Assemblyman John Lemondes (R,C,I-Lafayette) joined Assembly and Senate Minority for a press conference calling for an end to the executive order that declared a disaster emergency in response to the COVID-19 pandemic in New York. Executive Order 202 has been long outdated. With the continued decline of positive cases and hospitalizations, of which the Finger Lakes region has only seen a 1% positivity rate over the last seven days, Lemondes believes the time to fully end the emergency status has come.

“We all know the governor spent the majority of the past year abusing the power of the executive order,” Lemondes said. “As we enter the summer and cases of COVID continue to decline, and following 15 months of compliance, lawmakers should not leave Albany this week until we do the right thing and repeal the long-abused and now unnecessary emergency powers of the governor.”