Statement from Senator Patty Ritchie

To be clear, legislation advanced today that’s being painted as a revocation of the Governor’s emergency powers does nothing to change the current dynamic in Albany. In fact, it actually makes things worse by removing the original April 30th expiration date on the Governor’s unchecked authority.

The Executive Orders from the past year—everything from how many people can be in your home to onerous regulations on businesses—are still in place and our state remains under one-person rule. I understand the need to have guidelines protecting public health during an unprecedented, global health crisis. However, as the pandemic continues the Legislature needs to be part of making the decisions that govern our daily lives.

If the Majority was serious about returning our state to a system of checks and balances, they wouldn’t have negotiated this backroom deal with the Governor, who in recent days has been the focus of very serious, troubling allegations. Simply put, legislation advanced today was nothing but a hollow political gesture that unfortunately, continues to prevent the Legislature from doing its job.