Assemblyman Steve Hawley (R,C,I-Batavia) is demanding a legislative hearing regarding the handling of the pandemic within New York state’s nursing homes by the Department of Health, as well as the revocation of the Governor’s emergency powers, following a report from the state Attorney General’s Office that the department underreported nursing home deaths related to COVID-19 by as much as 50 percent. The report also revealed that residents and staff were not provided with sufficient amounts of PPE and COVID-19 tests, and that many nursing homes were not complying with an executive order requiring communication with family members of residents.

“What was revealed in today’s report from the Attorney General is nothing short of tragic, and, at this point, I consider it a moral obligation to hold hearings into this matter so we can get to the bottom of what caused this unfathomable tragedy,” said Hawley. “I am shocked we are only learning today of the magnitude of this unthinkable loss of life, and I am resolved to restoring proper and constitutional government in our state to ensure the Legislature has the oversight capability to assure this never happens again.”