Burns calls on legislature to immediately meet to override governor’s veto of high school sports spectator bill
Lawmaker said House should meet this week so parents can be in stands Friday
Rep. Frank Burns September 21, 2020 | 8:08 PM
EBENSBURG, Sept. 21 – Minutes after hearing the governor had vetoed legislation that would allow local schools to decide whether sports and extra-curricular activities resume in person and to determine crowd limits at those events, state Rep. Frank Burns called on the House to convene this week and vote to override the governor’s veto.
“The legislature should be called back into session this week to override the governor’s veto so parents can watch their child play Friday night,” Burns said. “Once again the governor is pushing a one-size-fits-all approach to decisions that can be best made in local communities. This bill passed with broad bipartisan support, and it is past time that the governor listened to the people of Pennsylvania.”
Currently, schools must abide by the state’s guidance when it comes to allowing fans at sporting events, which limits crowds to 250 or less outdoors and 25 or less indoors. House Bill 2787 passed the House on Sept. 2, 155-47. The House is not scheduled to return to Harrisburg until Sept. 29.
Since the start of the pandemic, Burns has consistently voted and advocated to balance the safety of workers and families with the need to allow businesses to safely reopen. He voted 30 times to open local businesses, including five times to end the governor's shutdown. He has also consistently and publicly questioned the administration about its response and pressed for more details on the metrics used in making decisions about reopening Pennsylvania’s economy.