Legislation recently introduced in the state House of Representatives would allow the event industry to operate safely at 50 percent capacity.
The bill would allow venues, caterers, and other businesses to open, but they would need to adhere to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s social distancing standards.
Gov. Tom Wolf limited indoor events and gatherings to 25 persons and outdoor events and gatherings to 250 people in July. These guidelines are regardless of the venue’s capacity and include staff in the maximum occupancy limit.
People planning weddings sent letters to Wolf requesting that the limitations be relaxed.
“Businesses in the event industry have essentially been forced out of business as limiting indoor events to that degree doesn’t allow for any reasonable profit,” Rep. Matthew Dowling (R-Fayette/Somerset), who introduced the bill, said. “It’s also hurting Pennsylvanians who are trying to live their lives in the aftermath of a pandemic, one that has been largely contained in the Commonwealth.”
Dowling said it has reached a point where Wolf’s limitations are worse than the threat of COVID-19 and that people should be able to make their own choices. This is especially true when venues are able to operate within federal guidelines, he said.