Kathy Hochul, the Democratic governor of New York, has discovered that she enjoys the authority that comes with her position.
When it comes to delivering instructions to her subjects, though, she appears to be having difficulties getting her messages straight.
On Friday, Dec. 10, the governor announced that all New Yorkers will be required to wear masks. Masks must be worn in all indoor public locations unless businesses and events have implemented a vaccination requirement, according to her new rule. Beginning Dec. 13 and lasting until Jan. 15, all indoor companies will be compelled to ask clients for evidence of vaccination or force them to wear a mask, according to Hochul’s directive.
Hochul reversed her decision on the day the new order was to take effect, when county leaders in a majority of New York’s counties urged her to pound sand and that they would not enforce her order. The governor indicated that the state will delegate enforcement of the obligation to local counties.
Hochul changed course a week after caving in to county officials, saying on Monday that she will have state inspectors do “spot checks” to implement her order, according to the New York Post. Her prior reversal, in which she indicated counties would be responsible for implementing the law, was overturned with the introduction of state spot-checkers.
According to the Democrat & Chronicle, the $65 million made available to counties can be utilized to distribute booster injections in counties that are not enforcing the mask law.
Of course, something might change tomorrow.
