NEW YORK (PIX11) — New York Gov. Kathy Hochul has until Monday to sign the Grieving Families Act that passed the state Assembly and Senate.
The measure would expand the definition of family under the law to allow more people to file wrongful death claims. It would also allow people to seek damages for pain and suffering, not just monetary losses.
Christie Azzolini from Kings Park is among those pushing for the governor to sign the measure. Her fiancé, 44-year-old Anthony Mariano, was struck and killed in November 2020 by an allegedly drunk wrong-way driver.
It was just months after they postponed their wedding due to COVID-19 restrictions on venues. She and Mariano lived together and owned a home together, but under the current law, she is not entitled to seek compensation to cover her expenses.
“Hearing I was ‘just a fiancé’ so many times is just one of the several reasons I still struggle daily and am in therapy,” Azzolini told PIX11 News.
PIX11 News reached out to the governor’s office to see if she intends to sign the bill. A spokesman said Hochul is reviewing the legislation.
