(Commonwealth of Pennsylvania)HARRISBURG, Pa. - The Republican-controlled Legislature on Wednesday completed the first step in lawmakers' drive to amend Pennsylvania's constitution and strip future governors of some of their authority under emergency declarations.The Senate approved it, 33-17, a day after the House.The measure arises from Republican lawmakers' strident disagreement with how Gov.
Tom Wolf, a Democrat, has handled the coronavirus pandemic in Pennsylvania.It is packaged with a provision, inserted by Democrats, that guarantees equal rights under the law, regardless of race or ethnicity, although constitutional law professors say it will have little practical effect because courts already consider such discrimination to violate.