‘First round’s on me:’ State Senate and Assembly vote to remove governor’s food-with-beverage requirement

Andrew Donovan - LocalSyr.com

ALBANY, N.Y. (WSYR-TV) — State Senator John Mannion, a freshman Democrat from the Syracuse area, is the lead sponsor on a resolution passed Wednesday morning that removes Governor Andrew Cuomo’s emergency order requiring people to order food with alcohol purchases at restaurants.

The State Senate voted 61-0 to expire the Governor’s rule.

The State Assembly passed the resolution Wednesday afternoon. With approval from both houses, the resolution takes effect and the rule expires immediately.

Speaking on the Senate Floor before its passage, Senator Mannion said he believes the rule was initiated “in good faith when COVID was ranging and vaccines seemed far away.”

Since, he argues, the rule is “arbitrary and not based on science.”

Mannion said he feel the Senate’s vote is an example of New York State’s “foundational constitutional principles like checks and balances.”

“The first round’s on me,” Mannion said to end his remarks.

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