Sens. Dave Arnold (R-48) and Camera Bartolotta (R-46) announced Tuesday their plan to introduce legislation that would allow for waivers for construction operations that use appropriate mitigation measures to prevent exposure to the coronavirus, also known as COVID-19.
The senators cited the statewide economic impact of Gov. Tom Wolf’s executive order to close all “non-life-sustaining” business, including all construction activity, on March 19.
The legislation would specifically require the Department of Community and Economic Development to issue waivers for public and private construction operations that adhere to the safety and social distancing measures set by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
“The health, safety and well-being of every single person is of the utmost importance,” Arnold said. “I have immense compassion for those who are sick. I think we all do,” Arnold said. “But, I also have compassion for that family who has never relied on the government to put food on their table. Why is Pennsylvania the only state to ban these activities?”
While New Jersey, California, Illinois, and New York have also issued shelter in place orders, Pennsylvania is the only state to shut down all active public and private construction as a result of the COVID-19 crisis.
“The Department of Homeland Security recently designated residential construction as ‘essential infrastructure business’, and I feel the state should adopt their guidance. We are simply asking for parity with what has been deemed essential business in all other states, and by the federal government.”
Senate Republican leaders similarly sent a letter to Wolf on Monday urging the governor to reconsider listing residential construction as an essential business. They cited an updated “Advisory Memorandum on Identification of Essential Critical Infrastructure Workers During COVID-19 Response” released by the Department of Homeland Security on March 28.
“Operational critical infrastructure is vital during the response to the COVID-19 emergency for both public health and safety as well as community well-being. Critical infrastructure industries have a special responsibility in these times to continue operations, and the U.S. DHS has identified construction as one of those industries,” the senate leaders wrote. “In addition to the identified critical need of construction, we also believe this work, operated under the proper safety protocols, is essential now due to its role in continuing economic and societal functions post-pandemic.”