During a Senate Veterans Affairs & Emergency Preparedness Committee meeting, Senator Lisa Baker speaks in support of Senate Bill 2, legislation that would limit the length of a Governor’s emergency declaration to 30 days unless approved for a longer duration by the General Assembly. The bill also would amend the Pennsylvania Constitution to prohibit the denial of equal rights based on race or ethnicity. The change would bring the state Constitution into line with the equal protections afforded by the U.S. Constitution.
The measure mirrors Senate Bill 1166 of 2020, which passed both the Senate and House. If Senate Bill 2 is approved by both chambers without amendments during the 2021-22 legislative session, the Constitutional amendments would then be placed on the ballot for voters to approve or reject.