Bar service a no-no: Gov. Wolf plans to veto restaurant bill, encourages certification

Gov. Tom Wolf is expected to veto HB 2513, a bill that would have significantly loosened current restrictions for restaurant service.

The bipartisan bill, which was approved by both the state Senate and House of Representatives, would have bumped indoor capacity back to 50 percent, eliminated the need for meal purchase for beverage service and allowed patrons to sit at bars again.

"The governor plans to veto HB 2513. Our aggressive and appropriate mitigation efforts have kept case counts low, and we must continue to take important steps to protect public health and safety as we head into the fall," Wolf's press secretary Lyndsay Kensinger said. "Pennsylvania is not alone in our efforts; nearly every state in the nation is currently imposing occupancy restrictions on bars and restaurants."

In a statement, Kensinger said the Governor's decision is based on a recent CDC case study that has noted adults who reported dining at a restaurant were twice as likely to have a positive COVID-19 case.

Read more: https://www.ydr.com/story/news/2020/09/23/gov-wolf-vetoes-hb-2531-which-would-loosen-restaurant-restrictions/3511091001/
(York Daily Record)