Fully Aware That It Will Be Vetoed By Wolf, Republicans Pass ‘Back To Work Bill’
Recent legislation will result in a total of zero Pennsylvanians coming off the unemployment rolls, but the state’s 1.3 million jobless can take comfort knowing that the PA GOP has new and better talking points.
Yesterday (April 15), the Pennsylvania Senate by a vote of 29-21, passed SB-613. All 29 Yeas were Republicans and all 21 Nays were Democrats. On Tuesday (April 14), The House also passed SB-613, by a vote of 107-95. All but two Republicans voted Yea, and all the House Democrats voted Nay. The two Republicans who broke ranks and voted with the Democrats were Thomas Murt and Todd Stephens. Murt and Stephens both represent Montgomery County districts that have been heavily impacted by the outbreak of Covid-19. Murt’s 152nd District is considered somewhat vulnerable to being flipped by Democrats this year, and Stephens’ 151st District is considered very vulnerable to being flipped. With nearly 30,000 votes cast in 2018, Stephen’s won his district by fewer than 900 votes.
The bill calls for the Governor to “develop and implement a plan to mitigate the spread of COVID-19.”
Goverenor Tom Wolf is expected to veto the bill. The governor’s press secretary, Lyndsay Kensinger, said “As the administration has stated many times, irresponsibly going against the direction of the secretary of health and reopening businesses too early will only extend the length of the economic hardships created by the pandemic.”
Senator Camera Bartolotta (R, Beaver, Greene,Washington) speaks in support of SB-613
Rep. Pam DeLissio (D, Philadelphia, Montgomery) speaks in opposition SB-613
Yesterday, in a letter to the Pennsylvania Senate, Secretary of Health Rachel Levine wrote, that if enacted, SB-613 “would dilute the effectiveness of the statewide mitigation efforts, would have on the public health of Pennsylvanians. There is no doubt that this legislation would lead to more Pennsylvanians infected with Covid-19, as it undermines the integrity and effectiveness of the Commonwealth’s collective response to this novel coronavirus.”
According to the Penn Capital Star, “Republican lawmakers have called on Wolf to expand the list of businesses that are allowed to operate during the pandemic, and to release the list of businesses who sought and received waivers exempting them from the order. When Wolf declined on both counts, they sought to expand the list through legislation.
Members of Wolf’s own party have said that his policies could be more transparent. Sen. Lindsey Williams, D-Allegheny, said Wednesday that she was frustrated with the waiver process.
But Williams and other Senate Democrats said that Pennsylvania ought not reopen its businesses until it can offer stronger protections for workers, including broader paid sick leave programs and protective gear for the healthcare, food service, and other public-facing industries.
The Delco Daily Times wrote, “As part of the closure order, Wolf instituted a waiver program for businesses that believe they should have the ability to carry on, but Republicans say that process has been inconsistent and unfair. SB 613 would change the way waivers are handled by structuring categories of businesses more uniformly, said state Rep. Chris Quinn, R-168 of Middletown.
“This was not a full-court press to reopen business,” said Quinn, who voted in favor of the measure Tuesday. “This is a bill to open up transparency and that is something that has been lacking …The process outlined in the legislation I supported today gives businesses clear standards that they must meet in order to be open. These measures would ensure the safety and protection of employees and the public at large.”The
Republican Party Chairman Lawrence Tabas issued this statement yesterday.
“The Pennsylvania Legislature is taking a bold lead on measures to safely re-open businesses which closed on the unilateral order of Governor Wolf. On March 16, offering little more than a spreadsheet for guidance, Governor Wolf ordered what amounted to a statewide shutdown of businesses — including the supply chain for essential items such as personal protective equipment for health care workers. Wolf’s Executive Order ignored guidelines set by the Federal Center for Disease Control (CDC) and US Cyber and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) guidelines. Waivers granted by his administration came unevenly and without rhyme or reason. Hardworking Pennsylvanians have participated faithfully, and they deserve to see the light at the end of the tunnel. Governor Wolf has an obligation and an opportunity to live up to his promise of a transparent government by signing this legislation without hesitation.
Lawrence Tabas, Pennsylvania GOP Chair
Representative Tim Briggs (D-149), who represents parts of Lower Merion said, “They [Republicans] are using this pandemic to make political points. Everyone wants the day to come that we can reopen our economy. But I will only support that if the Governor is able to do it responsibly and in consultation with our public health experts including Secretary Of Health Rachel Levine. You make a blanket approach or do this too soon, then as governor murphy said over the weekend it would be like throwing alcohol on the fire.
Governor Wolf has acted early and more strictly than other neighboring states and I believe that is why our total cases and deaths from covid-19 are less.
When the time is right to re-open I will support the responsible steps to get our economy on track. It will take everyone rowing in the same direction, but political shots won’t get us there.”
Representative Mary Jo Daley (D-148), whose district is adjacent to Briggs’ and also includes parts of Lower Merion, echoed Briggs’ sentiment of Republicans not trying seriously to craft bi-partisan legislation that might expedite the return of the unemployed to the workforce. She cited the Republicans’ unwillingness to consider an amendment to SB-613 by Representative Matt Bradford (D, Montgomery). Bradford wanted to amend SB-613 so that it would have guaranteed a minimum wage of $15/hr. for all employees doing work that was deemed “essential.”