© Shawn Dowd / USA TODAY NETWORK
Syndication: Democrat and Chronicle
NEW YORK (77WABC) — New York Governor Kathy Hochul Monday said she will let a COVID-19 State of Emergency expire.
Her decision comes as cases continue to decline and criticism from her Republican opponents increase ahead of the November elections.
Hochul, a Democrat who took office last year after then-Governor Andrew Cuomo stepped down, has extended two executive orders each month which allows her to bypass state contracting rules and the easing licensing rules for health care workers.
“I will not be renewing them this time,” Hochul said . “We’re in a different place now. We’ve been making announcements about taking masks off on public transportation. We have a new booster shot as of a few days ago.”
Hochul has faced criticism from Republicans, particularly her opponent U.S. Rep. Lee Zeldin for using her emergency powers. Her administration has purchased $600 million worth of at-home COVID tests, according to the Times Union.
The report from the Times Union says some people connected with the company that supplied the tests — Digital Gadgets — contributed more than $300,000 to Hochul’s campaign. She had denied the contributions played a part in the awarding of the contract with kits costing more than double that of competitors.
