Gov. Wolf Signs Executive Order to Create Pennsylvania State Law Enforcement Citizen Advisory Commission

Harrisburg, PA – Continuing his push for meaningful law enforcement reforms, today Governor Tom Wolf signed an executive order creating the Pennsylvania State Law Enforcement Citizen Advisory Commission. This further advances his actions to address law enforcement reform and accountability that he announced in June and the first two police reform bills he signed into law on Tuesday.

“My administration is committed to bipartisan criminal justice reforms that are fair and inclusive and support public safety,” Gov. Wolf said. “My executive order moves us one more step forward to address the systemic failings that have created inequities and public mistrust of law enforcement. It is my hope that the commission improves law enforcement relationships with communities and strengthens the accountability of law enforcement personnel.”

The creation of the commission came about from concerns raised by residents and in conversations Gov. Wolf held with members of the Pennsylvania Legislative Black Caucus and leaders of Black communities in Philadelphia and Harrisburg following the death of George Floyd while in Minneapolis police custody.

The executive order advises that citizen engagement and participation is essential to help the state in fulfilling its commitment to identifying necessary system-level reforms to promote transparency, fairness and accountability involving the commonwealth’s law enforcement agencies.

The new commission’s ultimate goal is to improve policing practices within law enforcement agencies under the governor’s jurisdiction by examining events and conducting reviews of policies, practices, and procedures. The commission, established in the Office of State Inspector General, will be comprised of 15 members appointed by the governor, including one representative from each of the Pennsylvania State Police current Troop geographic areas, and specifically from areas of the Pennsylvania State Police’s primary jurisdiction, and six additional citizen members chosen at large.

The commission will be chaired by the Deputy Inspector General for Law Enforcement Oversight, a new position and office in the Office of State Inspector General that the commonwealth is conducting a nationwide search to fill. Interested applicants can find the job posting here.

The deputy inspector general will oversee staff on investigations of alleged fraud, waste, misconduct, and abuse within law enforcement agencies under the governor’s jurisdiction and serve as chair of the new commission.

The commission is authorized to perform reviews of the covered agencies’ internal investigative findings related to allegations and incidents surrounding the use of force and bias-based policing, including those involving police-involved shootings resulting in injury or death of civilians, and to prepare a report if warranted.

“It is my hope that with input from this commission, the commonwealth’s law enforcement agencies can serve as a model of excellence for law enforcement throughout Pennsylvania and the country,” Gov. Wolf said.

Read the executive order here.

Military medics deploy in California, Texas as virus surges
By FREIDA FRISARO and DAVID CRARY Associated Press
MIAMI (AP) — Teams of military medics were deployed in Texas and California to help hospitals deluged by coronavirus patients. Miami area authorities, meanwhile, began stepping up enforcement Friday of a mask requirement. Those efforts echoed similar ones in many parts of the world to contain surging infections. Worldwide, the confirmed tally of cases is nearing 14 million. In California, military doctors, nurses and other health care specialists are being deployed to eight hospitals. In Houston, an 86-person Army medical team worked to take over a wing of a hospital. In Florida’s Miami-Dade County, authorities approved an emergency order giving all code and fire inspectors authority to issue tickets for those not complying with mask guidelines.

(Potter Twp., Pa) Five more workers at Shell Cracker plant in Potter Twp. tested positive for COVID-19, according to a company release.

In the statement Shell Chemicals says that: “Since the end of last week, five of the site’s workforce tested positive for COVID-19, bringing the total number of positive tests to 18 since the pandemic began. To protect the privacy of the workers, no other details will be made available.”

Since the Pandemic began Shell Chemicals built a COVID-19 testing lab to provide results within hours for workers at the construction site who show symptoms of the coronavirus.

The Company plans to start adding more workers next week.

At one point during the pandemic, at the urging of Local Politicians, Shell stopped construction of the new ethane cracker plant and had as few as 300 workers on site to maintain the facility. As restrictions were eased by the state the company steadily increased the number of employees, adding about 300 employees a week with strict social distancing, masking, cleaning, and other mitigation measures.

There are about 3,700 employees on the site as of now. There had been more than 8,000 before the pandemic.

Wolf yanks virus funding from rebellious county
By MICHAEL RUBINKAM and MARC LEVY Associated Press
HARRISBURG, Pa. (AP) — Pennsylvania Gov. Tom Wolf has followed through on his threat to yank COVID-19 funding from a county that defied his shutdown orders. Wolf withheld millions in funding from Lebanon County, where local Republican leaders voted in mid-May to lift pandemic restrictions in defiance of the Democratic governor.  Meanwhile, his administration targeted bars, restaurants and large gatherings statewide Thursday in an effort to prevent a wider resurgence of the virus that officials say could jeopardize students’ return to school. The state’s largest teachers union asked Wolf to order schools to plan for online-only instruction, citing mounting concern among educators and parents about the “significant health risks” posed by sending kids back to the classroom.

Wolf Administration: Hazard Pay Grants Now Available for Front-Line Workers in Life-Sustaining Industries 

Harrisburg, PA – Today, Governor Tom Wolf announced the availability of $50 million in grant funding to help employers provide hazard pay to employees in life-sustaining occupations during the COVID-19 pandemic. Hazard pay is intended to keep front-line employees working in vital industry sectors across Pennsylvania.

“In the fight against COVID-19, our front-line workers have put themselves at risk every day in order to continue to provide life-sustaining services to their fellow Pennsylvanians, and this funding will increase their pay in recognition of those sacrifices,” said Gov. Wolf. “These grants will help businesses retain employees, ensure that Pennsylvanians keep working and avoid disruption of critical goods and services.”

Created through the federal Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act, this reimbursement-based grant is available to employers offering hazard pay during the eligible program period and will be administered by the Department of Community and Economic Development (DCED). Businesses may apply for grants up to a maximum of $3 million.

The following applicants are eligible to apply:

• Businesses
• Healthcare Non-profits
• Public Transportation Agencies
• Certified Economic Development Organizations (CEDO)

Eligible Pennsylvania-based industries include:

• Healthcare and Social Assistance
• Ambulatory Health Care Services
• Hospitals
• Nursing and Residential Care Facilities
• Transit and Ground Passenger Transportation
• Food Manufacturing
• Food Retail Facilities
• Security Services for eligible industries listed above and commercial industries that were not closed as a result of the Governor’s Business Closure Order
• Janitorial Services to Buildings and Dwellings

Grant funds may be used for hazard pay for direct, full-time and part-time employees earning less than $20/hour, excluding fringe benefits and overtime for the 10-week period from August 16, 2020, to October 24, 2020. Applicants may apply for up to $1,200 per eligible full-time equivalent (FTE) employee. Employers may apply for a grant to provide hazard pay for up to 500 eligible full-time equivalent employees per location.

Eligible applicants may apply for grants using the online DCED Electronic Single Application for Assistance located at www.esa.dced.state.pa.us from July 16, 2020, to July 31, 2020. Program inquiries may be directed to (717) 787-6245 or ra-dcedcbf@pa.gov.

“An essential component of the spending plan we passed this spring was the use of available federal money to provide extra hazard pay for workers who are doing the most dangerous jobs,” said House Democratic Leader Frank Dermody (D- Allegheny, Westmoreland). “Today’s announcement shows we are serious about keeping that commitment and I urge all the employers who qualify for these grants to apply now.”

“Front-line workers in many workplaces have been praised during this pandemic, including thousands of transit workers who drive, clean and maintain our buses and trains,” said state Rep. Mike Carrol (D- Lackawanna, Luzerne), Democratic chairman of the House Transportation Committee. “They’ve earned more than just good words. They deserve better pay for the risky work that they are continuing to do every day.”

“This grant program will put $50 million in CARES Act dollars into the pockets of Pennsylvania’s lowest-paid front-line workers, who risked their families’ health and safety to keep us fed, care for our children and elderly, and help fellow front-line workers get to and from work,” said state Sen. Maria Collett (D- Bucks, Montgomery), Democratic chairwoman of the Senate Aging and Youth Committee. “I am especially glad to see that Governor Wolf and DCED considered my input and included actual risk and local prevalence of COVID as evaluation criteria.”

“Front-line essential workers are the backbone of our economy, and they have been working in dangerous, sometimes deadly, conditions. They are putting themselves and their families at risk from COVID-19 on a daily basis and their wages should reflect that risk,” said state Sen. Lindsey Williams (D-Allegheny), Democratic chairwoman of the Senate Community, Economic and Recreational Development Committee. “Many of these workers didn’t sign up for life-threatening work, so I’m pleased that the Hazard Pay Grant Program will assist employers in compensating them more fairly for the newfound dangers that they face.”

For the most up-to-date information on COVID-19, Pennsylvanians should follow https://www.pa.gov/guides/responding-to-covid-19/.

Harrisburg, PA – Pennsylvania Department of Health Secretary Dr. Rachel Levine and Education Secretary Pedro Rivera today jointly announced updated guidance to help Pre-K to 12 schools prepare to reopen and safely educate students for in-person learning. Each school entity will determine if classes resume in person at school buildings, remotely or a combination of both options

“Our goal is to ensure a safe return to school for students, educators and staff by following best practices to mitigate the spread of the virus, including wearing face coverings and maintaining social distancing,” Secretary of Health Dr. Rachel Levine said. “In those instances when someone tests positive, public health staff from the department will immediately assist the school with risk assessment, isolation and quarantine recommendations, and other infection control recommendations.”

The guidance represents endorsed best public health practices related to social distancing, face coverings, hand hygiene, and cleaning and disinfecting in school settings. It also outlines how to accommodate individuals with disabilities or chronic conditions, procedures for monitoring symptoms, and responding to confirmed or probable cases of COVID-19 in the school community.

“The health and safety of students, teachers and staff must be paramount as schools prepare for the upcoming school year,” said Secretary of Education Pedro A. Rivera. “The Department of Education has been focused on supporting schools with resources and best practices to help school leaders make informed decisions within their local contexts and in response to evolving conditions.”

The best practice recommendations for schools outlined by the departments of Health and Education include:

• Masks must be worn by students and staff at school and on the bus as required by the order signed by Sec. of Health Dr. Levine on July 1, with some exceptions. Masks can be removed to eat or drink.
• Students or caregivers should do a daily symptom screening before leaving for school.
• Students, teachers and other staff are strongly encouraged to follow social distancing throughout the day with 6 feet of separation between desks and other seating.
• If possible, hold classes in gyms, auditoriums, other large spaces or outdoors, where physical distancing can be maintained.
• Student seating should be facing in the same direction.
• Limit student interactions by staggering class times, creating one-way walking patterns in hallways, and, when feasible, keeping students in a classroom and rotating teachers instead.
• For breakfast and lunch, consider serving individually packaged meals in classrooms and avoid across-the-table seating.  If meals are served in a cafeteria, sit students at least 6 feet apart.
• Limit the number of students on playgrounds at one time and encourage social distancing.
• Encourage the use of virtual gatherings, events, and extracurricular activities.

The guidance released today provides a list of best practices for schools to consider before the start of in-person classes.

The guidance for school sports is unchanged. Coaches, athletes, and spectators must wear masks unless they can maintain 6 feet of separation outdoors. Athletes can remove masks during a workout or competition.

Today’s guidance builds on the Pennsylvania Department of Education’s preliminary guidance issued June 3 outlining steps schools must take before they may resume in-person instruction.

The preliminary guidance requires school districts, charter schools, regional charter schools, cyber charter schools, career and technical centers and intermediate units to develop a health and safety plan. The plans must be approved by the school’s governing body and made available on the school’s public website before bringing students and staff back to campus. Nonpublic schools are strongly encouraged to create plans tailored to their unique needs and post them on their websites.

The Wolf Administration stresses the role Pennsylvanians play in helping to reduce the spread of COVID-19:

• Wash your hands with soap and water for at least 20 seconds or use hand sanitizer if soap and water are not available.
• Cover any coughs or sneezes with your elbow, not your hands.
• Clean surfaces frequently.
• Stay home to avoid spreading COVID-19, especially if you are unwell.
• If you must go out for a life-sustaining reason, please wear a mask.

Updated Coronavirus Links: Press Releases, State Lab Photos, Graphics

• Daily COVID-19 Report
• Press releases regarding coronavirus
• Latest information on the coronavirus
• Photos of the state’s lab in Exton (for download and use)
• Coronavirus and preparedness graphics (located at the bottom of the page)
• Community preparedness and procedures materials
• Map with the number of COVID-19 cases

All Pennsylvania residents are encouraged to sign up for AlertPA, a text notification system for health, weather, and other important alerts like COVID-19 updates from commonwealth agencies. Residents can sign up online at www.ready.pa.gov/BeInformed/Signup-For-Alerts.

For more information about Pennsylvania’s education policies and programs please visit the Department of Education’s website or follow PDE on Facebook, Twitter, or Pinterest.