HARRISBURG — The state Health Department relaxed its restriction on allowing spectators at scholastic sports hours before the state House passed legislation that would do the same thing but give schools greater autonomy in determining how many spectators should be permitted.

The new guidance allows spectators but retains the cap on 250 people at outside gatherings and limits indoor gatherings to 25 people. Spectators along with participants, coaches and staff would all be included in the crowd-size limit.

House Bill 2787, which passed by a vote of 155-47, would give school districts the authority to determine whether to offer scholastic sports and dictate that they can allow spectators if local officials determine it’s safe.

The measure enjoyed bipartisan support and lawmakers on Wednesday said the measure is still necessary because it would allow schools to permit more spectators than the Health Department’s order does.

The state’s move came amidst mounting pressure from lawmakers on both sides of the aisle pushing back against the ban on spectators with the beginning of fall football just around the corner.

Democrats said that they’ve been flooded with complaints from constituents upset at the thought that parents wouldn’t be allowed to attend fall sports.

“I’m hearing from people I’ve never heard from before,” said state Rep. Chris Sainato, D-Lawrence County. Sainato said he believes that school districts should be able to provide enough social distancing protections at sport events to make it safe for spectators even at indoor events like volleyball games.

Sainato was one of 46 Democrats who joined all of the Republicans in the House in supporting the measure. House Democratic Leader Frank Dermody, D-Allegheny County, also voted in favor of the bill.

The change is the latest in a dramatic series of shifts that began last month when Health Secretary Dr. Rachel Levine said the state was crafting guidance on whether spectators would be allowed at school sports only to have Gov. Tom Wolf, when asked about that guidance, announce that he was calling for scholastic sports to be postponed until January.

The Pennsylvania Interscholastic Athletic Association postponed the start of fall sports to try to negotiate an agreement with Wolf on allowing scholastic sports. Wolf declined to back down, but said he was leaving it up to local schools to decide whether to offer sports or not.

Until Wednesday however, the Health Department’s guidance banning spectators remained in place. The updated guidance notes that the state is still “strongly recommending” that schools postpone spots.

State Rep. Mike Reese, R-Somerset County, was the author of the legislation.

Reese said the governor’s move to allow local schools to determine how they should reopen for classes “makes sense.”

However, he said the governor’s call for a “one-size-fits-all” approach for scholastic sports doesn’t make sense and “it certainly scared every one of our school districts.”

State Rep. Jim Struzzi, R-Indiana County, said the state’s move to allow some spectators is a welcome shift.

“Imagine scoring a touchdown and looking into the stands and not being allowed to see your parents,” he said.

But schools should have greater flexibility to determine how many spectators can attend scholastic sporting events, Struzzi said.

Extra year

The state House also voted to allow families to opt-in to get their children an extra year of school if the parents feel that the district didn’t provide sufficient education due to mitigation efforts prompted by the pandemic.

State Rep. Jesse Topper, R-Westmoreland County, said the legislation would provide the option to families whether the school goes fully-remote, or adopts a hybrid measure that includes some in-person schooling.

Topper said even if local school officials want to argue that they’ve provided an adequate education, parents would still be able to demand the extra year if they think it’s necessary.

Democrats questioned how much of an impact the legislation could have on schools.

If large numbers of families seek the extra year, it will create problems for schools, a problem aggravated by disparity in wealth between districts, said state Rep. Maureen Madden, R-Monroe.

“I hope we will address the inequitable funding” for schools, Madden said.

State Rep. Stan Saylor, R-York County, said schools that provide adequate education shouldn’t be hit with a flood of requests for the extra year.

“It depends whether our school boards and superintendents do the job they are supposed to do. They’ve had six months to get ready,” Saylor said.