Assemblywoman Mary Beth Walsh (R,C,I-Ballston) today joined members of the Assembly Minority Conference, Voices for Seniors and Gelsey Randazzo Markese in urging Majority colleagues in the Oversight, Health and Aging Committees to sign a petition that would carry legal power to issue a subpoena to New York State Commissioner of Health, Dr. Howard Zucker.

According to Section 62-A of Legislative Law, if a majority of members on a given committee sign a petition, authority is given for that committee to issue a subpoena for an individual to appear before that committee to answer questions. There are 7 members on the Assembly Oversight Committee; only two Majority members are needed to issue a subpoena to Dr. Zucker and compel him to answer questions following the scathing nursing home report by the Attorney General.

“The nursing home report by state Attorney General James showed us just how desperately we need a thorough review of the nursing home travesty,” said Walsh. “This is why, in addition to participating in today’s press conference, I have co-sponsored legislation (A.3162) to establish an independent, bipartisan state commission with subpoena power and launched a statewide petition to urge our Majority colleagues in pushing this important proposal forward.

“I hope our pleas today move my colleagues in the Majority to act immediately and begin the process of signing the petition to subpoena Dr. Zucker. The families of loved ones in nursing home facilities deserve transparency and answers. Dr. Zucker and the Cuomo administration need to be held accountable for the actions they took to cover-up and deceive the residents of New York. We need to put the best interests of our residents above politics. It’s the only way we will be able to heal from the traumatic loss many across our state have experienced firsthand.”

Voices for Seniors is a grassroots, statewide advocacy group for seniors in long-term care facilities. Gelsey Randazzo Markese is a resident from Rochester, NY who lost her 91-year-old grandmother in a nursing home.