Governor Wolf along with Secretary of Health Dr. Rachel Levine filed answers to the Supplemental Applications for Relief with the Supreme Court of Pennsylvania on Friday afternoon.
Answer to Supplemental Applications for Relief (1)
Contained in the answers is a pointed argument in regard to golf courses and “broad discretion.”
From the filing:
“With respect to golf courses, the Governor and Secretary of Health, guided by their experts, must be permitted broad discretion in determining whether golf courses represent an unacceptable risk of COVID-19 spread. While focusing exclusively upon three states with lenient golf course policies, the Entities fail to mention the states—Illinois, Maine Massachusetts, Maryland, Michigan, Minnesota, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, Vermont, Washington and Wisconsin — which join Pennsylvania in closing all courses.1 Each day, more and more courses are closed as States realize the dangers present in these recreational businesses. Id. Further, citing to New York’s lax golf course policies is perplexing, given that New York is currently the epicenter of the COVID-19 epidemic.”
The answers were necessitated by the filing of Supplemental Application for Relief_Gregory et al (1) and Supplemental Application for Relief_Blueberry (1). by Scaringi Law.
Earlier in the day, Amicus Curiae briefs were filed by the Pennsylvania Association of Realtors in support of the Petitioners, PAR Application for Leave to File Amicus Brief.pdf (1).
The City of Philadelphia filed a Amicus Curiae brief in support of the Order issued by Governor Wolf Application for Leave to File Amicus Brief.
The case now rests with the Supreme Court of Pennsylvania as the Commonwealth and nation anticipate their ruling.
