BUFFALO, N.Y. (WBEN) - Is it time for Governor Andrew Cuomo's emergency powers to end?
Pandemic restrictions are expected to be loosened again on Tuesday as New York crosses the 70% threshold on vaccinations. Meanwhile, 320 people out of approximately 60,000 who were tested for COVID-19 were positive on Sunday.
Republicans in Albany are calling for the governor's powers to end.
"Most people would agree that the emergency has passed," Senate Minority Leader Rob Ortt said on Monday's edition of A New Morning.
"I don't think people feel like they're living under a state of emergency. There were 15 thousand people watching the New York Islanders at Nassau Coliseum. There were 20,000 watching the New York Knicks playoff game. People are going to Blue Jays baseball games. Most people would agree we're not in a state of emergency."
Messages to the democratic leaders of the Assembly and State Senate were not returned. When asked whether it's time for the governor's powers to end, State Senator Tim Kennedy, a democrat, did not explicitly say whether they should or not.
"The pandemic continues and what we need to do is get back to normal as quickly as we can," Kennedy said. "We have to ensure that as many people get vaccinated as possible and those that don't continue to follow the proper protocol to protect themselves and their families and the further spread of the pandemic."
Assembly Majority Leader Crystal Peoples-Stokes, one of Albany's most prominent democrats, declined an interview with WBEN on Monday. She said a conversation about the governor's emergency powers would be "regressive".
While most COVID restrictions in New York are lifted, there are still restrictions for large-event venues, grade schools, public transit, homeless shelters, jails, nursing homes, and health care settings. The governor's emergency power allows him and his administration to implement policies without legislative approval, though lawmakers can vote at any time to end any executive order or strip the governor of all of his emergency powers.
