Speaker Menin offers condolences to Mahajan family

Thank you, everyone.

I'm Julie Menon, Speaker of the New York City Council, and I want to welcome all of you to this important hearing.

I first of all want to thank my colleague, our Health Chair, Councilmember Shulman, for convening today's hearing, and I want to thank my colleague, Councilmember Marche, the sponsor of Ramach's law.

So to the Mahajan family, there are no words for Ramansha's death.

When I spoke to you this morning and I heard the pain in your voice, there is nothing we can do to bring him back.

But what we can do is honor his legacy, which is what we're doing today at this hearing to make sure that this type of tragedy never, ever happens again.

And so I just want to thank you for your courage in being here.

I know this is not easy, and we're going to hear from you in a few minutes.

And our condolences extend to your whole family.

We know when a young person is taken from us, cut off in their prime.

of life as Ramach was, with the world of potential going to college ahead of him.

It is, and I say this as a mom, it's like really deeply heart-wrenching.

When that death was avoidable, where he could be alive if only we had acted sooner, it is a call to action for all people of good conscience.

For your family, for all the families, and for our city, we are here to ensure that this never happens again.