Another COVID probe proposed

Bill would form commission with subpoena power to look into nursing home deaths

A bill that calls for another investigation into COVID -19 nursing home deaths has made it out of the state Senate Health Committee.

Legislation sponsored by Assemblyman Ron T. Kim, D Queens, and state Sen. James Tedisco, R- Glenville, would initiate another inquiry into the deaths of an estimated 15,000

New Yorkers. If passed, the bill would create a commission selected by the state Legislature and Attorney General Letitia James. The person appointed by James would chair the commission.

The group would have the power to subpoena former Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo’s administration. Cuomo issued an executive order at the start of the pandemic requiring nursing homes to accept hospital-discharged residents who were COVID -19 positive, which, according to a 2021 report from the Long-term Care Task Force of the New York State Bar Association, led to thousands of deaths.

A previous report from James’ office found that the Department of Health undercounted the deaths by approximately 50 percent.

The legislation now heads to the Senate Finance Committee. It needs to pass through that group before it’s sent to the Senate floor for a vote.

Although the attorney general issued a report concluding that

Cuomo’s administration deliberately hid the number of nursing home deaths, Tedisco maintains that there is a strong need for another investigation.

“What we need is an investigation that’s totally independent, bipartisan and really with subpoena power,” said Tedisco. “We need the true answers to what that executive order meant, and exactly how many lives really were lost.”

Tedisco is not sure that the legislation will make it out of committee a second time. “I’ve seen what (lawmakers) did with the redistricting and the end result,” he said. “(Lawmakers) are capable of doing very volatile things, and things that are not constitutionally correct.”

If the legislation passes through committee, the main objective of the investigation would be to ensure that there’s a plan in the event of another pandemic.

“The ability to avert that tragedy in every way and find the answers ...” Tedisco added. “Clearly, we weren’t prepared in a lot of ways. This is one of the premier ways: How do we protect our most vulnerable population?”