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What’s happening on #PAHouse floor right now is crazy. Speaker runs SB613 to override Gov & force open virtually all businesses right now. All Ds vote no. We file amendments to give all essential workers hazard pay, PPE & paid sick leave if they are infected. Rs block those votes
Watch the debate for yourself right here: https://www.house.state.pa.us/Video/HouseVideo.cfm
This debate on SB613 is a matter of life and death: @SecretaryLevine announced 1,146 new coronavirus cases in PA today alone. 25,345 Pennsylvanians have tested positive for COVID-19. 2,228 have been or are currently hospitalized. 584 people have died in our state.
We all want our local small businesses to reopen. We want to go back to work. But health care experts like @SecretaryLevine and Dr. Anthony Fauci warn that reopening too quickly could cause a new surge in COVID-19 cases and overwhelm our hospitals.
After over 2 hours of debate, two speakers are left to speak on SB613, the Caucus leaders. Democratic Leader @RepFrankDermody says if we reopen too quickly, “people will go to work, they’ll get sick, and some of them will die.”
Republican Leader Rep. Brian Cutler opens by acknowledging that the statistics are terrifying and they will clearly get worse in the coming months. Yet at the end of his remarks, he urges a yes vote on SB613.
After almost 3 hours of feisty debate, SB613 passes 107-95, with every Democrat voting no & the bill to override the Governor’s business closure order heads to the Senate. Here’s the vote count: https://www.legis.state.pa.us/cfdocs/legis/RC/Public/rc_view_action2.cfm?sess_yr=2019&sess_ind=0&rc_body=H&rc_nbr=1156
After #PAHouse Republicans voted last night to override Governor & reopen businesses, against public health advice re: COVID-19, #PASenate takes up #SB613 today. It’s scheduled for a vote in Rules Committee. Their session starts at 11am ET. Watch here: https://www.pasen.gov/Video/SenateVideo.cfm
Less than 24 hours after #PAHouse vote, #SB613 passes #PASenate in a party-line vote of 29-21. It heads to @GovernorTomWolf, who has voiced concerns about the bill. I hope he vetoes.
Here’s how this latest debate over public health vs. corporate profits will end: @GovernorTomWolf told the press that he plans to veto #SB613. Thank goodness! https://www.pennlive.com/news/2020/04/gov-tom-wolf-will-veto-bill-that-would-allow-more-pa-businesses-to-open-during-covid-19-crisis.html
