Coronavirus In Pennsylvania: Businesses Have More Questions After Gov. Tom Wolf Signs Legislation To Jump-Start Industries
PITTSBURGH (KDKA) -- Governor Tom Wolf is easing restrictions on several industries amid the coronavirus pandemic.
Gov. Wolf announced Monday small steps like lifting restrictions on online car sales, reopening some state stores for curbside pick-up and allowing construction to resume on May 8.
Meanwhile, he signed Senate Bill 841 to help jump start some of those businesses.
Some changes in the bill prompted more questions from business owners.
"We applied for the waiver that a lot of people tried to get. But unfortunately, we were declined," said Jeff Farone with L&W Automotive.
Farone said their dealership shut down in mid-March after Wolf deemed all car dealership sales non-essential, but now SB 841 would allow online car sales.
"They gave us a list of online notaries to sign up with, which we did," Farone said.
That was on April 8th and so far they've received no response.
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"Nor have we gotten any directions from the state of Pennsylvania on what selling online is and how we can do that the right way," Farone said.
According to the bill, you can order a car online, but Farone said most dealerships don't have the tools to do that, like access to online notaries.
"We don't know how you'd do that, so I guess our customers don't know how they would do that, either. So we want more information," Farone said.
Governor Wolf also discussed the slow reopening of several other industries in the coming weeks.
"Beginning May 8, we will allow for limited construction statewide again with strict guidelines for social distancing," Wolf said.
Construction companies tell KDKA they did not get a copy of those guidelines.
In order to prepare, they say more information is needed from the state.
SB 841 will also allow local governments to have remote public meetings, plus late fees and penalties for property taxes will be waived if paid by the end of the year.
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