A Supreme Court judge in New York City, Gerard Neri, has determined that Governor Kathy Hochul and the state's health department have overstepped their authority by mandating vaccinations for healthcare workers that are not included in the Public Health Law of the state.
In his ruling, Judge Neri argued that the mandate to vaccinate all medical personnel against COVID was beyond what is authorized to be required by law and thus declared it "null, void, and of no effect". He further highlighted that allowing this type of action would mean subjecting a definition to constant changes without any notice or moment's notice which he noted is nothing but "absurdity".
The decision has been met with much applause from those who were previously concerned about the potential implications of such a mandate given that it was not part of the Public Health Law. Furthermore, advocates of individual liberty and autonomy have applauded the ruling as well since it stands as an example of protecting citizens from potentially dictatorial or authoritarian mandates being imposed on them without due process being followed or proper legislation being established.
It's also considered a victory for those who were worried about potential repercussions for not complying with the mandate because now it can be seen as having no legal standing whatsoever.
The Epoch Times reported,
The ruling came after a lawsuit was filed by Medical Professionals for Informed Consent, a group of medical professionals who were negatively affected by the vaccine mandate and either lost their jobs or faced the prospect of job loss.
“This is a huge win for New York healthcare workers, who have been deprived of their livelihoods for more than a year,” the plaintiffs’ lead attorney, Sujata Gibson, said in a statement.
“This is also a huge win for all New Yorkers, who are facing dangerous and unprecedented healthcare worker shortages throughout New York State.”
On top of this ruling, advocates are asking further questions on whether such a sweeping power should exist in any form at all when it comes to imposing mandatory vaccines on individuals. They argue that while public health is important, so too is individual liberty and autonomy which must be respected when making such decisions. As such, they are asking for lawmakers to consider both aspects before instituting any future mandates so as to ensure everyone's rights are safeguarded and protected accordingly.