Judge Temporarily Reinstates New York Mask Mandate

An appeals court restored Gov. Kathy Hochul's mandate until Feb. 1, just days after a lower court blocked the face mask requirement.

An appeals judge restored New York’s mask mandate Tuesday, a day after a judge in a lower court ruled that Gov. Kathy Hochul’s administration lacked the constitutional authority to order people to wear face coverings during the COVID-19 pandemic.

After hearing brief arguments, Appellate Division Justice Robert Miller granted the state's request to keep the masking rule in place while the governor's administration pursues an appeal. He offered no opinion on the mandate's legality.

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