Pennsylvania COVID-19 Update

There are 12,980 positive cases statewide and a total of 162 deaths; 70,874 tested negative.

Working For You - Legislation that I sponsored or co-sponsored this week
Senate Bill 1097: authorizes Remote Notarization – the bill was unanimously OK’d today by the Senate State Government Committee. A press release is attached.

Senate Bill 1103: PA Healthy Citizens and Healthy Businesses – referred to Health Committee to get our state back to work.  This is a well-crafted bill that uses great care and Center for Disease Control rules to prevent the spread of the virus. State Rep. Russ Diamond is running a mirror version of this legislation in the PA House. Also, New Jersey Assemblyman Eric Peterson contacted me and wants to run a version of this bill in his state.

Other bills I am supporting during this crisis:
COVID-19 Crisis Grant Program for Volunteer Fire and EMS Companies (Senator Pittman)

Property Tax Payment and Penalty Relief for Local Taxpayers (Senator Martin)

Education Issues to Address Concerns of COVID-19 (Senator Langerholc)

Prorated Refunds for Room and Board for Institutions of Higher Learning (Senator Martin)

Allowing Construction Activities to Resume Safe Operations (Senator Arnold)

Business Back to Work Initiative
As a result of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, the administration has shut down all businesses not considered to be “life-sustaining.” This is too draconian, and thought should have been given to allowing businesses that have zero to low risk of spreading the virus to have the option (with conditions) to remain open.

Late last week, I formally introduced Senate Bill 1103. The comprehensive legislation utilizes health and safety guidelines outlined by the Center for Disease Control and the U.S. Department of Labor Occupational Safety & Health Administration, and allows businesses to reopen if they agree to abide by the protocol. There are strict guidelines in the measure and, if practiced, businesses would be allowed to resume operations.

Senate Leaders Urge Governor to Classify Residential Construction as Essential
Governor Wolf’s order to close all non-essential businesses two weeks ago idled numerous construction projects throughout the state. 

Early last week, Senate leaders wrote a letter to Governor Wolf encouraging him to reclassify residential construction activities as an essential business and allow these projects to resume, as long as social distancing protocols are followed and proper protections are in place to prevent the spread of COVID-19.

The U.S. Department of Homeland Security recently classified residential construction as an essential business.  Pennsylvania is the only state to shut down all active public and private construction sites as a result of the COVID-19 crisis. 

New Dates in Pennsylvania
Primary Election Day has been moved to June 2, 2020.

Driver licenses expiring before April 30^th now expire on May 31^st.

Real ID new deadline is October 1, 2021.

Income Tax (federal and state) filing has a new date of July 15, 2020.

Nurses and graduate medical trainees, nursing home and other professionals – the Department of State is extending the April, May and June professional license renewals to July, August and September --- as well as, for barbers, navigation pilots and real estate professionals.

Child Care Providers
Information about childcare providers that have been granted waivers for employees of life-sustaining businesses is available here: www.findchildcare.pa.gov. Family childcare homes and group childcare homes operating inside a residence may continue to operate at their discretion without a waiver.

Resources to aid Municipalities
The state Department of Community & Economic Development has a new resource to aid municipalities manage the current public health crisis.  The link for information is here: https://dced.pa.gov/local-government-community/.

PA 2-1-1
PA 2-1-1 is part of a national call center initiative providing an easy-to-remember telephone number to call (211) and a web resource for anyone seeking health and human services information. Pennsylvanians can visit www.uwp.org/211gethelp.

Hanover Chamber of Commerce
The Hanover Chamber of Commerce is collecting local labor data to understand what is happening in the business community.  Please go to https://www.hanoverchamber.com/blog/business-impact-feedback-form to provide business feedback.

Utilities Offer Special Programs for Families Impacted by COVID-19
I strongly urge community residents to contact their utility providers as soon as possible to learn what programs and services are available.  Many utility providers are offering modified payment plans and other programs to support affected families.

WellSpan
Patients who have no emergent health needs and are either confirmed or suspected by a healthcare care provider to have COVID-19 can visit the locations listed below for non-emergency treatment of health concerns.

Thomas McGann, M.D., executive vice president for clinical practice at WellSpan, noted that most patients who contract COVID-19 will experience mild, or no symptoms at all, and will not need to be hospitalized.

For those individuals, a dedicated care location provides them with access to treatment for any non-emergency health concern, either related or unrelated to COVID-19.

Adams County
WellSpan Adams Health Center, 40 V-Twin Drive, Gettysburg. This care location is open 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Friday, and 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday and Sunday.

WellSpan Family Medicine – Cross Keys, 2900 Carlisle St., New Oxford. This care location is open 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Friday, and 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday and Sunday.

Volunteers & Help in District 33
Again, I am asking if any volunteers in the 33rd District can deliver groceries, prescriptions and supplies to persons who are not able to go out, please let me know via my email address or phone number posted below.

Likewise, we are keeping a list of contacts for people who need help in District 33. If you need help to pick up and deliver groceries, prescriptions, etc., please call 717-787-4651 for more information.

US Legislators Contact Information

U.S. Senator Patrick J. Toomey (local office)            Senator Robert Casey (local office)
320 Market Street, Suite 475A                                   200 N. 3rd Street, Suite 14A
Harrisburg, PA 17101                                                 Harrisburg, PA 17101
717-782-3951                                                             717-231-7540
www.toomey.senate.gov                                             www.casey.senate.gov

Congressman Lloyd Smucker (local office)               Congressman John Joyce (local office)
118 Carlisle Street                                                      100 Lincoln Way East, Suite B
Hanover, PA 17331                                                    Chambersburg, PA 17201
717-969-6132                                                             717-753-6344
https://smucker.house.gov                                          https://joyce.house.gov