Empowered by referendum, Harrisburg GOP moves to terminate some — but not all — of Wolf’s pandemic powers

By: Stephen Caruso

Using powers approved by voters in a constitutional referendum a week ago, Pennsylvania House Republicans approved, along party lines, an a la carte emergency declaration for Democratic Gov. Tom Wolf in a committee vote Tuesday.

The flexing of these new emergency powers comes after voters empowered the 253-member General Assembly to end or edit gubernatorial powers during a disaster. About 53 percent of Pennsylvania voters backed the measures.

The resolution, authored by House Majority Leader Kerry Benninghoff, R-Centre, would stop Wolf from again closing businesses, issuing stay-at-home orders, and lowering building occupancy limits if case counts climbed again.

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