Can the HAT relay IO state be read in multiple python programs

I’m using a automation hat to monitor moisture level in a planter. When it gets dry a pump is turned on. All is done in a python program. I tried to use a second python program to read the state of the relay that is driving the pump so I can send that state to my openHab program but it never sees an active relay (.is_on() always returns a false). If I run .is_on() in same python program that turns on the relay, it works as expected.

This tells me that the pimoroni library is not saving the state of the relays in a global sense. Anyone know if this is the truth or am I missing something about the library and python?
Thanksinadvance, JimB