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The constitutional amendment questions aimed at stopping the runaway train that was Gov. Tom Wolf's unilateral authority he granted himself during the COVID-19 pandemic passed decisively despite the governor's underlings wording the questions in a prejudicial way in an effort to damage their chances of passing.
So, it's clear where the will of a majority of Pennsylvanians, including us, stands on the issue.
It's why we're happy to see state Rep. Kerry Benninghoff, R-Bellefonte, who serves as majority leader while representing a portion of Mifflin County, leading the charge to put the people's will into action by introducing legislation that would end Wolf's unconstitutional overreach that has caused hardship for so many for too long.
House Resolution 106 would terminate the Wolf administration's ability to use the COVID-19 emergency disaster declaration to engage in no-bid, single-source contracting; reestablish work search requirements currently waived by the Department of Labor and Industry for those receiving unemployment benefits, and end the ability of the governor to use the emergency disaster declaration to mandate occupancy limits, business closures and stay-at-home orders.
"Last week, Pennsylvania voters issued a new mandate to their government that they want more checks and balances in the management of emergency disaster periods. This resolution is a first step in bringing action to the will of the voters by terminating the most devastating portions of Governor Wolf's initial emergency disaster declaration," Benninghoff said.
According to the concurrent resolution, the remainder of the March 6, 2020, COVID-19-related emergency disaster declaration could be extended until Oct. 1 of this year, as the legislature continues reviewing the Wolf administration's actions taken during the past 15 months.
"Pennsylvania voters wanted more responsible and more reasonable emergency management, and we will continue to provide that while ensuring critical services and funding remain intact," Benninghoff said.
Unlike what Wolf and many of his liberal allies would tell you, the end of the governor's be-all, end-all powers does not mean pretending the pandemic is over.
It means adapting to the changing nature of it -- including acknowledging that a majority of Pennsylvania adults are now fully vaccinated and are ready to resume something close to their normal lives without the state government telling them where they can go, what they can do and with how many other people they're allowed to do it.
It also acknowledges that some people will still need some help recovering from the economic damage the pandemic has wrought and doesn't pull the rug out from under them.
It's a balanced approach, something that has been sorely missing since March of last year.
HR 106 was scheduled to be considered by the House State Government Committee this week.
We urge the legislature to move swiftly. Every day spent with unnecessary restrictions is another day our local businesses and local economy suffer.
It's time to move to the next phase of recovery and make sure the governor can't repeat his go-it-alone strategy ever again.
It's time to put the will of the people into action and make the bill law.