House committee chairmen and chairwomen, in conjunction with House Majority Leader Kerry Benninghoff (R-Centre/Mifflin), recently sent letters to Gov. Tom Wolf administration cabinet secretaries asking for an update on regulatory and enforcement matters that were suspended, waived, or changed during the COVID-19 emergency.
“During this pandemic, agencies have suspended, waived, and altered regulatory and enforcement provisions to adjust to the changing circumstances of the global pandemic,” Benninghoff said. “As we continue to emerge from the effects of the virus, it is important to see what exactly has been suspended, waived, or changed; what needs to be re-implemented; what can be changed further; and what regulations Pennsylvania can do without permanently.”
The Economic Recovery Task Force recommended sending the letters, and Benninghoff made it a priority in June when he became House Republican leader.
“I look forward to hearing back from these agencies as we continue our review of what executive actions took place during the pandemic and how we can make government more friendly and more efficient for taxpayers and job creators throughout Pennsylvania,” Benninghoff said. “Legislative oversight of executive action is critical to our separation of powers and the proper administration of government.”
Informed regulatory reform must be part of any discussion of economic recovery legislation, Benninghoff said.