Starting this week, grocery stores will now be allowed to operate at 50 percent of maximum permitted occupancy, an increase from the 40 percent permitted previously. A temporary ban on reusable bags in stores has also been lifted and municipalities with plastic bag bans may resume enforcement of those bans. The updated retail safety standards for…
Late last week, the Massachusetts Department of Public Health (DPH) announced that eastern equine encephalitis (EEE) virus has been detected in mosquitoes in Massachusetts for the first time this year. The presence of EEE was confirmed by the Massachusetts State Public Health Laboratory in a mosquito sample collected on July 1 in the community of Orange…
This week, the Massachusetts House of Representatives passed An Act relative to accountability for vulnerable children and families, which strengthens the laws ensuring the safety and well-being of the Commonwealth’s youngest and most at-risk residents. Recent reports from Department of Children and Families (DCF) show that reports of child abuse to the DCF have declined…
Today, Governor Baker announced the launch of free COVID-19 testing sites in eight communities from July 10 to August 14 to help stop the spread of COVID-19. This “Stop the Spread” initiative is a data-driven effort to reduce the prevalence of COVID-19 in communities that are above the state average in total cases and positive…
As the Commonwealth moves into Phase III of the reopening plan, businesses should take care to stay in compliance with the Mandatory Safety Standards for Workplaces. These standards apply universally to all reopening workplaces, and are designed to reduce the risk of COVID-19 transmission to employees and customers during the first phase of reopening, and…
Last week, the Massachusetts House of Representatives passed a bill that expands voter access and ensures voters have safe and secure voting options for all remaining 2020 elections, including the September 1, 2020 state primary and November 3, 2020 general election, in response to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. The legislation was signed by Governor Baker…
Today, Governor Baker announced that on July 6, Phase III of the Commonwealth’s reopening plan will begin and updates on gatherings will be in effect. For the City of Boston, Phase III and the gatherings order will take effect on Monday, July 13. The Department of Public Health (DPH) also issued updated guidance to mitigate the…
Today, households facing difficulty making housing payments may apply to access a new $20 million, statewide rent and mortgage assistance fund. The Emergency Rental and Mortgage Assistance (ERMA) program will provide direct funding to eligible households who have suffered financial hardship during the State of Emergency put in place to combat the spread of COVID-19. ERMA will…
Last week, I voted with my colleagues in the House of Representatives to pass a supplemental budget to facilitate federal CARES Act funding to reimburse communities hard-hit by COVID-19. This bill follows the April passage in Congress of the Federal CARES Act, which requires states to expend funds on items related to COVID-19 for federal…
Today, the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE) released initial guidance for school reopening this fall that prioritizes getting students safely back to school in person, following a comprehensive set of health and safety requirements. The Department is also requiring schools to create hybrid learning plans to teach students in-person and remotely on alternating schedules, and…
