S T A T E O F N E W Y O R K
________________________________________________________________________
6987
2021-2022 Regular Sessions
I N A S S E M B L Y
April 19, 2021
___________
Introduced by M. of A. LALOR -- read once and referred to the Committee
on Judiciary
AN ACT to establish a bipartisan committee to investigate and make
recommendations as to whether Governor Andrew Cuomo committed acts for
which impeachment is warranted with respect to certain actions relat-
ing to the admission of COVID-19 patients to nursing homes; and
providing for the repeal of such provisions upon expiration thereof
THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND ASSEM-
BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:
Section 1. (a) No later than fifteen days after the effective date of
this act, a bipartisan committee shall be formed for the purpose of
determining if Governor Andrew Cuomo committed acts for which impeach-
ment is warranted:
(i) in the issuance of a mandate forcing nursing homes in the state to
admit COVID-19 positive patients during the 2020 COVID-19 pandemic;
(ii) in failing to disclose accurate data on nursing home deaths in a
timely manner to the Legislature, watchdog groups, the US Department of
Justice, and the public;
(iii) in surreptitiously inserting into the 2020-2021 budget language
that gave legal immunity to hospital executives and for-profit nursing
homes at the request of lobbyists and donors to his campaign committee;
(iv) in threatening a legislator or legislators who question the
governor's handling of nursing homes and lack of transparency on nurs-
ing home fatality data; or
(v) in demanding that a legislator or legislators publicly corrob-
orate all or part of the governor's claims about the US Department of
Justice investigation into nursing home fatalities.
(b) The committee shall be comprised of eleven members of the assembly
to be appointed as follows:
(i) 8 members to be selected by the speaker of the assembly; and
(ii) 3 members to be selected by the minority leader of the assembly.
EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[ ] is old law to be omitted.
LBD09681-03-1
A. 6987 2
(c) If any vacancy occurs on the committee, such vacancy shall be
filled by appointment for the unexpired term by the appointing authority
initially appointing such member.
(d) The members shall select a chair and a vice-chair of the committee
from their number.
(e) Members of the board of directors shall serve without compensation
but shall be reimbursed for actual expenses reasonably incurred in the
performance of their duties.
(f) The committee shall meet at least four times monthly at the call
of the chair, or in his or her absence, the vice chair, or on petition
of any three members. A majority of the members of the committee shall
constitute a quorum for the transaction of any business.
(g) No later than sixty days after the formation of the committee, the
chair of the committee shall deliver a report of the committee's find-
ings and recommendations as to impeachment to the Legislature.
ยง 2. This act shall take effect immediately and shall expire and be
deemed repealed thirty days after the committee's report and recommenda-
tions are delivered to the legislature. The speaker of the assembly
shall notify the legislative bill drafting commission when the recommen-
dations of the committee are delivered to the legislature as provided in
section one of this act in order that the commission may maintain an
accurate and timely effective data base of the official text of laws of
the state of New York in furtherance of effectuating the provisions of
section 44 of the legislative law and section 70-b of the public offi-
cers law.