May. 14, 2020
HARRISBURG – The House of Representatives returned to session on Thursday to continue work on legislation that would help safely reopen the Commonwealth’s economy.
Senate Bill 327 would create the COVID-19 Cost and Recovery Task Force, encompassing all three branches of government to protect the rights of the people and creating a recovery plan to help return Pennsylvania’s communities to pre-disaster conditions.
Recognizing that not all Pennsylvanians live in urban areas, the bill allows County officials to develop their own emergency mitigation plan for business, in consultation with health and emergency management officials.
“This bill will help give Pennsylvania and its communities the tools we need to get our great Commonwealth back on track,” said State Rep. Carl Walker Metzgar (R-Somerset/Bedford). “We can’t keep playing a guessing game when it comes to Pennsylvania’s recovery. We need concrete plans in place so that when we safely begin returning to normal, we can hit the ground running.”
In continuing the fight for Pennsylvania’s small business owners, the House today passed two bills to allow more businesses to reopen if they can do so safely.
House Bill 2388 would require the Department of Community and Economic Development (DCED) to issue a waiver to the business closure order for the following types of businesses, as long as those businesses comply with health and safety guidelines outlined by the state Department of Health and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention: vehicle dealerships, lawn and garden centers, cosmetology salon and barber shops for hair services, messenger services, animal grooming services, and manufacturing operations.
House Bill 2412 would require a similar waiver to all providers of legal services, and residential and commercial real estate services, including settlement services.
“These businesses have limited person-to-person contact and should be allowed the opportunity to open back up if they can follow the relevant safety measures,” Metzgar continued. “Pennsylvanians deserve the opportunity to put food on their tables and safely support themselves and their families.”
All three bills will now go to the governor’s desk.
Representative Carl Walker Metzgar
69th District
Pennsylvania House of Representatives
Media Contact: Kevin DiGuiseppe
717.260.6419 (office), 610.937.4679 (cell)
Kdiguiseppe@pahousegop.com
RepMetzgar.com