The Pennsylvania legislatures sent a bill to Gov. Tom Wolf to lift restrictions on businesses amid the coronavirus pandemic, but he is expected to veto it.
Senate Bill 613 would require the governor to align lockdown measures with federal government guidelines on which businesses may reopen. The measure passed in the state Senate along party lines, 29-21, on Wednesday, after passing the Republican-led state House, 107-95, on Tuesday.
If the governor signs off, certain companies will be able to get employees back to work within the next three weeks.
“I think the reality is, we need to do something to help our economy and get back to work,” said Republican state Sen. Bob Mensch.
Stay-at-home orders and the shuttering of nonessential businesses across the country have put millions out of a job, with more than 21 million filing for unemployment, including 1.4 million Pennsylvanians.
Lawmakers argued that local officials should be able to determine how to get their economies open again.
“[Local] officials who are on the ground should be able to determine what is the best way to move forward,” Republican state Senate Majority Leader Jake Corman said. “Let them decide locally.”
Wolf, however, has already made his opposition to the new legislation known.
“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,” the governor’s office said in a statement.
