Dear PAOLMA Members,

This afternoon the House of Representatives agreed to concur on Senate amendments to HB 2388 (Mihalek-R-Allegheny County) in a vote of 123-79. The House concurrence means the bill is now headed to Governor Tom Wolf’s desk for signature or veto. Governor Wolf has 10 days to sign or veto the bill. He could do nothing with the bill which, by the language of the PA Constitution, would mean the bill is automatically enacted into law.

109 Republicans and 14 Democrats supported the bill including the following Democrats:

Bizzarro- Erie
Burns- Cambria
Carroll- Luzerne/Lackawanna
Kortz- Allegheny
Longetti- Mercer
Markosek- Allegheny
Matzi- Beaver
Mullery- Luzerne
Petrarca- Westmoreland
Readshaw- Allegheny
Sainato- Lawreence
Sappey- Chester
Snyder- Greene

We need your help in contacting any Democrat House members who represent your stores or your place of residence. We want you to call and email those Democrat House members and ask them to call Governor Wolf and encourage him to sign HB 2388 so that you can return to work. Clearly, if you live or work in a district represented by one of the 14 Democrats who voted for this bill (see above), we need you to ask them to contact the Governor soon and encourage his signature on the bill. This must start on Friday morning as Governor Wolf can act on the bill at any time now.

Tomorrow, PAOLMA Board Chairman John Yurconic will also be sending a letter to Governor Wolf on behalf of the Association requesting that he sign the bill so that you and your employees may return to work.

Bob Taylor