On Tuesday, PA State Rep. Russ Diamond (R-Lebanon) introduced legislation that would provide amnesty for businesses disciplined by the Wolf administration for staying open during the COVID-19 pandemic.
The legislation would require licensing boards and commissions under the Department of State to reinstate any license, registration, certificate or permit suspended or revoked during the pandemic for failing to comply with COVID-19 protocols. Additionally, it would require licensing boards and commissions to remove any disciplinary action taken against a licensee during the pandemic for failing to comply with those protocols, including things like warning letters, fines and other actions that appear on a licensee’s disciplinary history.
“As a matter of perspective, these disciplinary actions were taken under an indefinite disaster emergency system that no longer exists in Pennsylvania,” Diamond said. “The people of this Commonwealth were so outraged by administrative overreach during this period that they saw fit to change our state constitution, making Pennsylvania the only state in the nation to reduce its governor’s emergency powers via constitutional change.”
Diamond previously introduced the legislation as an amendment to House Bill 901.
“Every Democrat in the House voted to defeat it,” Diamond stated. “I find their profound lack of support for our constituents, business owners and professionals deeply troubling, which is why I am offering this language again as a standalone bill.”
In 2021, the Pennsylvania Department of Public Health sued 22 restaurants in Commonwealth Court two days before Christmas saying their continued operation constituted a threat to public health. At the time, it was estimated that hundreds of businesses were ignoring state orders and remaining open to business. An online directory, PALockdown.com, listed more than 600 businesses open statewide at that time.