Mustello Supports Legislation to Put Pennsylvania Back to Work
HARRISBURG – Rep. Marci Mustello (R-Butler) voted with a majority of her House colleagues to approve
Senate Bill 613, legislation that would require Gov. Tom Wolf to develop and implement a plan to mitigate COVID-19 for businesses and allow those businesses that can meet the requirements of that plan to reopen. The plan must be developed using already established guidelines from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA).
Mustello issued the following statement after the vote:
“Businesses across the Commonwealth are struggling under the COVID-19 state of emergency, and the governor’s list of ‘life-sustaining’ businesses is the crux of the problem. We expect consistency and transparency for the businesses and workers of Pennsylvania.
“Senate Bill 613 is about planning for the future, not just planning for the moment. In addition, this legislation is not about opening up businesses; it is about bringing fairness to the process. The vast majority of states already base their business closures on CISA, which is part of the federal Department of Homeland Security.
“Our businesses and the millions of people they employ deserve the opportunity to innovate and adjust their businesses to meet the challenges we are all facing right now, rather than be forced to sit out and watch their livelihoods fall apart.
“The governor established a waiver program, so he believes there is a path for some people to work – we want to ensure every business knows that path, and if they choose to, they can fit within the CDC and CISA parameters to get back to work.
“This legislation will help get more Pennsylvanians back to work sooner in other industries, while not compromising their safety. There are ways this can be done safely. It is a win-win for everyone.”
Senate Bill 613 now moves to the Senate for concurrence.
Representative Marci Mustello
11th Legislative District
Pennsylvania House of Representatives