State Lawmakers Push for Lawn & Garden and Pet Groomers to Reopen

By Christen Smith/The Center Square

HARRISBURG – Lawn and garden centers and pet groomers have gotten some legislative support as bills to reopen both businesses received some bipartisan backing.

The House Agriculture and Rural Affairs Committee on Monday endorsed House Bills 2429 and 2436 mostly along party lines, with three Democrats signaling support for the former plan to reopen lawn and garden centers and just one agreeing with Republicans on the latter to release pet groomers from the shutdown mandate implemented March 23.

Rep. Russ Diamond, R-Lebanon, sponsored HB 2429 in response to growing concern over the availability of food as the pandemic stretches through prime planting and growing seasons.

“This has been done in Michigan. This has been done in Vermont. This has been done in Illinois during this crisis and also Rhode Island,” he said. “Opening up lawn and garden centers as long as they can conform to social distancing and all the other things that ‘life sustaining’ businesses are doing. For me, this is about food bearing plants and creating an alternative food supply chain that’s very, very critical right now.”

Majority Chairman Rep. Martin Causer, R-McKean, said that keeping locally-owned garden centers closed means residents lack the opportunity to grow their own food and subjects them to the weaknesses in the food supply chain.

“The governor’s business closure order deemed garden centers nonessential, but big box stores that also sell ‘essential’ supplies have continued to sell garden products,” he said. “The order put our small businesses in many sectors at a disadvantage when their smaller scale operations would be more conducive to public health and safety guidelines.”

Pet groomers – like veterinarians, Causer said – also provide a service that’s essential to maintaining the health and well-being of animals.

“Having pets properly groomed is an animal health issue, as matted fur can lead to skin irritation and infection,” he said. “There is no reason pet groomers cannot resume providing this essential service in a safe manner.”

Democrats on the committee largely opposed both measures, but didn’t comment as to why. The minority party has repeatedly criticized similar bills that push for business reopenings against the guidance of the Department of Health and the mandate set by Gov. Tom Wolf last month.

Wolf said the state will implement loosened restrictions on construction sites, private campgrounds, marinas, golf courses and guided fishing tours beginning May 1. He’s remained committed to the other closures, however, despite complaints that the order is too restrictive to maintain.