Staten Islanders fought for soon-to-be-legal Medical Aid in Dying Act, some until their last breaths
Originally published in
Staten Island Advance
on
.
The Medical Aid in Dying Act first appeared in Albany a decade ago, supported back then by an early Staten Island advocate: then-state Sen. Diane Savino.
The legislation didn’t win its first floor votes until 2025, passing the Assembly in April and the Senate in June.
On Staten Island, Sen. Jessica Scarcella‑Spanton, a prime co‑sponsor and Savino’s successor, voted in favor, while Sen. Andrew Lanza voted against. When running for reelection last year, Scarcella-Spanton spoke to the Advance/SILive.com of spending time with dying people who desperately wanted medically-assisted death legalized.
After passage of the law in the senate, Scarcella-Spanton said “I kept the advocacy of Brian Moffett, Ayla Eilert, and Gina Luongo with me through out the fight to get this passed. I am grateful to my colleagues for their support and look forward to this historic bill getting signed into law.”
Newsroom
Go to Newsroom
