HARRISBURG — Senate Republican leaders on Monday called on Gov. Tom Wolf to sign legislation giving county governments more control over letting residents return to work and allowing more employers to resume operations under state and federal safety guidelines.
The bills, recently approved by the General Assembly and formally sent to the governor Monday, would bring back more than 200,000 jobs across Pennsylvania.
“We stand with the hard working men and women of our Commonwealth and have heard their frustrations with the manner in which this public health emergency has been managed,” said Senate President Pro Tempore Joe Scarnati, R-Brockway. “Pennsylvanians are struggling because of COVID-19 and have been since March. We cannot dictate a recovery plan from the top down. We must allow the process of moving forward to include input from local and business leaders. It is crucial that Governor Wolf signs these bills to help bring back jobs in a safe and responsible manner.”
Senate Majority Leader Jake Corman, R-Bellefonte, agreed.
“We need to stop talking about what we can’t do and look at what we can do,” said Corman. “Employers can follow safety guidelines that will protect their workers and the public. The public can follow safety guidelines when patronizing these businesses. Governor Wolf should sign these bills and provide the much needed clarity and consistency to a reopening process that protects lives and livelihoods.”
Senate Bill 327 would give county governments the option to develop and implement individual plans to mitigate the spread of COVID-19 and allow residents to safely return to work. Any plan must comply with U.S. Centers for Disease Control and state Department of Health safety guidelines to protect workers and customers.
House Bill 2388 would require the Department of Community and Economic Development to issue waivers to the governor’s business closure order to vehicle dealers, lawn and garden centers, cosmetology salons, barber shops, messenger and agent services, animal grooming services and manufacturing operations.
House Bill 2412 would require waivers be issued to legal services and real estate sales activities to resume.
