ALLENTOWN (TNS) — Pennsylvania lawmakers sure were eager to flex their new powers.
The House and Senate voted Thursday to end the disaster declaration issued by Democratic Gov. Tom Wolf more than a year ago to address COVID-19. Legislators were given that power last month by voters who amended the state Constitution.
But a funny thing happened in the Republican-controlled Legislature’s haste to rein in the big bad Wolf.
Lawmakers were forced to recognize that Wolf’s disaster declaration order wasn’t the complete disaster that they’d been screaming it was.
The House and Senate also passed legislation to continue waiving some state regulations, which was possible only because of Wolf’s order.
Hundreds of regulations on businesses and state agencies were waived to allow safe operations during the pandemic and to ensure that sufficient resources were available. Some waivers have ended, but many remain.
If power-obsessed legislators had just killed the disaster declaration without acknowledging the waivers, they would have left quite a mess.
Many waivers deal with health care, including expanded use of telemedicine. Retired health care workers and those in training are permitted increased flexibility to care for patients. Workers are allowed to work at more locations. Additional professionals are granted permission to administer vaccines.
Waivers apply to many other professions and business settings, too.
Continuing education credits can be taken through online courses. Cosmetologist apprentices aren’t held to their 25-hour-per-week work requirement. Banking and securities professionals are allowed to work from home instead of at a licensed facility.
Medical marijuana can be sold in a 90-day supply, three times what previously was allowed.
Under legislation approved Thursday, those waivers will continue until Sept. 30, unless the governing agency or Legislature rescinds them sooner.
Not all of waivers remain necessary.
With the economy fully open, coronavirus cases dropping dramatically and many people being vaccinated, it is safe to resume standard operations again. That should happen as soon as possible.
For example, the Department of Labor & Industry waived work-search requirements for people collecting unemployment. It said that requirement would resume July 11.
Work search should resume immediately, as workplaces no longer have capacity restrictions and there aren’t as many reasons for people not to be working.
Legislation will be required to continue other changes that were enacted during the pandemic. One of the most prominent is takeout sales of mixed drinks.
Lawmakers and Wolf had authorized that during the pandemic, but only as long as a disaster declaration was in place. Legislation is pending that would allow takeout sales permanently.
The Legislature wanted more of a say in how the state operated during the pandemic. It got its wish when voters changed the balance of power and gave them more authority.
But getting Pennsylvania back to normal isn’t as easy as ending the disaster declaration. There is a lot more involved.
I hope the Legislature continues to recognize that and fulfills its new obligations by reviewing each regulatory waiver to see if it continues to be necessary.
Even if that means lawmakers don’t get their long summer break.
(Morning Call columnist Paul Muschick can be reached at paul.muschick@mcall.com.)
