PRLA Restaurant & Lodging Matters Spring 2021

24 • PENNSYLVANIA RESTAURANT & LODGING matters • Spring 2021 LEGISLATIVE CORNER STATE LOCAL FEDERAL State Items MITIGATION The Wolf Administration announced in early May that it would be lifting all mitigation orders except for mask wearing on May 31. The administration continued that masks would be required until 70 percent of eligible Pennsylvanians were vaccinated. The announcement comes on the heels of similar announcements by our neighbors in New Jersey, Delaware, Connecticut, and New York. LEGISLATIVE PRIORITIES The PRLA Policy Committee met in April to review and update the association’s three-year plan to reflect the impact of the pandemic on our short-, mid-range-, and long-term goals. TAXES In mid-April, Governor Wolf signed legislation to align the annual state corporate tax deadline with the federal tax deadline of May 17, 2021. The law also gives the Pennsylvania departments of Revenue and Community & Economic Development the ability to deal with state taxation while the COVID-19 disaster declaration is in effect. CHIRP GRANTS PRLA worked with elected officials to establish a $145 million grant program specifically for hospitality and tourism businesses. The COVID-19 Hospitality Industry Recovery Program (CHIRP) opened in mid-March and was administered at the county level, with grants ranging between $5,000 and $50,000. While some counties exhausted their funding allotment almost immediately, other counties are still accepting applications through June. PRLA LIQUOR PRIORITIES ON THE MOVE The following PRLA liquor priorities are moving through the legislative process: • HB 427 (Pyle): Increases the licensee discount to 15 percent for three years after the conclusion of the disaster declaration. Voted out of the Senate Law & Justice Committee and awaits consideration by the full Senate. • HB 425 (Dowling): Allows a licensee to sell unused wine and spirits if they close permanently. Further, it allows licensees to expand their outdoor seating area to a non-contiguous area and allows holders of an off-premise catering permit to have unlimited events and not be subject to the five-hour time limit or renewal fee until December 31, 2022. Finally, the bill ensures safe-keeping fees will not be assessed until 2023. Voted out of the Senate Law & Justice Committee and awaits consideration by the full Senate. • SB 566 (Regan): Allows licenses that do not receive a bid from the current statewide “dead” license auction to be auctioned via a statewide auction. It also eliminates the requirement that a winning bid needs to be deposited within an escrow account within two weeks and allows the winning bidder to have six months to secure funds. Voted out of the Senate Law & Justice Committee and awaits consideration by the full Senate. • HB 1154 (Masser): Would permanently allow bars and restaurants to sell mixed drinks-to-go. Amended in the House Liquor Control Committee to carve out grocery and convenience stores and voted out of committee. Now it awaits consideration by the full House. PRLA’S COVID PRIORITIES PRLA’s government affairs team will continue to focus on our remaining COVID-19 recovery priorities over the next three months which include additional funding and expansion for CHIRP, tourism funding, ensuring businesses aren’t penalized with higher rates for unemployment, and focusing on getting employees back to work. OTHER PRLA LEGISLATIVE PRIORITIES ON THE MOVE • The House Commerce Committee moved several bills out of committee in early May: » HB 878 (Struzzi): Would create a grant program for entertainment venues. » HB 537 (Ciresi): Would create a grant program for small businesses.