Advocacy

ADVOCACY

This section is prioritized and updated according to the needs of the campaign.

Current Activities

The Campaign for Medical Aid in Dying is in high gear following the opening of the Legislature on January 8.

In the Assembly, Amy Paulin continues as the sponsor of the bill for the Medical Aid in Dying Act. In the Senate, Brad Holyman-Sigal continues as the sponsor. A reprint of the 2025–2026 bills (A136 / S138) is available in our library HERE.


Come to the Capitol

The Capitol complex includes the Capitol itself and the Legislative Office Building (LOB), which are connected underground at the Concourse level within a security perimeter. Maps of the complex, both underground and ground-level, are available from the state HERE.

The most common meeting place for our gatherings is in the LOB on the first floor, at the end nearest the Concourse. There is a vending machine area with seating, and that is where we meet. (Near the vending machine area is “The Well Wall”, where various groups have displays.)

If you park in the Vistors lot under the Plaza, you can enter the Capitol complex through a security check at the north end of Concourse. This can be quite busy, especially on Tuesdays. Come early, or try to enter through the Capitol or the State-Street entrance to the LOB — these are good entrances for people parking elsewhere or coming by bus.


The distinctive Capitol building is a National Historic Landmark. Free guided tours are available Monday–Friday at 10 a.m., noon, and 2 p.m. Tours begin at the information desk in the lobby at the State Street entrance; no reservations are required for individuals or groups smaller than 10.

Upcoming events are listed below. It is important to sign up or register for events so that you will receive more information, including updates, and also so that the campaign can know who is coming.

  • Tuesday, January 28.  A public forum, “Freedom + Bodily Autonomy at Life’s End: A Discussion About Medical Aid in Dying” is being organized by City & State (a political magazine) and Compassion & Choices, at the Cornerstone, 9:30–11:30 AM. Information about the rest of the day’s activities for advocates will be provided at the forum. Register HERE with City & State to get a free ticket to attend the forum.
  • [The Cornerstone, a restaurant/venue, sits on the Plaza between the Egg and Corning Tower. In the winter, enter through the Concourse level. A long hallway between the Food Court and the State Police office leads to an elevator up to the Cornerstone. See map HERE.]
  • Tuesday, February 4.  A regular Tuesday Lobby Day. Typically we make our presence known in the Capitol and the Legislative Office Building, trying to engage with legislators. Sign up with C&C HERE.
  • Tuesday, February 11.  A regular Tuesday Lobby Day. Sign up with C&C HERE.
  • Tuesday, February 18.  No activity at the Capitol this week, with the Legislature in recess.

Links to individual sign-up pages for the full schedule of Spring 2025 Lobby Days with C&C are available HERE. (Note: the legislature will not be in session during the weeks of February 17, April 14, and April 21. The last scheduled day of the session is June 12.)

**************

Work at Home

Work at Home

1. Write to key legislators.  Legislators say that hand-written, personalized notes are the most impactful communications we can make. So, get out your pen and write! If you have a personal experience to talk about, that is great. A related idea is to host a letter-writing party with friends or colleagues.

Here are the top legislators to write to now:

  • Senate Majority Leader Andrea Stewart-Cousins / LOB, Room 907 / Albany, NY 12247
  • Assembly Speaker Carl E. Heastie / LOB, Room 932 / Albany, NY 12248
  • Your Senator, who can be identified and found HERE — be sure to give your home address
  • Your Assemblymember, who can be identified and found HERE — be sure to give your home address

And, since the passed bill will need the Governor’s approval:

  • The Honorable Kathy Hochul / Governor of New York State / NYS State Capitol Building /Albany, NY 12224

2. Write a Letter to the Editor.  These are widely read and have real impact. The Albany Times Union  has not editorialized in favor of the bill in quite some time. They need to see that this is a priority for their readers. Please consider writing a letter to the editor. Click HERE  to read the guidelines from the TU  about how to submit a letter to the editor. Follow the directions!

Write about how getting the bill passed is important to you and to other people you know. More extensive suggestions for writing letters can be found HERE  from the Compassion & Choices Volunteer Action Network.

3. Help grow the movement.  Here is an important thing that Compassion & Choices is encouraging:  If you haven’t shared your support for this campaign with neighbors, friends, and colleagues, please to do so. You can use the following language and links to tailor your own personal message to help us grow this movement. We know that when the bill starts to move, our opponents will pull out all the stops to generate communications into lawmakers’ offices. We won’t be able to compete with the numbers, but we will have a bigger impact if we have intelligent and personalized messages flowing into lawmakers offices on a steady basis.

Dear [person-in-your-life],

You may know that I’ve been involved in an effort to expand end-of-life options in New York State. Do you believe, like I do, that when faced with a terminal diagnosis, New Yorkers deserve the full range of options for care at the end of life, including medical aid in dying?

Medical aid in dying allows terminally ill adults to get a prescription they can take to end their life peacefully.

If you want to learn more, click here to read about the legislation and all the reasons why New York State should join the 11 other U.S. jurisdictions (10 states + Washington DC) in allowing for this compassionate end-of-life option.

If you already know you’re with me, click here to take quick & easy action to let those who represent you in the state legislature know how you feel. It is going to take all of our voices to get this done, and I appreciate your help.

[your name]
*************

Resources for Advocates

Useful resources for advocating enactment of the Medical Aid in Dying Act in New York are gathered on a separate webpage:

Advocacy Resources

New York Alliance for Medical Aid in Dying

The New York Alliance for Medical Aid in Dying urges lawmakers to pass the Medical Aid in Dying Act. It is time for legislators to prioritize terminally ill patients and their families who have waited too long for help to end their suffering. Passing Medical Aid in Dying is an essential step in protecting patient rights, bodily autonomy, and end-of-life options for all New Yorkers.

The alliance draws upon the individual efforts and supporters of Compassion & Choices, Death with Dignity, The Completed Life Initiative, End of Life Choices New York and Death with Dignity–Albany, working together in harmony to authorize medical aid in dying in New York State.


Comments are closed.