The legislation has cleared the lower house and could be put to a final vote in the upper house on Wednesday, although consideration of more than 40 amendments could see a lengthy debate first.
Independent MP for Sydney and the architect of the legislation, Alex Greenwich, is hopeful the voluntary assisted dying bill will finally pass on Wednesday after years of campaigning.
"Today is a really important day in NSW," he told Sydney radio 2GB.
"We hope that by the end of it people with cruel and advanced terminal illnesses will have the same end of life care offerings as people in every other state."
He hoped the final debate would be "respectful and robust" before the bill is finally passed, making NSW the last state to allow voluntary assisted dying.
Some of the amendments put forward - if accepted - would enable residential aged care facilities and hospitals to ban residents or patients from accessing voluntary assisted dying laws.
Mr Greenwich said the overall legislation protected any institution from participating in voluntary assisted dying, while allowing residents access to the process.
"Those aged care homes don't have to participate in any way," he said.
"This bill isn't about those institutions, it's about people with advanced, cruel, terminal illnesses who want to be able to die with dignity, with a bit of control and in a compassionate way."Â
If the bill passes on Wednesday unamended it will likely be available to people in NSW in 18 months.
If the bill is amended it will have to return to the lower house on Thursday for approval.
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