Health commissioner approved by state Senate
The New York State Senate uniformly confirmed Governor Spitzer's nominee for state health commissioner on the 21st of March, Dr. Richard Daines. Formerly president and CEO of St. Luke's-Roosevelt Hospital Center in New York City, Daines will be responsible for carrying out the mandates of the Berger commission on health care, and has promised "some flexibility in working out the tougher areas of the mandates" such as hospital closings.