Aug. 20, 2020
HARRISBURG – To help businesses in the event industry from being forced to close, Rep. Torren Ecker (R-Adams/Cumberland) has joined on as a sponsor of a bill that will allow them to safely operate at 50% capacity. The legislation, which will be introduced shortly, was authored by Rep. Matthew Dowling (R-Fayette/Somerset).
“So many of these businesses were already struggling to operate under less severe limitations. The additional restrictions Gov. Tom Wolf imposed a month ago have put business owners in a precarious position,” Ecker said.
In July, Wolf limited indoor events and gatherings to 25 people – regardless of the venue’s capacity – and outdoor events and gatherings to 250 people. Staff are included in the maximum occupancy limit, which further decreases the number of guests who can attend an event. Restaurants and bars are allowed to operate at 25% capacity, which for a large restaurant is often far greater than 25 people.
Under Dowling’s legislation, venues, caterers and other businesses would still need to adhere to social distancing standards per the recommendations of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
In addition to co-sponsoring the legislation, Ecker has also filed a Right-to-Know (RTK) request with the Department of Health seeking any and all data and health models the governor used to impose his latest restrictions on the event industry.
The Department of Health’s response to the RTK will be released once it is received by Ecker.
Representative Torren Ecker
193rd Legislative District
Pennsylvania House of Representatives
Media Contact: Greg Gross
717.260.6374
ggross@pahousegop.com
RepEcker.com /
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