Gov. Andrew Cuomo said on Sunday he will sign a bill passed by New York’s legislature stripping his own emergency powers for the COVID-19 pandemic.
The embattled Democrat made the announcement during a teleconference with reporters while declaring his intent to raise indoor dining capacity to 75% for restaurants outside of New York City.
“I’m signing today the legislature’s emergency powers bill, and I’m going to implement it today,” he told reporters.
Cuomo noted that he’s adding a “significant change” to the proposal by raising the indoor dining capacity limit outside the Big Apple.
NEW YORK LAWMAKERS TO STRIP GOVERNOR OF EMERGENCY PANDEMIC POWERS
After lawmakers reached a deal that would require the governor to provide online reporting on all executive orders, among other provisions, on Tuesday, the state legislature proceeded with plans to vote to strip Cuomo’s emergency powers. The New York Senate passed S5357 by a vote of 43-20 on Friday afternoon. The state’s lower chamber, the New York Assembly, followed suit, passing A5967 in a vote of 107-43 later that day.
“Our government must return to regular order,” Assembly Speaker Carl Heastie said after the vote. “By immediately repealing the temporary emergency powers, allowing no new directives to be issued and bringing transparency and oversight to the standing directives, we can establish better communication and collaboration with our local communities and help preserve the health and wellbeing of New Yorkers.”
State Sen. Andrea Stewart-Cousins, a sponsor of the Senate bill, said the legislation is instrumental in restoring balance among the branches of state government.
“New Yorkers must have checks and balances,” she said. “The system created through this legislation that I sponsor will assure increased information while at the same time ensuring New Yorkers continue to be protected.”
Cuomo’s decision to sign the legislation, thereby voluntarily reducing his own power, comes amid mounting scandals surrounding allegations of sexual misconduct and accusations of a cover-up regarding the state’s nursing home death toll. After new accusations of sexual harassment emerged Saturday night, both Stewart-Cousins and Heastie called on him to resign.
Cuomo, who has repeatedly denied the accusations of inappropriate touching and apologized for making his alleged victims feel uncomfortable, resisted calls to resign on Sunday.
“That’s democracy. There is no way I resign,” he said during a separate teleconference on Sunday.
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The governor is up for re-election in 2022, and he indicated in 2019 that he would seek a fourth term.
