NYS “Reviewing” New CDC Mask Guidance

This week, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention released guidance that says individuals who are fully vaccinated can resume activities without wearing a mask or staying 6 feet apart, except where required by federal, state, local, tribal, or territorial laws, rules, and regulations, including local business and workplace guidance.

NY HERO Act Signed into Law

On Wednesday, Governor Cuomo signed the New York Health and Essential Rights Act (NY HERO Act), first-in-the-nation legislation that mandates extensive new workplace health and safety protections to safeguard against the spread of airborne infectious disease in workplaces.

NY Adopts CDC’s Eased Mask Mandate

On Tuesday, Governor Cuomo announced that New York is adopting the CDC’s new guidance for mask-wearing. The guidance states that fully vaccinated Americans no longer need to wear a mask outdoors while walking, running, hiking or biking alone, or when in small gatherings, including with members of their own households. Masks are still necessary in crowded outdoor venues like sports stadiums.

To view the CDC’s new guidance, click here.

Upcoming Changes to Capacity Limits 

• Effective April 26th, movie theatercapacity will increase to 33%.
• Effective April 19th, NY’s low-risk, indoor and outdoor arts and entertainment, including museums, aquariums, zoos, and botanical gardens, are permitted to increase to 50% capacity.
• Effective May 19th, indoor sports arenas, including professional and collegiate sports, can increase to 25% capacity. Social distancing, masks, health screenings, and all other health and safety protocols remain in effect.
• Expanding capacity for arts and entertainment venues comes after a steady statewide decrease in COVID positivity rates, the lowest since last November. 

Johnson and Johnson Vaccine Pause

In accordance with the Federal call to suspend the use of the Johnson and Johnson Vaccine, NYS issued a pause this Wednesday. New York State Health Commissioner, Howard Zucker issued the following statement on the matter:

Legislature Passes Historic $212B Budget

Although a week late, the Senate and Assembly have passed the 2021-21 State Budget that makes historic investments in education, the environment, and economic recovery. The spending plan, which is roughly 10% higher than last year’s budget thanks to federal relief, has resolved to be a light at the end of the tunnel for New York, after months of detrimental budget cuts caused by the COVID-induced $15B budget gap. The Governor has until 4/19 to sign the budget, although it is anticipated that that he will sign much sooner.

State Budget Misses Deadline … not an April Fool’s Joke!

April 1 marks the start of a new fiscal cycle in New York, but as of April 2nd, the final spending plan remains in limbo, as the Legislature and Governor continue to seek common ground on a number of hot-topic proposals. Due to COVID restrictions and the Capitol being closed to the public, the budget negotiation process more opaque than ever with private meetings conducted virtually.

Assembly Legislators Test Positive for COVID

With just a week until the State budget deadline, Assembly Speaker Carl Heastie and Assemblymember Ron Kim both announced that they have each tested positive for COVID-19.

NYC Dining Expands to 35% Capacity

On Friday, Governor Cuomo announced that restaurants in NYC are permitted can increase indoor dining capacity to 35% beginning on February 26th citing the continuing decline in COVID cases post holiday-surge.

Legislature Reacts to AG Report
In response to last week’s NY AG report on COVID-19 nursing home deaths and the alleged under reporting of such by DOH, Senator Liz Kreuger, long-serving Democrat and Chair of the influential Senate Finance Committee, released a statement calling for Cuomo’s broad authority of pandemic decisions to be re-evaluated. The Senator is the first Democratic Legislator to make a public statement on the topic.