HARRISBURG – Senate Republican leaders on Tuesday condemned Gov. Tom Wolf’s veto of bills that would have provided county governments more control over letting residents return to work and allowed 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 have brought back more than 200,000 jobs across Pennsylvania.
“The Governor continues to focus efforts on what we cannot and should not do instead of what we can do to get our economy moving again,” said Senate President Pro Tempore Joe Scarnati (R-25) and Senate Majority Leader Jake Corman (R-34).
“It’s unfortunate that he does not trust that employers can follow safety guidelines that will protect their workers and the public, who want these businesses open again.
“With his veto pen, Gov. Wolf has struck down much-needed clarity and consistency that allows communities to continue to reopen safely within the guidelines of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and state Department of Health to protect lives and livelihoods.”
Senate Bill 327 would have given 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 have required 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 have required waivers be issued to legal services and real estate sales activities to resume.
