During the week ending May 7, the biggest news out of Harrisburg was Gov. Tom Wolf’s announcement that COVID-19 mitigation orders, other than the mask mandate, will be lifted by May 31.
“Over the last 14 months, Pennsylvanians have had to not only endure the health impacts and threats of a global pandemic but have also struggled through government mitigation orders that picked winners and losers and unfairly targeted certain industries over others,” said Pennsylvania House Majority Leader Kerry Benninghoff (R-Centre/Mifflin).
That was not, however, the only COVID-19 news of the week, as the House of Representatives addressed other related issues.
PPE Packed In A Flood Zone
Delaware Valley Journal was the first to report Wolf is storing stockpiles of personal protection equipment (PPE) in the Farm Show Complex in Harrisburg. Since the report, legislators have confirmed the Farm Show Complex is in a flood zone. This week, HB 1264 by Rep. Clint Owlett (R- Bradford, Potter, Tioga), intended to change the way Pennsylvania responds to the COVID-19 pandemic, was amended to prevent the storage of PPE in a designated flood zone. “I’m a farm boy from Tioga County, and I’m thinking we put it in a flood zone, we didn’t increase protection from rodents, we had doors wide open, we could have people walking in. Seems like it’s problematic to me,” Owlett said.
Wolf has acknowledged the materials cannot remain at the facility. “We’ve recognized that we can’t keep it at the Farm Show forever, so we’re looking to rent new space, and if there are other ideas out there, I’m happy to take those good ideas,” Wolf said.
The amendment passed 120 to 81, with most Delaware Valley Democrats voting no.
Yes
Bucks: Farry (R), Labs (R), Polinchock (R), Schroeder (R), Staats (R), Thomas (R), Tomlinson (R)
Chester: Hennessey (R), Lawrence (R), Williams, Craig (R)
Delaware: Quinn (R), Williams, Craig (R)
Montgomery: Hennessey (R), Mackenzie (R), Pennycuick (R), Stephens (R)
No
Bucks: Davis (D), Galloway (D), Warren (D)
Chester: Herrin (D), Howard (D), Otten (D), Sappey (D), Shusterman (D), Williams, Dan (D)
Delaware: Davidson (D), Delloso (D), Kirkland (D), Krueger (D), McClinton (D), O’Mara (D), Vitali (D), Young (D), Zabel (D)
Montgomery: Boyle (D), Bradford (D), Briggs (D), Ciresi (D), Daley (D), DeLissio (D), Guenst (D), Hanbidge (D), Malagari (D), Sanchez (D), Shusterman (D), Vitali (D), Webster (D)
Commission on Constitutional Amendment Foul-Up
On May 18, Pennsylvanians will vote on three constitutional amendments. But the original plan was to have four. After years of negotiating, an amendment allowing a “look back” window for childhood victims of sexual abuse was poised for an up or down vote statewide. Because the Department of State did not advertise the amendment’s first passage in 2020, the entire process must be restarted. Wolf fired the Secretary of State over the error and the General Assembly considered – but chose not to – pass an amendment to allow a statewide vote without the advertising.
The House voted along party lines to create a commission to look into what went wrong with HR 91 by Rep. Jason Ortitay (R-Allegheny and Washington). No Democrats voted in favor of the resolution with a final vote of 111-90.
Yes
Bucks: Farry (R), Labs (R), Polinchock (R), Schroeder (R), Staats (R), Thomas (R), Tomlinson (R)
Chester: Hennessey (R), Lawrence (R), Williams, Craig (R)
Delaware: Quinn (R), Williams, Craig (R)
Montgomery: Hennessey (R), Mackenzie (R), Pennycuick (R), Stephens (R)
No
Bucks: Davis (D), Galloway (D), Warren (D)
Chester: Herrin (D), Howard (D), Otten (D), Sappey (D), Shusterman (D), Williams, Dan (D)
Delaware: Davidson (D), Delloso (D), Kirkland (D), Krueger (D), McClinton (D), O’Mara (D), Vitali (D), Young (D), Zabel (D)
Montgomery: Boyle (D), Bradford (D), Briggs (D), Ciresi (D), Daley (D), DeLissio (D), Guenst (D), Hanbidge (D), Malagari (D), Sanchez (D), Shusterman (D), Vitali (D), Webster (D)
Regulatory Reform
State agencies often use Pennsylvania’s regulatory process to pass rules on the industries they are responsible for overseeing. The current system allows for legislative input during the drafting process; however, the General Assembly has no authority to change or repeal a regulation once it is on the books. HB 950 by Rep. Daryl Metcalfe (R- Butler) would allow the General Assembly to eliminate regulations once they are in effect. The proposal passed 109-92, with all Democrats and some Republicans opposing the measure.
Yes
Bucks: Farry (R), Polinchock (R), Schroeder (R), Staats (R), Thomas (R), Tomlinson (R)
Chester: Hennessey (R), Lawrence (R),
Montgomery: Hennessey (R), Mackenzie (R), Pennycuick (R), Stephens (R)
No
Bucks: Davis (D), Labs (R), Galloway (D), Warren (D)
Chester: Herrin (D), Howard (D), Otten (D), Sappey (D), Shusterman (D), Williams, Craig (R), Williams, Dan (D)
Delaware: Davidson (D), Delloso (D), Kirkland (D), Krueger (D), McClinton (D), O’Mara (D), Quinn (R), Vitali (D), Williams, Craig (R), Young (D), Zabel (D)
Montgomery: Boyle (D), Bradford (D), Briggs (D), Ciresi (D), Daley (D), DeLissio (D), Guenst (D), Hanbidge (D), Malagari (D), Sanchez (D), Shusterman (D), Vitali (D), Webster (D)
