Despite the fact that most restrictions have been tossed out- Gov. Andrew Cuomo has retained most of his emergency powers.
Those were the ones granted at the start of the coronavirus pandemic.
The state legislature moved last year to grant Gov. Cuomo broad emergency powers that allow him to immediately override any local or state law.
The powers give him the ability to enact emergency, executive orders- close businesses or even impose social distancing requirements without checks-and-balances from the legislature.
“It should have been done months ago,” state Assemblyman Chris Tague said recently. “You know, this is what happens when you have one-party rule in Albany, and so to speak, one-person rule.”
It would only require a simple majority vote to end the emergency powers. Cuomo has issued over 100 pandemic-related executive orders since the state of emergency began March 7, 2020.
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