down the measure or secure the final votes needed to pass. Hoylman-Sigal said he wasn't surprised by the presence of advocates lobbying against his bill. 'No one thought we would be a year ago, much less a few weeks ago,' Hoylman-Sigal told POLITICO. 'This issue isn't going away, just like terminal illnesses are not going away, and death itself impacts all of us.' 'If you don't want to end your life in a planned sequential process that involves ingesting medication when you've been given a terminal illness of six months or fewer with your family and friends surrounding you as you head off into the other world, then don't do it,' Holyman-Sigal said of the opposition. The Assembly's final vote was 81-67, with no Republicans supporting the bill. A sizable majority of Democrats expressed support, but some religious members and others who spoke about a lack of equitable access to health care joined the opposition. ON THE AGENDA: — Thursday, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. The Drug Utilization Review Board will meet. MAKING ROUNDS: — Sandra Scott was appointed CEO of One Brooklyn Health by the health system's board of trustees, and Arthur Gianelli will serve as president and chief transformation officer. Scott has served as interim CEO since January 2024. Gianelli previously served as president of Mount Sinai Morningside hospital and chief transformation officer. — Joseph Tomaino has joined the board of the Nassau Health Care Corporation. He is currently CEO of Grassi Healthcare Advisors, LLC. GOT TIPS? Send story ideas and feedback to Maya Kaufman at mkaufman@ and Katelyn Cordero at kcordero@ 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. What you may have missed — A citywide doula initiative spearheaded by Mayor Eric Adams is showing promise in the fight against racial disparities in maternal health outcomes, POLITICO Pro's Maya Kaufman reported. Black and Hispanic women in the doula initiative saw lower rates of C-sections, preterm births and low birth weights than nonparticipants citywide, according to an audit conducted by city Comptroller Brad Lander's office, which was released Friday. No maternal deaths were identified among the initiative's clients between March 2022 and June 2024. ODDS AND ENDS NOW WE KNOW — Tying U.S. drug prices to those abroad could have unintended consequences. TODAY'S TIP — A doctor shares his science-backed formula for aging better. STUDY THIS — Via NPR: Many common beauty products contain formaldehyde, a known carcinogen, according to a study of Black and Latina women in Los Angeles. WHAT WE'RE READING — State bets on Medicaid payment shift to fund city public hospitals. (Crain's New York Business) — Uproar over surgeon general pick exposes MAHA factions among RFK Jr. allies. (Washington Post) — From pandemic preparedness to precious frozen spit, NIH contract terminations cut deep. (STAT) Around POLITICO — Conservatives fret HHS cuts, worrying it undercuts the president's agenda, Amanda Friedman reports. — Trump transforms congressionally mandated health offices into ghost towns, via Alice Miranda Ollstein and Sophie Gardner. MISSED A ROUNDUP? Get caught up on the New York Health Care Newsletter.