PRINTER'S NO. 1619

THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA

SENATE BILL

No.

1102

Session of

2020

INTRODUCED BY TARTAGLIONE, MUTH, FONTANA, SCHWANK, BREWSTER,

MENSCH, SANTARSIERO, KEARNEY, A. WILLIAMS, IOVINO, BLAKE,

COLLETT, LEACH, FARNESE, SABATINA, BOSCOLA, COSTA AND STREET,

The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania

hereby enacts as follows:

Section 1. Title 3 of the Pennsylvania Consolidated Statutes

is amended by adding a chapter to read:

Sec.

7301. Scope of chapter.

7302. Declaration of purpose.

7303. Definitions.

This chapter relates to grocery stores that operate during

the pandemic of 2020.

§ 7302. Declaration of purpose.

The General Assembly finds and declares as follows:

(1) On March 6, 2020, Governor Wolf declared a disaster

emergency throughout this Commonwealth in accordance with 35

Pa.C.S. § 7301(a) (relating to general authority of Governor)

as a result of the pandemic of 2020.

(2) On March 19, 2020, Governor Wolf issued an executive

order to close all non-life-sustaining businesses in this

2020, Governor Wolf specifically designated grocery stores as

life sustaining businesses that are allowed to operate during

the pandemic of 2020 to provide food and supplies to

residents of this Commonwealth.

(4) Consequently, grocery store employees are essential

employees who are necessary to maintain the health and well-

being of the residents of this Commonwealth during the

pandemic of 2020.

(5) Therefore, it is urgent that grocery store owners

implement procedures and safeguards to protect their

shall have the meanings given to them in this section unless the

context clearly indicates otherwise:

"Grocery store." A retail establishment, commonly known as a

grocery store, supermarket or delicatessen, where food, food

products and supplies are sold for human consumption off the

premises.

"Health insurance policy." As follows:

(1) Any individual or group health, sickness or accident

policy or subscriber contract or certificate offered, issued

or renewed by an entity subject to one of the following:

(i) The act of May 17, 1921 (P.L.682, No.284), known

as The Insurance Company Law of 1921.

(2) The term does not include accident only, fixed

indemnity, limited benefit, credit, dental, vision, specified

disease, Medicare supplement, Civilian Health and Medical

Program of the Uniformed Services (CHAMPUS) supplement, long-

term care or disability income, workers' compensation or

automobile medical payment insurance.

"Pandemic of 2020." The coronavirus disease (COVID-19)

outbreak in this Commonwealth.

physical space between individuals to avoid spreading the

coronavirus disease (COVID-19).

(1) Place floor markings to indicate where customers

should stand to put distance between each customer while they

stand in the checkout line.

(2) Place floor markings to indicate that customers

should stand behind the checkout area until it is time to

complete a transaction.

(3) Install plexiglass shields at each cash register and

any other area where customers are allowed to checkout.

(4) Establish limits on the amount of customers in the

grocery store at one time.

§ 7305. Guidelines for cleaning and personal hygiene.

(a) Required cleaning.--The department, in conjunction with

the Department of Health, shall develop guidelines to recommend

that an owner of a grocery store take all of the following

actions during the pandemic of 2020:

for the purpose of restocking, cleaning and disinfecting the

grocery store.

(b) Personal hygiene.--The department, in conjunction with

the Department of Health, shall develop guidelines to recommend

that an owner of a grocery store take all of the following

actions:

(1) Assign grocery store employees to substitute for

cashiers to allow cashiers to wash their hands with soap and

water for 20 seconds.

(2) Provide hand lotion to grocery store employees to

ensure that their hands do not crack as a result of hand

washing.

(6) Assign grocery store employees to wipe down shopping

carts and hand baskets on a regular basis.

(7) Reduce the handling of paper coupons.

(8) Prohibit the use of reusable shopping bags for any

purpose.

instead of cash.

§ 7306. Compensation and benefit policies.

P.L.2897, No.1), known as the Unemployment Compensation Law,

provide compensation, at the regular rate of pay, to grocery

store employees who have been infected with the coronavirus

disease (COVID-19) and are unable to perform work functions

or are otherwise subject to quarantine during the pandemic of

2020 as the regular rate of pay.

(2) Maintain the health insurance policy and other

employee-related benefits of grocery store employees who have

been infected with the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) and are

unable to perform work functions or are otherwise subject to

infected with the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) and are

unable to perform work functions or are otherwise subject to

quarantine during the pandemic of 2020.

§ 7307. Guidelines for attendance policies.

The department, in conjunction with the Department of Labor,

store take all of the following actions during the pandemic of

2020:

required to provide care for a family member or need to

address childcare issues during the pandemic of 2020, refrain

from penalizing the grocery store employees who utilize

personal paid time off or take an unpaid leave of absence.

§ 7308. Guidelines for infected employees.

The department, in conjunction with the Department of Labor,

shall develop guidelines to recommend that an owner of a grocery

store take all of the following actions if a grocery store

employee has been infected with coronavirus disease (COVID-19)

or is otherwise subject to quarantine during the pandemic of

(2) Provide compensation to a grocery store employee who

worked in the same area as the infected grocery store

employee at the regular rate of pay for period of no less

than 14 days from the date the grocery store employee was

sent home.