BY: TODD BARTLEY, NEWS TALK WMPT, NEWS@TALKWILLIAMSPORT.COM
Governor Wolf authored a letter to Members of the House of Representatives imploring them to keep his Emergency Declaration in place on Tuesday.
Wolf concluded the 3-page letter with, “Passage of House Resolution 836, and the resulting premature termination of the Proclamation of Disaster Emergency for the COVID-19 pandemic, will be disastrous for the Commonwealth. It will potentially undo all the progress made to combat the spread of COVID-19 and to save the lives of Pennsylvanians. For the safety and welfare of all Pennsylvanians, I urge you to vote against the passage of House Resolution 836. Thank you for your consideration.“
News Talk WMPT reach Lyndsay Kensinger, Press Secretary for Governor Wolf for reaction to the passage of HR836.
UPDATE: 11:00 P.M.
Kensinger updated her comments as follows: “When the concurrent resolution is presented to him, as the Constitution requires, he will disapprove it. Until then, no action will be taken. The disaster proclamation has not been terminated by the House or Senate’s actions. Only the governor can terminate the disaster emergency.”
“This action does not terminate the current disaster proclamation. When the concurrent resolution is presented to him, as the Constitution requires, he will disapprove it. That said, this resolution would not affect the Secretary of Health’s order including business closure orders, building safety orders, and business safety orders, and therefore the Administration’s phased reopening plan and associated orders would remain in place even if it passes.”
She added, “Practically speaking, if the resolution becomes effective, the Governor must end the March 6, 2020 disaster proclamation, meaning that certain powers granted to him by law to effectively deal with the state’s response to the pandemic will end.
Legislative enactments tied specifically to the March 6, 2020 disaster proclamation, which were passed specifically to help Pennsylvanians and Pennsylvania businesses during the pandemic, may expire upon the termination of the COVID-19 disaster declaration. These include, among others:
- Unemployment Compensation eligibility requirements and employer relief from charges.
- Property tax relief.
- Educational tax credit waivers.
- Certification requirements under the public-school code and child protective services law.
Ending the declaration removes many practical aspects of the state’s response to this disaster, including the authority to activate the National Guard to help with nursing homes; deploying commonwealth personnel, services and distributing supplies and equipment; implementing emergency funding; suspending rules and regulations that would hinder or delay necessary action in coping with the emergency; and using all available resources of the commonwealth government and its political subdivisions to deal with the emergency.
The state may also lose federal public and individual disaster assistance, and any additional state funding sources available through transfer of unused General Fund dollars.
During a state of emergency declared by the governor, commonwealth agencies and departments may implement their emergency assignments without regard to procedures required by other laws pertaining to performing their work, entering into contracts, purchasing supplies and equipment, and employing temporary workers.”
With the actions of the PA House and Senate this evening it is expected Governor Wolf will be attending the press conference on Wednesday and News Talk WMPT will be in attendance.
