Sep. 22, 2020
PIKE COUNTY – Today, the governor again vetoed another bipartisan piece of legislation,
House Bill 2787, showing his complete disregard for the rights our local school officials have to make and enforce their own decisions regarding district sports and extracurricular activities. Reps. Rosemary Brown (R-Monroe/Pike) and Mike Peifer (R-Pike/Wayne) gave the following statements, expressing their disappointment.
“Our outdoor stadiums, which can hold thousands of spectators, alone provide enough space for spectators to attend sporting events while properly social distancing, not to mention other local outdoor venues can help support additional parents and families for other extracurricular activities,” said Peifer. “I just find it appalling the governor would veto legislation that not only allows local school districts to establish safety protocols and regulations in regards to sports and extracurriculars, but to also have the ability to have control over these local situations and not be brushed aside.”
“This legislation is not just about sports, it is about giving local control to those who know and understand what is happening in their area and being able to make informed decisions based on that knowledge,” said Brown. “House Bill 2787 had support on both sides of the aisle in both chambers and again the voices of our Legislature and all Pennsylvanians fell upon deaf ears. I am extremely disappointed by the governor’s veto and will vote in support of a veto override when it is brought up in the House.”
House Bill 2787 would have granted the governing authority of a school entity the exclusive authority to determine whether to hold school sports and extracurricular activities in-person during the 2020-21 school year. School officials would be responsible for establishing safety protocols for permitting visitors and spectators to attend sports and in-person extracurricular activities; limits on gatherings for indoor and outdoor sports and in-person extracurricular activities to ensure social distancing; protocols for sports consistent with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Considerations for Youth Sports; and methods of ensuring that social distancing and other safety measures are in place for students, staff and spectators.
Earlier last week at a press conference urging the governor to support this bill, House Majority Leader Kerry Benninghoff (R-Centre) pledged to hold an override vote. The measure passed 155-47 in the House and 39-11 in the Senate, both of which represent enough votes to successfully override if members stick to their original vote.
Representative Mike Peifer
139th District
Representative Rosemary M. Brown
189th District
Pennsylvania House of Representatives
Media Contact: Abby Krueger
717-260-6617
akrueger@pahousegop.com
RepPeifer.com