BREAKING: New York Governor Cuomo to be stripped of emergency powers

New York's beleaguered Governor Andrew Cuomo will be stripped of the emergency powers he was given nearly a year ago. The New York state legislature worked out a deal on Tuesday that would remove Cuomo's authority to govern without legislative oversight, and they could vote on the bill as early as Friday.

The agreement to pull Cuomo's powers was reached on Tuesday. New York State Senate Majority Leader Andrea Stewart-Cousins said "I think everyone understands where we were back in March and where we are now."

"We certainly see the need for a quick response but also want to move toward a system of increased oversight, and review. The public deserves to have checks and balances. Our proposal would create a system with increased input while at the same time ensuring New Yorkers continue to be protected," she said.

What this means for Cuomo is that he will no longer have the far-reaching powers to which he has grown accustomed, and control will revert back to local governments. Cuomo will no longer be able to issue statewide directives.

This means Cuomo will be unable to adjust permitted restaurant occupancy, or determine what food needs to be sold to go along with drinks, or made decisions about school openings. Local leaders will be able to get back to representing their constituents' interests.

“A year into the pandemic, and as New Yorkers receive the vaccine, the temporary emergency powers have served their purpose," said Assembly Speaker Carl Heastie said. "It is time for them to be repealed."

"These temporary emergency powers were granted as New York was devastated by a virus we knew nothing about. Now it is time for our government to return to regular order."

Cuomo had a huge amount of power and even won an Emmy Award for his daily coronavirus briefings, where he would talk about his family and philosophize about the pandemic.

The governor is also embroiled in a few scandals currently. His administration is under investigation by New York State Attorney General Letitia James' office for intentional underreporting of deaths in public nursing homes. On top of which he has been accused by three former staffers of sexual harassment.

Cuomo, who previously told others to resign when they came up against accusations of sexual harassment, has come under fire from Democrats for these alleged infractions. Senate Majority Leader Charles Schumer called the allegations of sexual harassment facing Cuomo "very troubling," stopping short of calling for Cuomo's resignation.