Jun. 08, 2021
HARRISBURG – In an important step forward for the Commonwealth’s COVID-19 pandemic recovery, Rep. Clint Owlett (R-Tioga/Bradford/Potter) today joined fellow House lawmakers in voting to fully terminate Gov. Tom Wolf’s disaster emergency declaration.
House Resolution 106 must also be approved by the Senate in order to take effect.
“The people of Pennsylvania were finally given a voice at the May 18 primary election, where they had the opportunity to vote on two proposed amendments to the state Constitution that would change the way we handle emergency declarations,” Owlett said. “The people spoke, and unlike the governor, the Legislature listened. The adoption of this resolution brings us one step closer to restoring the system of checks and balances that is the cornerstone of our system of government.”
The amendments approved by the voters limit the duration of a governor’s disaster emergency declaration to no more than 21 days without approval of the Legislature and allow for the termination (or extension) of a disaster declaration by a majority vote of the House and Senate, without approval of the governor. The COVID-19 disaster emergency declaration was first issued by the governor on March 6, 2020, and has been renewed five times since then.
Representative Clint Owlett
68th District
Pennsylvania House of Representatives