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Posted on 09/10/2020 9:00:00 AM PDT by lightman
At its first opportunity, Pennsylvania House Majority Leader Kerry Benninghoff said the chamber will attempt to override Gov. Tom Wolf's planned veto of a bill that would allow schools the choice to hold fall sports and decide how many spectators can attend them. Aug. 20, 2020 Joe Hermitt | jhermitt@pennlive.com By Jan Murphy | jmurphy@pennlive.com
The Pennsylvania House Republican leader vows a veto override vote will happen in the near future if Gov. Tom Wolf carries through with his planned veto of a bill that would give local school officials the exclusive authority to decide whether to allow sports and extra-curricular activities to be held this school year and how many spectators can attend.
Wolf indicated on Wednesday that he intended to veto the bill granting public and nonpublic school officials that power, calling it unnecessary and posing a potential public health risk to allow large gatherings in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic.
House Majority Leader Kerry Benninghoff, R-Centre County, issued a statement on Thursday saying at its first opportunity, the House will attempt to override the Democratic governor’s planned veto of House Bill 2787, otherwise referred to as the “Let them Play” bill.
The bill drew strong bipartisan support in both the House and Senate, where it passed in each chamber with enough votes to exceed the two-thirds majority needed to override a veto. It passed the Senate on Wednesday by a vote of 39-11. It passed the House last week by a vote of 155-47.
Given the level of support it received, Benninghoff said “it is only right for us to consider overriding the governor’s promised veto of this important bill as soon as we have the chance so the people’s voice can be heard and the student athletes and others can enjoy some sense of normalcy through these character-building extracurricular activities.”
While Benninghoff intends for the House to consider the override the first chance it gets, that opportunity may not come until well into the fall sports season.
Before the bill goes to the governor, it has to be signed by the presiding officers of the House and the Senate. Then Wolf has 10 days to act. If the governor takes the full 10 days before issuing his veto, that could push off any override attempt in the House, where it must originate since it’s a House bill, to the week of Sept. 29. The Senate is not scheduled to be in session until the following week.
Wolf spokeswoman Lyndsay Kensinger said the governor’s planned veto stems from the fact that "school districts already have local control on decisions on school sports. Further the virus is not stopping and spreads more easily when people are in close proximity with one another.”
Currently, schools are operating under a recommendation – but not an order – from Wolf that they not have a fall sports season, which has prompted some to cancel their season.
However, as Senate Majority Leader Jake Corman, R-Centre County, said during the chamber’s debate on the bill that without this legislation becoming a law, the governor can change his mind and issue an order at any time.
Further, he said schools now must operate under the state’s guidance that limits attendance at indoor activities to 25 people and outdoor activities to 250 but no more than 50% of the permitted capacity. Those limits require sports participants to be included in those counts.
This legislation would allow local school officials to set the capacity limits, which could exceed those limits.
In a statement issued on Thursday in response to Benninghoff’s announcement about a veto override attempt, Corman said the Senate will conduct a veto override vote once it receives this bill from the House.
“We will see how committed the Democrats who voted for the bill are to allowing their local school districts to have the final say on whether to allow school sports, extracurricular activities and spectators,” Corman said. "We know that local districts are best positioned to know what can and can’t be done safely and no one has more at stake regarding the health of their children and their community than the local school districts. It’s a provision that needs to be in statute.”
Benninghoff said in his statement, this legislation “has broad support among student athletes, parents and the public at large. It would be right for Pennsylvanians to question the administration’s true commitment to listening to them and working on a bipartisan basis for their benefit.”
Mid-Penn athletic directors are meeting today to discuss how they will determine who will be permitted to attend events if the spectator limits remain in place.
This is NOT about "health". This is not about "safety".
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Why does the PA house need to override executive proclamations that have no basis in law?
Please let this happen!!!
These leftists governors have an agenda, as does Biden and his ilk. And it’s not about the greatness of America.
easy solution... simply declare every sporting event a “peaceful protest” and you are magically immune!
According to the local news this morning the PA. House has the votes to override scumbag Wolf’s veto.
The Rats are running scared. A little too little and a little too late. Every single one of them, and RINOs too, needed to run out of office. Lynchings preferred over tar and feathering. And Tommie the Commie and his butt boy tranny side kick can be dealt with the lightman way: defenestration.
If the ‘Rats go along with this, they’re gonna have a tougher time explaining why they won’t override Wolf’s continued croaking of PA’s economy...
One of Trump’s best trolls:
When Covid surfaced, he quietly said he would not interfere in the states,
b/c (drum roll please)....”the governors and Mayors know what they’re doing.”
ROTFLOL....this unleashed the liberal Dems who began dictating to their citizens, issuing orders left and right.
Recalls, threats of impeachment, protests, outright defiance as the people rose up against the liberal know-it-alls.
Democratic govs and mayors are now taking big hits for the riots, unrest, destruction and violence they’ve allowed to explode across the country ......
LOL
After 1000 High School Football Games, No Big COVID Outbreaks
After all, mask-loving Hawaii is a blue state isn’t it.
Regarding COVID-19, artificial lighting urbanites might consider taking vitamin D3 supplements in my non-medical opinion. Vitamin C and zinc too.
Send "Orange Man Bad" federal and state government desperate Democrats home in November!
Supporting PDJT with a new patriot Congress and state government leaders that will promise to fully support his already excellent work for MAGA and stopping SARS-CoV-2 will effectively give fast-working Trump a "third term" in office imo.
I don’t see any problem with voting Republican ticket for 2020 elections.
Insights welcome.
Pa Supreme Court will override. Just like they’ve done with every other relief the House and Senate tried.
It is about time the pathetic PA GOP grew a pair. I believe we are the only state where an absolute majority of Covid-19 deaths were in facilities for the elderly. Guess whose idea that was?
This bill passed both houses with a Veto Proof Majority..
I really don’t see the senators and house members breaking ranks to join the governor.. They know Wolf is a Putz playing to the nations D party not to the will of the people and know they will be gone if they block sports over this nonsense.
Wolf is beyond inept.. he’s playing to the national D party desires for the fall election. Have nothing to do with safety.
Figures as of midnight September 9-10, PA Department of health.
LTC deaths = 5280
Total deaths = 7820
67.5% of Pennsylvania COVID deaths have occurred in nursing homes.
No other state has such an abysmal percentage.
The He-bitch?
Barry Jowzwiak is my State Rep. I’m sure he will vote to override!
GO GET THIS Govenor!!
Let the kids play. Very, very few people in these kids demographic experience any real difficulties!!!!!!!!
Now, let's see if the PA Supremes stand in the way of the legislative veto overrides.
NY was second worst at 50%
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