Keystone Today

The Pa. Senate has recently approved a $912 million COVID-19 relief package which would include relief for the hospitality industry. 

The KDKA Radio Morning Show learned from Chuck Moran, the executive director of the Pennsylvania Licensed Beverage and Tavern Association, that the Senate had unanimously voted.

“While it includes a number of different items, one area that we're most interested in the bill is funding for grants," Moran told KDKA. "This is the $145 million that Gov. Wolf had moved over from workers' comp to help the industry."

The money will give a certain level of relief to struggling business owners. 

"When you spread it out, certainly it won't go far, but it's a start and we're grateful for it," Moran said. "It will help some establishments keep their heads above the water a little bit longer."

He added that members of the association, especially small businesses, are eagerly looking forward to the day that they will be able to open up and operate safely. 

“Our members need this critical funding now, and we thank the Senate for acting to help those in the industry who have been most impacted by prevention and mitigation orders during the pandemic,” Moran said in a statement. “But hopefully, this is just the start of the General Assembly helping the many mom and pop hospitality establishments that make up the backbone of every Pennsylvania town across the Commonwealth. We now urge the State House to quickly move SB 109, so that this desperately needed funding can be made available before more of these businesses are forced to close permanently.”