Brad Brooks and Daniel Trotta

(Reuters.) – New York’s judge has struck down the state’s mask mandate. It was set to expire on Monday.

The New York State Supreme Court of Long Island Judge Thomas Rademaker found that any governor could not issue decrees such as mask mandates during a state of emergency declared by the legislature.

This was the latest defeat for federal and state executive branch officers. Earlier this month, the U.S. Supreme Court blocked President Joe Biden’s vaccination-or-testing mandate for large businesses. Texas’s last week judge said that Biden couldn’t require federal employees to get vaccinated.

Governor Kathy Hochul (Democrat) vowed to challenge the ruling and stated that she strongly disagreed with it. “We are pursuing all options to reverse this decision immediately.”

Hochul declared, “My obligation as Governor of New York is to protect New Yorkers through this public healthcare crisis. And these measures help stop the spread COVID-19 and rescue lives.”

Disagreements over mandates and court proceedings in several states are a common feature of the United States pandemic response. They often split Democrats and Republicans.

New York State, which is home to approximately 20 million residents, requires that you wear masks at school, in public transport, and in other indoor public spaces.

Hochul declared a State of Emergency almost immediately after Omicron, a variant of concern by the World Health Organization on Nov. 26, was identified.

New York State’s daily average number of cases per day was 6400. The number quickly rose to a high of 73 815 in Jan. 10. The number has dropped to around a third since then.

Hochul called the temporary rule when she imposed it on December 31. Later, Hochul extended the expiration date from Jan. 15 to Feb. 1.

Rademaker said his decision isn’t meant to question the efficacy or necessity of masks for dealing with COVID-19, but rather that any legislation to that end “is entrusted to only the State Legislature.”

Hochul’s Democrats control large numbers in the New York state legislature’s two houses.