Pa. Republicans say Gov. Wolf is trying to sabotage ballot question

HARRISBURG — Republican leaders of Pennsylvania’s Legislature said Wednesday that Gov. Tom Wolf’s administration is trying to sabotage ballot questions to amend the constitution to shift authority over the length of emergency declarations from governors to lawmakers.

The measures arose from Republican lawmakers’ strident disagreement with how Wolf, a Democrat, has handled the coronavirus pandemic.

In a news conference, Republican lawmakers said Wolf’s administration purposely wrote the questions with wording designed to scare voters into rejecting them.

“We respect the voters, we think they’ll see through it, they’ll understand it and we hope to do our best to educate them on it,” said Senate President Pro Tempore Jake Corman, R-Centre.

The ballot questions the Republicans are concerned about:

• “Shall the Pennsylvania Constitution be amended to change existing law and increase the power of the General Assembly to unilaterally terminate or extend a disaster emergency declaration—and the powers of Commonwealth agencies to address the disaster regardless of its severity pursuant to that declaration—through passing a concurrent resolution by simple majority, thereby removing the existing check and balance of presenting a resolution to the Governor for approval or disapproval?”

• “Shall the Pennsylvania Constitution be amended to change existing law so that: a disaster emergency declaration will expire automatically after 21 days, regardless of the severity of the emergency, unless the General Assembly takes action to extend the disaster emergency; the Governor may not declare a new disaster emergency to respond to the dangers facing the Commonwealth unless the General Assembly passes a concurrent resolution; the General Assembly enacts new laws for disaster management?”

Wolf’s office said the wording in the ballot questions “fairly, accurately and clearly apprise the voter of the issue to be voted on.”

The Republican-controlled Legislature approved the proposals heading to the ballot. Wolf opposes them, but governors have no power to prevent proposals to amend the constitution from going on the ballot for voters to consider.

Courts have nearly unanimously backed Wolf’s use of emergency powers to impose social-distancing restrictions, close buildings or limit business activity during the pandemic. Wolf’s administration maintains that the proposed amendments will not affect those powers. because they rest on the state’s Disease Prevention and Control Act.

The questions are scheduled to appear on Pennsylvania’s May 18 primary ballot.