Faced with a revolt from county leaders in a majority of the state — including Long Island — New York Gov. Kathy Hochul on Monday reversed course and said state inspectors will conduct “spot checks” to enforce mandatory mask-wearing.
The announcement reversed previous statements in which Hochul said local governments would be solely responsible for carrying out the controversial, statewide mask mandate she imposed on the private sector — including private offices — last week.
It also came after officials in nearly two-thirds of the counties outside New York City refused to enforce the mandate — which carries fines of up to $1,000 per violation — because they don’t have the resources to force companies to comply.
“We’ve always said we’re going to leave it up to the counties and we’re going to be making sure that it gets done from the counties but we also want to lend support to them as well,” Hochul told reporters during a news conference in upstate Johnson City, outside Binghamton.
Hochul said the state will “be sending around inspectors to do spot checks to see what’s going on.”
She also said, “I’m going to be helping the counties that have said they’ll help us enforce these smart public safety rules, that will give them the money they need to buy masks for all their businesses and make it so much easier.”
Hochul didn’t say how many inspectors would be sent out or how much cash would be disbursed and to which counties.
A Hochul spokesperson declined to provide additional details afterward.
Last week, Hochul said that “counties have always had to enforce public health requirements” and that officials who refused to carry out her mask mandate were violating their “oath of office, which we all take, which is to protect the people of our state.”
