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Committee approves bill to allow remote work for certain vehicle sales finance employees
Summary
The Commerce Conference Committee voted to report House Bill 1860, which would permit certain sales finance employees to work remotely; sponsors plan a floor amendment to change a required "shall" to permissive "may."
House Commerce Conference Committee Chairman Lawrence on Oct. 7 said the panel would take up House Bill 1860, printers number 2303, which would allow certain sales finance employees to work remotely.
The bill, sponsored by Representative Salisbury and Representative Tordsick, seeks to make it easier for people who lack childcare or reliable transportation to seek employment in parts of Pennsylvania's motor vehicle sales finance industry by enabling remote work where appropriate.
Supporters said the bill reflects changes in work patterns since the COVID-19 pandemic, while some committee members objected that the current draft would mandate remote work rather than permit it.
"As we are in a post COVID world ... people have gotten more used to remote work being a normal part of life," Dara, committee staff member, told the panel in a brief summary of the bill. "This bill would simply make it a little bit easier for people to work remotely."
Representative Tordsick, a co-sponsor, told the committee she expects to offer an amendment on the House floor to change one word in the bill's language. "We're gonna change that 'licensee shall permit' to 'a licensee may permit,'" she said, adding that wording matters and the change will be raised on the floor rather than in committee.
A different committee member who reviewed the draft told the panel the bill as written appears to require employers to provide remote work, which he said was likely not the sponsors' intent. "The government should not be prohibiting individuals involved in motor vehicle sales finance from working remotely," the representative said, and added he would vote no in committee because of drafting concerns, though he expressed optimism a floor amendment could fix the language.
After debate, the committee held a roll-call vote. The ayes were 17 and the nays were 9; the committee reported the bill favorably to the House floor.
Committee members and staff said they expect the sponsors' floor amendment will alter the draft language from a mandatory to a permissive requirement. No final text of that amendment was considered by the committee; the change was described as planned for the next day's floor session.
The bill will now go to the full House for consideration with the filed amendment expected to be offered on the floor.
Votes at a glance: Committee report — Ayes 17, Nays 9.
