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Gov. Wolf, Dr. Levine appeal ruling that Pa. COVID-19 restrictions were unconstitutional

HARRISBURG, Pa. — Pennsylvania Gov. Tom Wolf and Department of Health Sec. Dr. Rachel Levine have filed an appeal against a judge’s ruling that some COVID-19 restrictions were unconstitutional.

The appeal is also against the judge’s decision on Tuesday to deny a stay.

In a Sept. 14 ruling, the judge said the actions of Wolf and Levine were taken with “good intention of addressing a public health emergency,” but they were unconstitutional. That ruling was made on a lawsuit filed by Butler, Fayette, Greene and Washington counties.

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The lawsuit was directed at the state’s business closure order and the stay-at-home orders issued in March, as well as the indoor and outdoor gathering limitations.

Wolf previously said an appeal would be filed, saying the actions he and other state officials took in the early stages of the pandemic were “necessary to keep people safe before we had the resources to reopen safely.”

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