Dear Advocates,

Many 2026 state legislative sessions are in full swing, and with that comes good news out of Virginia today! 

The Virginia Senate Health committee voted 8-7 to reject the assisted suicide bill introduced this session. This comes after a subcommittee hearing that highlighted the opposition of the Medical Society of Virginia. The subcommittee voted this week to move it to the full committee by a vote of 3-2 with 1 abstention, but the full committee stopped it in its tracks. 

We are grateful for that action today, but the House bill remains active. We continue to monitor Virginia for any movement on the House side ahead of their deadline. If you live in Virginia, will you contact your legislator and tell them you do not want assisted suicide? 

Unfortunately, we don't have such good news in New York. As expected, the New York Assembly and Senate both voted to advance the assisted suicide bill containing the amendments requested by Governor Hochul. She has until midnight tomorrow to sign it, and has publicly stated that she will do so. 

The amendments she requested include a waiting period, residency requirement, mandatory examination by a psychologist, and a recorded (audio or visual) request that stays in the patient's medical record. The Governor recognized that the bill sent to her originally was dangerous, but, unfortunately, these amendments will not prevent the abuse we continue to see in other states. Nothing in this new bill will protect patients who are terminal because they cannot afford treatment. Nothing in this new bill will protect young women with anorexia who need help and not abandonment. 

The law is set to take effect 6 months from signing. 

The work continues; while we are cautiously optimistic about Virginia, many other states are still continuing to push these bills. If you haven't been actively involved before, there's no better time. I'd love to hear from you! 

Thank you for your advocacy!

Jessica Rodgers

Coalitions Director

Patients' Rights Action Fund