Wolf vetoes real estate bill, enacts safety protocols

Gov. Tom Wolf recently vetoed House Bill 2412, which would have provided emergency COVID-19 provisions for the real estate industry and announced real estate activities can resume in red phase and yellow phase counties.

Wolf vetoed the bill because he said it did not provide enough safety protocols and would have placed restrictions on municipalities related to property transfers.

“We continue to review our policies and the scientific data to determine the safest approach for all activities in the commonwealth,” Wolf said. “While at this point more than two-thirds of the state will be in the yellow phase of the state’s reopening plan by Friday, May 22, we are still evaluating how industries may be able to conduct business appropriately in red phase counties, including the real estate industry.”

The administration’s real estate guidance requires businesses and employees to follow specific health and safety provisions, schedule all in-person activities, limit the number of people at a property, sign or exchange documents electronically or by mail, and sanitize properties.

“It is a great relief to know that we are giving back the citizens of our state one of the most important necessities they have, one that should never have been taken away in the first place,” Rep. Todd Polinchock (R-Bucks) said.