Plugged In @ Hinman Straub

January 31, 2022

What’s Inside

  • State Supreme Court Judge Rules Mask Mandate Invalid
  • State Senate Confirms Governor’s Nominations
  • Zephyr Teachout Joins New York Attorney General’s office
  • Independent Redistricting Commission Charade Comes to Merciful End
  • Former Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver Dead at 77
  • Political Updates
  • Coming Up

State Supreme Court Judge Rules Mask Mandate Invalid

Nassau County Supreme Court Judge Thomas Rademaker ruled New York’s mask mandate unconstitutional and void this week. The Judge wrote in his ruling that the Department of Health lacks the authority to enact a rule or regulation requiring masks in indoor public places, absent an act from the Legislature authorizing the commissioner to issue such a regulation. The state requested and was granted a stay on Judge Rademaker’s decision while it files an appeal, leaving the mask mandate in place temporarily.

Rademaker wrote:

[E]nacting any laws to this end is entrusted solely to the State Legislature. While the intentions of Commissioner Bassett and Governor Hochul appear to be well aimed squarely at doing what they believe is right to protect the citizens of New York State, they must take their case to the State Legislature.

Governor Hochul statement on stay:

As Governor, my top priority is protecting the people of this state. These measures are critical tools to prevent the spread of COVID-19, make schools and businesses safe, and save lives. I commend the Attorney General for her defense of the health and safety of New Yorkers, and applaud the Appellate Division, Second Department for siding with common sense and granting an interim stay to keep the state’s important masking regulations in place. We will not stop fighting to protect New Yorkers, and we are confident we will continue to prevail.

State Senate Confirms Governor’s Nominations

The State Senate confirmed three nominations by the Governor, as follows:

Adrienne Harris, Superintendent, Department of Financial Services

Ms. Harris served as a Senior Advisor to both Acting Deputy Secretary and Under Secretary for Domestic Finance, Mary Miller, and Deputy Secretary, Sarah Bloom Raskin. Following her time at the Treasury Department, Ms. Harris then joined The White House, where she was appointed as Special Assistant to the President for Economic Policy, as part of the National Economic Council. Since leaving the White House in January 2017, Ms. Harris went on to serve as General Counsel and Chief Business Officer, and presently as Advisor at States Title, Inc. (now DOMA), which provides title insurance and settlement services in a number of state throughout the nation. Ms. Harris also served as a Professor and Faculty Co-Director at the Gerald R. Ford School of Public Policy’s Center on Finance, Law and Policy at the University of Michigan, as well as a Senior Advisor at the Brunswick Group in Washington D.C. where she advised multinational corporations on mergers and acquisitions, stakeholder communications and management, future-proofing and policy intelligence.

Jacqueline Bray, Commissioner, Division of Homeland Security & Emergency Services

Ms. Bray previously served as the inaugural Director of the Mayor’s Office to Protect Tenants where she built a new office focused on tenants’ rights. Prior to that, she served as the First Deputy Commissioner at the New York City Department of Homeless Services where she oversaw day to day operations and implementation of the City’s Turning the Tide on Homelessness Plan. Before joining NYC government, Ms. Bray served as Deputy Chief of Staff at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and Chief of Staff at the National Weather Service.

Dr. Chinazo Cunningham, Commissioner, Office of Addiction Services and Supports

Most recently, she served as the Executive Deputy Commissioner of Mental Hygiene at the New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene. She joined the agency from Montefiore Health System and the Albert Einstein College of Medicine where she is a Professor of Medicine, Family and Social Medicine, and Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences.

Zephyr Teachout Joins Attorney General’s Office

Fordham Law School professor and perennial candidate Zephyr Teachout announced she will join New York Attorney General Letitia James’ office as a special advisor and senior counsel for economic justice. Teachout had initially planned to run for Attorney General, but, dropped out of the race when current AG James announced she would seek re-election rather than run for Governor.

Teachout said via twitter:

The New York State Attorney General has led pathbreaking lawsuits against Facebook and Google. She and her top-notch team brought a key lawsuit against Amazon’s abusive treatment of workers. A year ago, she issued a critical report on cover ups and lies in New York’s nursing homes. Remember what New York was a year ago: standing up to a powerful, bullying Governor for the most vulnerable New Yorkers was a moment of great bravery and principle. She also led in other ways, and pushed for reforms to modernize New York State’s own antitrust laws and give enforcers the tools they need to hold dominant firms accountable. I couldn’t be happier to be working with her and the extraordinary lawyers and leaders in her office.

Independent Redistricting Commission Charade Comes to Merciful End

Finally, after months of draft map analysis, dozens of public hearings, and numerous articles written, the charade that was the Independent Redistricting Commission (IRC) has come to a merciful – if not swift – end. The IRC failed to even attempt a final vote on a consensus map. The Legislature announced it would take over and draw maps in the wake of the IRCs planned failure. It was reported that LATFOR has been working on their own maps for the past several months. The official LATFOR drawn maps are expected to be voted on next week.

Former Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver Dead at 77

Former state Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver died Monday at the age of 77 in a federal medical center prison in Massachusetts, where he was serving a six-year term for his conviction on bribery and corruption charges. The Manhattan Democrat served as speaker from 1994 until his arrest in January 2015. Silver was sent to prison in August 2020 following his second conviction after the first was negated by a U.S. Supreme Court ruling that overturned the outcome of his initial trial. Silver was first elected to the Assembly in 1976.

Political Updates

City & State NY’s Weekly Winners and Losers here.

City & State NY’s 2022 Health Care Power 100 here.

Times Union: Cuomo attorney assails credibility of women who leveled most serious allegations here.

New York statewide teachers labor group endorses all Democratic incumbents.

For State’s future, the Governor must say no sometimes.

JCOPE subpoenas information regarding Cuomo book volunteers.

Daily News Editorial Board: Failure by design: Disregarding the will of voters, New York will succumb to partisan gerrymandering here.

New York’s Legislature will draw its own new district maps and vote on them.

The City: Albany Democrats Seize Control of Redistricting, With Unclear Role for Public here.

Stefanik raises $10 million in campaign cash in 2021.

Coming Up

Joint Legislative Budget Hearing: Workforce Development, 11:00am Monday, January 31.

Joint Legislative Budget Hearing: Housing, 2:00pm Monday, January 31.

Joint Legislative Budget Hearing: Environment, 9:30am Tuesday, February 1.

Joint Legislative Budget Hearing: Human Services, 9:30am Wednesday, February 2.

Joint Legislative Budget Hearing: Higher Ed, 11:00am Monday, February 7.

Joint Legislative Budget Hearing: Health, 9:30am Tuesday, February 8.

Joint Legislative Budget Hearing: Local Gov, 9:30am Wednesday, February 9.

The Assembly will hold a public hearing on the deployment of electric vehicle charging stations on February 10.

Joint Legislative Budget Hearing: Mental Health, 11:00am Monday, February 14.

The Board of Regents will hold their next meeting on February 14 and 15.

JCOPE will hold its next meeting on February 15.

Joint Legislative Budget Hearing: Transportation, 9:30am Tuesday, February 15.

Joint Legislative Budget Hearing: Economic Development, 9:30am Wednesday, February 16.

Joint Legislative Budget Hearing: Taxes, 1:00pm Wednesday, February 16.

The Public Service Commission will hold its next meeting on February 17.

The Senate will hold a public hearing on the impact of sexual assault in the prison system on March 3.