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WILKES-BARRE &mdash; The Pennsylvania Senate Wednesday approved a comprehensive $912 million relief package to help restaurants, schools, employers, and tenants impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic.
				Senate Bill 109 allocates $569.8 million for Rental and Utility Assistance, $197 million for education programs, and $145 million to support Pennsylvania&rsquo;s struggling hospitality industry.
				Sen. Lisa Baker, R-Lehman Township, and Sen. John Yudichak, I-Swoyersville, voted for the amendment.
				Baker said the Commonwealth continues to be faced with extensive challenges as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic.
				&ldquo;Constituents continually voice to me their valid frustrations with the response to the pandemic, and the need for more assistance,&rdquo; Baker said. &ldquo;Senate Bill 109 takes a positive step towards helping restaurants, schools, employers, and others who are struggling. This relief package will not solve all the problems created over the last year, but it does take into account the concerns that many individuals have expressed.&rdquo;
				Baker added that while Senate Bill 109 will offer assistance to many, it is by no means the final word.
				&ldquo;As we begin to look at priorities for the upcoming state budget for the 2021-2022 fiscal year, we must continue to monitor and evaluate the need for more support within our communities,&rdquo; Baker said.
				Sen. John Yudichak, I-Swoyersville, also voted for the measure. He said Pennsylvania families and Pennsylvania small businesses are still suffering through the COVID-19 pandemic and deserve the full, unwavering support of their government.
				&ldquo;Supporting workers who have lost their jobs, investing in our children&rsquo;s education, and getting our businesses back on the path to economic recovery are all essential elements of helping Pennsylvania get beyond the pandemic,&rdquo; Yudichak said.
				Senate Bill 109 will now go to the House of Representatives for consideration.
				Toohil, Carroll, Pashinski, Boback support
				Rep. Tarah Toohil, R-Butler Township, said she supports the bill.
				&ldquo;I do support this,&rdquo; Toohil said. &ldquo;The people of Pennsylvania are facing a deep financial need that is unprecedented for our time. The negative impact of COVID-19 will continue for years to come.&rdquo;
				Toohil said the bill was voted in the affirmative by every member of the Senate in every political party, Independent, Republican, and Democrat.
				&ldquo;This is good non-partisan work which will infuse our struggling small businesses and restaurants with much needed dollars,&rdquo; Toohil said. &ldquo;I look forward to voting on this in the state House.&rdquo;
				Rep. Mike Carroll, D-Avoca, said he expects overwhelming support in both the Senate and House to approve this critical financial relief to schools and the hospitality industry among others.
				&ldquo;This is another important step taken by the federal and state governments to help meet the challenges of the pandemic,&rdquo; Carroll said. &ldquo;I&rsquo;m hopeful more aggressive vaccine production and distribution combined with these efforts moves us ever closer to a safe return to our pre-pandemic lives.
				Rep. Eddie Day Pashinski, D-Wilkes-Barre, also supports the bill, saying he hopes it will be passed swiftly.
				&ldquo;This legislation will help some of those most hurt by the COVID-19 pandemic by providing assistance for renters, utility customers, our educators and students, and the hospitality industry,&rdquo; Pashinski said. &ldquo;The pandemic has put people and businesses in dire financial situations through no fault of their own, and it&rsquo;s our job in government to step up and provide the resources to keep people in their homes, businesses running, and educating our children.&rdquo;
				Rep. Karen Boback, R-Harveys Lake, said throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, health and safety as well as economic recovery have always been in the forefront, along with slowing the spread of the coronavirus.
				&ldquo;With the unanimous passage of Senate Bill 109, I look forward to supporting its tenets as a member of the House of Representatives,&rdquo; Boback said. &ldquo;Keeping people safe, funding our schools and restoring our economy is what we have been committed to doing and with the passage of this bill, the House will continue the quest.&rdquo;
				About SB-109
				Federal funding for rental and utility assistance would be proportionally distributed to counties based on their population. The conditions set under Senate Bill 109 for the program are to ensure the funding is used prudently and responsibly with the intention of providing a financial safety net for tenants and landlords.
				Funding for the Rental and Utility Assistance program would be provided by federal coronavirus stimulus money as part of H.R. 133 &mdash; Consolidated Appropriations Act 2021.
				The $197 million for education, which is also supported by federal funding, would be used to create a $150 million competitive grant program under the Department of Education to assist non-public schools that have been impacted by the pandemic and have not received government assistance.
				The remaining $47 million would provide: $17.5 million for Career and Technical Centers; $17.5 million for Intermediate Units; $7.075 million for charter schools for the deaf and blind and approved private schools; and, $5 million for the State System of Higher Education to support its restructuring initiative.
				The third component in the sweeping relief package would transfer $145 million from the Workers&rsquo; Compensation Security Fund to the COVID-19 Response Restricted Account to provide county block grants to assist the hospitality industry, including restaurants, bars and hotels.
				Grants would be provided in increments of $5,000 up to $50,000. Grants may not be used to pay for the same operating expenses already covered by a federal PPP loan or the state&rsquo;s prior $225 million Small Business Assistance Program.

Pa. Senate passes $912 million COVID relief package