Wolf, lawmakers in legal clash over emergency order

By ERIC SEIVERLING
eseiverling@yourmvi.com
Gov. Tom Wolf is prepared for a legal showdown with state lawmakers after the state’s General Assembly passed legislation that terminates the COVID-19 Emergency Declaration.
On Tuesday, the House and Senate passed House Resolution 836, which would end the executive order used by Wolf to shut down businesses. Wolf issued the order March 6 and renewed it for another 90 days June 3.
The resolution was approved by the Senate in a 31-19 vote; the House approved the resolution 121-81.
State officials in favor of the resolution claim the governor used the emergency declaration to change and suspend state laws, spend state and federal taxpayer dollars without the approval of the General Assembly and prevent shuttered businesses from reopening with new safety measures in place.
The resolution was sponsored by state Rep. Russ Diamond, R-Lebanon County.
Mon Valley officials who voted in favor of the resolution include state representatives Bud Cook, R-West Pike Run, Mike Puskaric, R-Union Township, and Bill Kortz, D-Dravosburg. Local senators supporting the measure were Camera Bartolotta, R-Carroll Township, Jim Brewster, D-McKeesport, and Pat Stefano, R-Bullskin Township.
Local legislators opposed to the resolution were state Rep. Austin Davis, D-McKeesport, and Sen. Pam Iovino, D-Mt. Lebanon.
“We are ready to move forward, but we cannot do that with a disaster declaration in place that limits our ability to work cooperatively by shutting out the other branches of government,” Stefano said. “We are now at a critical crossroads in how we address this virus. If we do not reopen the state broadly and safely, many of the businesses that have closed will remain closed forever.”
Bartolotta said the state’s Emergency Declaration had a negative impact on the state’s economy.
“This executive order has caused irreparable harm to some employers in my district as customers have crossed the border into West Virginia,” Bartolotta said. “This happened despite this region experiencing some of the lowest rates of COVID-19 in the state, and the willingness of businesses to operate following the guidelines of health experts. Without considering input from stakeholders and members of the General Assembly, the governor closed many businesses in Pennsylvania that could have responsibly operated under the United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guidelines.”
Brewster explained why he voted against party lines.
“Early in the fight against COVID-19 the governor took aggressive action to stop the spread of the disease. His actions, in concert with the efforts of the citizens of Pennsylvania to practice social distancing and quarantine, can be credited for getting the pandemic under control and saving lives. Our lives have changed and tough decisions have been made. We then moved into a phased reopening that has sought to reengage the economy while monitoring the disease. During this process, our citizens continued to work to stop the spread,” Brewster said. “It’s now time to take the next step and continue the process of reopening the economy and loosening restrictions. That’s what my vote was about today. While we move forward, we must be diligent and monitor the disease to ensure that we can address any health threats.”
State Rep. Bud Cook, R- West Pike Run, said it is “good news” that HR836 passed with bipartisan support.
“It’s time to reopen the state. We can do it safely. We can and must protect both lives and livelihoods,” he said.
Wolf said ending the Emergency Declaration would impact more than just business owners, stating that the resolution would end support for additional medical staff as well as end utility assistance for thousands of utility customers and eviction protection for those unable to pay rent due to job loss from the coronavirus pandemic.

To read the rest of the story, please see a copy of Thursday’s Mon Valley Independent, call 724-314-0035 to subscribe or subscribe to our online edition at http://monvalleyindependent.com.