Last month, the New York State Assembly made history. After more than a decade of tireless advocacy, we passed the Medical Aid in Dying Act (A.136) . I was proud to cast my vote in favor of this compassionate and thoughtfully worded bill , because New Yorkers deserve the right to make their own decisions, especially at the end of their life.

This legislation offers terminally ill patients the option to seek medical aid in dying during their final six months, should they choose it. It does not mandate anything. What it does is give people facing unimaginable pain and loss of autonomy the ability to die on their own terms… with dignity, ideally surrounded by the people they love.

As a first-term legislator and lifelong advocate for human dignity and respect, I do not take this vote lig

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