PHILADELPHIA (KYW Newsradio) — The Pennsylvania House of Representatives passed a resolution to lift all of Gov. Tom Wolf’s emergency declaration. Wolf has responded, calling the vote "concerning."
"I think it concerns people on both sides of the aisle," he said.
The resolution comes three weeks after Pennsylvania voters approved a pair of constitutional amendments that limit the governor’s powers when it comes to emergency declarations.
The resolution initially would have left some parts of the declaration in place through October, but Representative Russ Diamond (R-Lebanon County) put up an amendment which would convert the partial termination into a full termination.
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Both the amendment and resolution passed. It heads to the State Senate where it could be take up as early as next week.
House Majority Leader Kerry Benninghoff (R-Centre County) said he listened to fellow Republicans in deciding to end the declaration now.
"The feeling was that we did not need to wait until October," he said.
“The goal is to do as the people of Pennsylvania have spoken and asked us to do, and end unilateral rule.”
Most restrictions have been lifted. The masking order falls under the Department of Health and is not affected.
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Wolf said ending the declaration in totality also lifts waivers that allowed telehealth and eased some other restrictions on healthcare workers.
“That allowed nurses and doctors to come back and care for us. The particular bill that comes out of the house negates all of that, and I think that’s a problem," Wolf said.
He said he’s ready to work with the legislature.
"I'm not sure that Pennsylvanians really want to go that far back," he admitted.
Wolf has no say on the resolution. If it passes the Senate, it would take effect as soon as the results of last month’s election are certified.