On Thursday, the PA Senate voted to end Governor Tom Wolf’s emergency declaration orders connected to the outbreak of Covid-19.
The Senate approved House Resolution 106 by a 30-20 vote yesterday, a few days after the PA House approved the same resolution. Wolf’s signature is not required for the resolution to go into effect. It effectively ends Wolf’s Covid-19 emergency orders that first went into effect in March of last year, and were extended multiple times. The resolution also ends the governor’s power to close employers, limit occupancies, suspend state statutes or issue stay-at-home orders.
A separate resolution also passed the state House and Senate that would allow waivers issued under the Covid-19 disaster declaration to stay in effect until the end of September, unless they are ended early by Wolf.
Senator Joe Pittman voted in favor of the resolutions, saying that while it is the end of the regulations put in place by Wolf, it was more of the general assembly following the will of the people.
Opponents have said that the vote was premature, and called it a political power play.
Comments