Assemblyman Brian Maher (R,C-Walden) today joined his colleagues to support the newest wave of bipartisan legislation attacking the fentanyl and opioid crisis. The package of bills aims to curb the rising number of overdose deaths in New York.

“The fentanyl crisis has devasted countless New Yorkers, their families and our communities,” said Maher. “As elected officials, we must do more to help our constituents. Supporting this bipartisan legislation is just one small step in our ongoing battle.”

This aggressive legislative package mirrors many of Maher’s own bills and seeks to address some of the key issues related to the opioid epidemic, focusing on financial compensation for victims' families, designating Xylazine as a controlled substance, establishing a ‘Death by Dealer’ statute and allowing prosecutors to seek bail for certain offenses. This package is being presented after an estimated 110,757 individuals lost their lives to drugs in 2022, which equals over 300 lives lost per day.

“In 2022 we experienced over 300 overdose deaths per day nationally. We need to be able to come together on this kind of legislation regardless of what party we belong to,” Maher continued. “Working together with our colleagues on both sides of the aisle is the only way to get things done. I hope when this is taken to the floor everyone can put party politics aside and vote in favor of these potentially life-saving policies.”

“I am thankful our Assemblyman, Brian Maher, has signed onto these bills,” said Jody Nicoli, Founder of the Walden Overdose Memorial and a recovering addict herself. “We need to pass common-sense legislation while continuing to provide essential services within our communities. Compensating victims' families, designating Xylazine as a controlled substance, establishing a Death by Dealer statute and allowing prosecutors to seek bail on certain offenses is essential as we continue to fight this epidemic.”