Assemblywoman Marjorie Byrnes (R,C-Caledonia) provided an update to constituents on the state Legislature’s efforts to limit the governor’s emergency powers. Earlier this week, the governor stated he negotiated a deal with Assembly and Senate democrats. That bill, which would extend his powers indefinitely, was brought up for a vote in both houses today.
Byrnes and her Assembly Republican colleagues introduced an amendment to the democrat’s bill. That amendment would call for a full repeal of the governor’s emergency powers and also called for full, independent investigations into the nursing home scandal and the sexual harassment claims. It was voted down by party lines, as similar efforts have been.
Byrnes was one of few state lawmakers who voted against giving the governor these powers to begin with back in March 2020. She is voting against the backroom-brokered, Democrat-driven agreement today.
She issued the following statement:
“Every time New Yorkers look at the news, our hearts sink deeper. The depths of the deception from the governor’s administration continues to grow. Today, the reports showing executive staff rewrote Department of Health data on nursing home deaths was just another piece of evidence to support the immediate removal of his emergency powers.
“A full repeal of the governor’s extraordinary powers was the only acceptable action for this Legislature to take. Today’s vote, which does nothing to rein-in the governor, will only empower him.”