Would require greater collaboration, ends subjective mitigation measures still in place, retains critical waivers
HARRISBURG – Senator Kristin Phillips-Hill (R-York) released the following statement regarding her vote in support of House Resolution 106, which would terminate Governor Wolf’s emergency declaration, as well as her support of three other measures to continue various regulations suspended throughout the last year:
“York Countians voted in overwhelming support of critical constitutional amendments on May 18 to require greater collaboration when it comes to the governor’s emergency powers. The Senate took a much-needed step to end the subjective mitigation measures still in place while approving legislation that would allow many of the regulations suspended in the last year to remain in place moving forward. Today’s votes reflect what the voters said less than a month ago.”
Background:
House Resolution 106 would terminate the pandemic emergency declaration and end the governor’s power to close employers, limit occupancy, suspend state statutes or issue stay-at-home orders due to COVID-19.
The Senate also approved House Bill 854, which would ensure all waivers that were previously effective under the COVID-19 emergency will remain in effect until Sept. 30, 2021, unless sooner terminated by the authority which initially authorized the waiver. This protects access to critical federal funding and waivers that benefit health and safety, such as the emergency authorization of telemedicine, temporary staffing at nursing homes and personal care homes, and other staffing issues in health care facilities.
Voters approved two constitutional amendments in May that limited the length of disaster declarations and gave the General Assembly the sole power to extend a governor’s initial disaster declaration. In York County, the constitutional amendments garnered more than 63 percent of the total vote.
The measures return to the House of Representatives for consideration.