PHILADELPHIA (KYW Newsradio) — A resolution that would end parts of Pennsylvania Gov.Tom Wolf’s COVID-19 emergency declaration order has advanced in the State House. It was introduced one week after voters approved a pair of constitutional amendments.
The resolution from House Speaker Kerry Benninghoff (R-Lancaster) is based on those pending amendments.
It would end several parts of the governor’s emergency declaration, including occupancy limits, business closures, and stay-at-home orders, while extending other parts into October, like allowing regulatory suspensions for things like telehealth.
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The resolution cleared the House State Government Committee on a party-line vote.
“We had an election, the people’s voices were loud and clear at the direction they want this state to move in," said committee chairman Seth Grove (R-York).
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Democrats on the committee argued the resolution should wait until election results are certified. Philadelphia Democrat Malcolm Kenyatta taking it one step further.
“It’s good to hear my colleagues today, many of who signed a letter saying we should overturn the last election, they love elections again. They love elections if they feel like the election went in the way that they want," said Kenyatta.
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A few Republican committee members say the governor’s emergency declaration should be scrapped completely, but they voted it out of committee with plans to amend it on the floor.
Wolf says things like occupancy limits were not part of the disaster proclamation, so trying to lift those would be outside the authority of the constitutional amendment that was approved last week.