Kosierowski COVID-19 worker protection bill unanimously passes House

Rep. Bridget M. Kosierowski    April 30, 2020 | 3:19 PM

HARRISBURG, April 30 – A bill that would protect Pennsylvania’s food supply chain workers amid the COVID-19 pandemic unanimously passed the House today, according to prime sponsor Rep. Bridget M. Kosierowski, D-Lackawanna.

“If our hardworking food packing and processing workers contract COVID-19, that can create a serious disruption of available food for families to put on their tables,” Kosierowski said. “I am pleased to see my colleagues working in a bipartisan way to recognize the seriousness of this issue and voting not only to protect our food processing workers, but also to ensure our food supply will also be protected.”

Her legislation would create a Food Establishment Pandemic Disease Remediation Cost Reimbursement Grant Program within the state Department of Agriculture to help food packers and processors pay for personal protective equipment for workers, physical barriers to help protect workers, the cost of hand washing stations, enhanced sanitation efforts and medical monitoring such as temperature checks of employees.

House Bill 2435 now heads to the state Senate for consideration.

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