Pennsylvania’s 15th opioid disaster declaration to be the last, lawmakers say
(The Center Square) – Legislators will not extend Pennsylvania Gov. Tom Wolf’s opioid disaster declaration when it expires Aug. 26, leaders from the House and Senate said Thursday.
House Speaker Bryan Cutler, R-Quarryville, and Senate President Pro Tempore Jake Corman, R-Bellefonte, sent a letter to the governor promising legislative action to further combat the ongoing opioid crisis in the state instead.
They pointed to more than a dozen bills enacted since 2016 that tackle the state’s response to rising overdose deaths and made assurances about a joint “commitment to continuing our vital work in the weeks, months and year ahead.”
Wolf signed the latest order Wednesday, the 15th declaration since January 2018. In a letter to leaders last week, he wanted the General Assembly to cut its summer recess short and reconvene in time to renew the declaration before it expired Aug. 26.
Lawmakers must approve disaster declarations that extend beyond 21 days per a constitutional amendment adopted during the May primary election.
The House isn’t set to return to session until Sept. 27. The Senate is scheduled for Sept. 20.
Without action, the administration worries the state’s Prescription Drug Monitoring Program (PDMP) will no longer be as accessible to the agencies that use it to prevent over-prescribing or mixing of medications that could be fatal for patients.
The governor said the pandemic only has worsened the struggle for residents with addiction use disorders. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported a 26% increase in overdoses nationwide, while preliminary data shows Pennsylvania’s own rate climbed 16% in 2020 – the second-deadliest year behind 2017.
“The experts tell us that there is massive lingering trauma from this pandemic that will continue to manifest itself in mental health needs, physical health needs, and substance use challenges,” Wolf said.
A spokesperson for the House Republican Caucus told The Center Square that issues with the PDMP and others may be better addressed through legislation instead of extensions of emergency orders.
Cutler and Corman didn’t specifically mention the monitoring program in their joint letter but invited the governor to provide his “specific recommendations” so the Legislature can continue its “collaborative work.”
“We agree this epidemic has not gone away, but rather, remains as a more critical issue as ever as we move our Commonwealth forward, past the COVID-19 pandemic,” the leaders said.
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