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Senate Co-Sponsorship Memoranda
Senate of Pennsylvania
Session of 2023 - 2024
Regular Session
MEMORANDUM
| Posted: | December 31, 2022 11:23 AM |
|---|---|
| From: | Senator Ryan P. Aument |
| To: | All Senate members |
| Subject: | Requiring Collaboration and Transparency During Emergency Declarations |
| In the near future, I intend to reintroduce Senate Bill 231 from last session that will reform the handling of future emergencies in Pennsylvania. As we approach the third anniversary of the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, we should all be able to agree that, at the very least, improvements are necessary to better handle future emergencies facing our Commonwealth. It’s been well documented that a common complaint regarding Governor Wolf’s COVID-19 policies and executive orders had been his refusal to work with anyone but those within his administration, creating an echo chamber of ideas and a lack of transparency. The result of that isolated group of decision-makers were policies that were devastating to businesses, families, and communities. Business shutdowns, nursing home guidance that defied logic and compassion, school mandates and closings, and unemployment compensation chaos – these policies and the issues they created were made by an administration who had refused to work with the legislature or gather outside feedback to understand the consequences of their decisions. Those decisions, which had grave consequences for businesses, financial implications for the state, and devastating effects on families and children, should never be made by the Governor alone and sadly, could have been avoided had there been an opportunity for dialogue. Legislators carry the voices of constituents from every corner of the Commonwealth and when their voices are ignored by the Governor, there is a lack of trust that spreads like the virus itself. For that reason, this proposal would amend Title 35 to require the automatic creation of the Disaster and Recovery Task Force once an emergency is declared in Pennsylvania. The bipartisan, inter-branch, task force will work with the Governor to address the issues created by an emergency, collaborating in a way that will allow them to challenge each other’s assumptions about the best way to handle problems that arise during the emergency and take actions that can earn the confidence of the people of Pennsylvania. This task force will be required to consult with experts and representatives of the various industries and populations impacted by any emergency. The sharing of concerns and ideas will be encouraged with this task force, not silenced. We know collaboration works. The success of the COVID-19 Vaccine Task Force showed that when we work together, efficiency and outcomes improve. It is my hope to build upon that experience to better protect and defend our Commonwealth in future emergencies. Please join me in supporting this “good government” reform that will benefit all Pennsylvanians through a consistent and common-sense requirement for collaboration. |