Apr. 14, 2020
WAYNE COUNTY – Working towards helping employers and businesses make necessary preparations to open their doors once again, Reps. Jonathan Fritz (R-Susquehanna/Wayne) and Mike Peifer (R-Pike/Wayne) have voiced their support of
Senate Bill 613, which was passed by the House earlier today by a vote of (107-95).
“Our small businesses and their employees have been hit extremely hard during this pandemic, with most having to close their doors,” said Peifer. “I believe this bill will allow many of our businesses the choice of whether or not to resume operations, provided they are in strict compliance with recommendations to mitigate the spread of COVID-19 from our nation’s leading health professionals at the Center for Disease Control and Prevention. This will not only provide a measure of consistency for our businesses, particularly those in rural Pennsylvania, but more importantly, it will help to restore a degree of normalcy for many Pennsylvania in these unprecedented times.”
Senate Bill 613 would require Gov. Tom Wolf to develop and implement a plan to allow businesses to operate in the Commonwealth during the Proclamation of Disaster Emergency issued on March 6, 2020, provided the business is, and remains, in compliance. The plan must be developed using mitigation recommendations from the Center for Disease Control and Prevention and guidelines from the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency.
“This legislation provides hope and a path forward for businesses and workers that are experiencing difficult, even desperate times,” said Fritz. “Saving lives and saving livelihoods are not mutually exclusive. I am certain that we can get folks back to work in a safe manner, while still being vigilant with social distancing and adherence to CDC guidelines in order to continue to suppress the spread of the virus.”
Representative Jonathan Fritz
111th Legislative District
Representative Mike Peifer
139th Legislative District
PA House of Representatives