HARRISBURG – A bill to update the procedures that ensure the continuity of Pennsylvania’s state government if a governor or lieutenant governor is unable to perform their duties was approved with unanimous support by the Senate State Government Committee today, according to Sen. Dave Argall (R-29).
“I hope these procedures will never be necessary; however, we must be prepared if tragedy strikes,” said Argall. “This 50-year-old, outdated law is our guide through the worst emergencies our state government could face and should be modernized.”
Argall introduced Senate Bill 460 after a review by the Senate State Government Committee found the Governor and Lieutenant Governor Disability Procedure Law, which was enacted in 1974, was applied differently in all three cases it was needed and contained antiquated language, including a reference to the telegram.
These procedures came into the spotlight in May of 2022 when Lt. Gov. John Fetterman underwent a pacemaker operation following a stroke. They previously were used in 1993, when Gov. Bob Casey underwent a rare heart-liver transplant, and in 2014, when Gov. Tom Corbett was anesthetized during surgery.
CONTACT: Jim Brugger