How They Voted: COVID Lawsuits And Mandatory Breathalyzers

Delaware Valley Journal

Charlie O'Neill

How they Voted: Pennsylvania House Session Key Votes for the Week of April 5-7, 2021

House

COVID LAWSUITS: The House passed HB 605 by Rep. Torren Ecker (R-Adams and Cumberland) this week to provide liability protection for Pennsylvania businesses, hospitals, schools, and government entities from lawsuits related to COVID-19 exposure. This isn’t the first time legislation like this has been passed by the House. A similar measure was approved last session, but rejected by Gov. Tom Wolf.

The bill would send claims of COVID-19 exposure to a county arbitration panel currently used for lawsuits alleging less than $50,000 in damages. HB 605 was part of the House Republican package of bills called the Commonwealth’s COVID Comeback. It passed by a vote of 107-94,

Yes

Bucks: Labs (R), Polinchock (R), Schroeder (R), Staats (R), Thomas (R), Tomlinson (R)

Chester: Hennessey (R), Lawrence (R), Williams, Craig (R),

Delaware: Quinn (R), Williams, Craig (R)

Montgomery: Hennessey (R), Mackenzie (R), Pennycuick (R), Stephens (R)

No

Bucks: Farry (R), Davis (D), Galloway (D), Warren (D)

Chester: Herrin (D), Howard (D), Otten (D), Sappey (D), Shusterman (D), Williams, Dan (D)

Delaware: Davidson (D), Delloso (D), Kirkland (D), Krueger (D), McClinton (D), O’Mara (D), Vitali (D), Young (D), Zabel (D)

Montgomery: Boyle (D), Bradford (D), Briggs (D), Ciresi (D), Daley (D), DeLissio (D), Guenst (D), Hanbidge (D), Malagari (D), Sanchez (D), Shusterman (D), Vitali (D), Webster (D)

MANDATORY ALCOHOL MONITORING FOR REPEAT DUI OFFENDERS: Rep. Todd Stephens’ (R-Montgomery) HB 521 was advanced by the full House this week. The bill seeks to mandate a pilot program in several counties requiring an alcohol monitoring device be used by repeat DUI offenders as a condition of bail, probation, or parole. The technology could be a continuous alcohol monitoring device worn by the offender that automatically and frequently tests for the presence of alcohol. Or it could be a mobile breathing device (“breathalyzer”) or similar technology.

The co-sponsorship memo contends offenders who wore the device are 50 percent less likely to repeat the offense in a 90-day period. The bill was amended to require offenders to cover the cost of wearing the device, which drew the ire of some Democrats. The measure passed 143-58.

Yes

Bucks: Davis (D), Farry (R), Galloway (D), Labs (R), Polinchock (R), Schroeder (R), Staats (R), Thomas (R), Tomlinson (R), Warren (D)

Chester: Hennessey (R), Herrin (D), Lawrence (R), Sappey (D), Shusterman (D), Williams, Craig (R)

Delaware: O’Mara (D), Quinn (R), Williams, Craig (R)

Montgomery: Ciresi (D), Hennessey (R), Guenst (D), Hanbidge (D), Mackenzie (R), Malagari (D), Pennycuick (R), Sanchez (D), Shusterman (D), Stephens (R)

No

Chester: Howard (D), Otten (D), Williams, Dan (D)

Delaware: Davidson (D), Delloso (D), Kirkland (D), Krueger (D), McClinton (D), Vitali (D), Young (D), Zabel (D)

Montgomery: Boyle (D), Bradford (D), Briggs (D), Daley (D), DeLissio (D), Vitali (D), Webster (D)

FISCAL SOLVENCY PANEL: Representative Frank Ryan (R-Lebanon) introduced HB 120, the Keystone Solvency Operating Study Commission. It would create a commission, composed of one member of each Legislative caucus and an appointment by the Governor to review economic conditions as it relates to the fiscal solvency of the state. Democrat Scott Conklin of Centre County was the lone Democrat to join the entire GOP caucus for a final tally of 113-88.

Yes

Bucks: Farry (R), Labs (R), Polinchock (R), Schroeder (R), Staats (R), Thomas (R), Tomlinson (R)

Chester: Hennessey (R), Lawrence (R), Williams, Craig (R),

Delaware: Quinn (R), Williams, Craig (R)

Montgomery: Hennessey (R), Mackenzie (R), Pennycuick (R), Stephens (R)

No

Bucks: Davis (D), Galloway (D), Warren (D)

Chester: Herrin (D), Howard (D), Otten (D), Sappey (D), Shusterman (D), Williams, Dan (D)

Delaware: Davidson (D), Delloso (D), Kirkland (D), Krueger (D), McClinton (D), O’Mara (D), Vitali (D), Young (D), Zabel (D)

Montgomery: Boyle (D), Bradford (D), Briggs (D), Ciresi (D), Daley (D), DeLissio (D), Guenst (D), Hanbidge (D), Malagari (D), Sanchez (D), Shusterman (D), Vitali (D), Webster (D)

STOP CHANGING THE CLOCKS! Tired of adjusting your clocks twice a year? So is Rep. Ryan Mackenzie (R-Lehigh). The Lehigh Valley legislator introduced HB 335, which would allow the commonwealth to opt out of the tradition should Congress grant states the ability to do so. The bill passed 103-98, indicating not all Republicans and Democrats are on board with the idea.

Yes

Bucks: Farry (R), Labs (R), Polinchock (R), Schroeder (R), Staats (R), Thomas (R), Tomlinson (R)

Chester: Lawrence (R), Williams, Craig (R),

Delaware: Quinn (R), O’Mara (D), Williams, Craig (R)

Montgomery: Mackenzie (R), Pennycuick (R), Stephens (R)

No

Bucks: Davis (D), Galloway (D), Warren (D)

Chester: Hennessey (R), Herrin (D), Howard (D), Otten (D), Sappey (D), Shusterman (D), Williams, Dan (D)

Delaware: Davidson (D), Delloso (D), Kirkland (D), Krueger (D), McClinton (D), Vitali (D), Young (D), Zabel (D)

Montgomery: Boyle (D), Bradford (D), Briggs (D), Ciresi (D), Daley (D), DeLissio (D), Guenst (D), Hanbidge (D), Hennessey (R), Malagari (D), Sanchez (D), Shusterman (D), Vitali (D), Webster (D)

The Delaware Valley Journal provides unbiased, local reporting for the Philadelphia suburbs of Bucks, Chester, Delaware and Montgomery Counties. For more stories from the Delaware Valley Journal, visit DelawareValleyJournal.com