Assemblyman Andrew Molitor (R,C-Westfield) today strongly opposed legislation that would legalize physician-assisted suicide in New York state, warning that such policies pose a grave threat to the most vulnerable and undermine the state’s moral foundation.

“I cannot support legislation that legalizes the deliberate termination of life under the guise of compassion,” said Molitor. “When mental health care, palliative treatment and effective pain management are available and should be prioritized, sanctioning death as a form of relief reflects indifference—not compassion.”

Molitor emphasized that this is not just a matter of public policy, but a defining issue that will shape future generations. “Once the state endorses assisted suicide, there is no limiting principle. No law can undo a life taken prematurely. There are no second chances—no safeguards strong enough to catch every vulnerable person who might be pushed toward this option not by true autonomy, but by despair, poverty or neglect.”

Pointing to data and outcomes from other countries, Molitor expressed concern that assisted suicide laws often expand beyond their initial scope. “In some jurisdictions, people facing poverty, the elderly, individuals with disabilities and those struggling with mental illness are choosing, or being led to choose, death not because they are truly free, but because they lack access to adequate care, support and hope.”

“This is not a theoretical concern. It is a deeply human one,” Molitor added. “When a society begins to offer death as a solution to suffering, especially to those who already feel marginalized or burdensome, it stops addressing suffering and starts eliminating the sufferer. That is not compassion, it’s surrender.”

Molitor concluded by urging lawmakers to focus on affirming life and investing in care. “Our job as legislators is not to offer the path of least resistance, but to protect the vulnerable and ensure that care—not killing—remains our response to suffering. Dispensing lethal drugs under the banner of dignity is not progress. It’s the abandonment of our moral duty.”

To watch Assemblyman Molitor’s reasoning for voting no on the issue, video is attached below.