Assemblymember Jonathan Jacobson (D-104) announced that he will be voting “yes” this week on bill A5967, repealing the emergency powers that Governor Cuomo was granted last March in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Jacobson said, “These temporary emergency powers were granted as New York was devastated by a virus we knew almost nothing about. Now, it is time for our government to return to its regular order. This bill was not negotiated with the Governor which is why it is so strong.”

Going forward, the State Legislature will have a much larger role in developing and administering the policies required to combat COVID-19 and reopen the economy.

“The time for emergency powers is over, but rest assured that the State will continue any directives that help prevent the spread of COVID-19,” added Jacobson.

This legislation will immediately revoke the governor’s emergency powers, meaning:

• The governor will be prohibited from issuing new directives based on the revoked emergency powers
• Existing orders that “manage the spread or reduction of COVID-19, facilitate the vaccination process, or require the use of face coverings,” must be renewed or will expire in 30 days
• The governor can still modify or renew existing executive orders relating to slowing the spread of COVID-19, but the legislature will have oversight of extensions or amendments to existing directives
• The legislature can revoke a declaration of a state of emergency by the executive branch via joint resolution (without the governor’s approval)
• The Legislature can, by a simple majority vote, repeal any executive order at any time