By Hellen Zaboulani
On Monday night, Gov. Hochul’s administration seemed to backtrack regarding “spot checks” threatened earlier in the day, saying the state will enforce the new controversial mask mandate for businesses. As reported by the NY Post, earlier in the day, Hochul’s spokesperson had said that enforcement of the private-sector mask mandate would be made via “spot checks” by local counties to make sure the rule is being complied with. The county executives balked at the idea, as they have been saying that they will not enforce the mandate.
“Enforcement will be done by local health departments, and Governor Hochul made $65 million available today for counties’ enforcement needs, including personnel costs associated with spot checks and other enforcement,” Hochul spokeswomen Hazel Crampton-Hays said earlier on Monday. The state mandate, which went into effect last Monday, says all private employees and customers must wear masks in public indoor spaces, unless they are required by the establishment to show proof of vaccination against COVID-19. The maximum fine per violation for businesses is $1,000, with additional civil and criminal penalties possible. Enforcement was left up to the local officials. Immediately, however, numerous county executives said they would not enforce the mandate for their county. By Friday, some 37 counties outside of New York City, including Long Island, said they won’t enforce it—many complaining they don’t have the resources.
As per the Post, in a news conference outside Binghamton, Hochul seemed to indicate a subtle change of plans. Hochul said, “money will be flowing immediately” from the state to counties to offset the cost of “getting out there and bringing masks to the businesses and putting up signs and having a call center so people can call in complaints.” “But the state will be involved, as well,” Hochul added. “We’ll be — we’ll be sending around inspectors to do spot checks to see what’s going on.” So now it seems like Hochul may have let the counties off the hook for performing the spot checks, and left it as a looming threat from that state. “So, we’re not going to be doing anything other than lending the support to them and having some spot checks and providing the assistance because we’ve been asked for help,” Hochul said. The governor has said the new law is necessary due to the increased number of cases of the virus upstate, threatening to overwhelm hospitals.
Hochul plans to distribute funds to counties from federal funding received as well as money from the state Health Department budget, said a spokesperson for the state Budget Division.
