Applications for the Commonwealth’s Food Security Infrastructure Grants are now being accepted on a rolling basis through September 15, 2020. The goal of the Food Security Infrastructure Grant Program is to ensure that individuals and families throughout the Commonwealth have access to food, with a special focus on food that is produced locally and provides equitable access to…
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts will be allocating more than $50 million in federal CARES Act funds to benefit education in elementary and secondary schools, as well as colleges and universities. The funding will improve early literacy, expand remote learning opportunities, and cover costs associated with reopening certain schools and colleges, as well as boost financial…
Starting August 1st, all travelers entering the Commonwealth, including out of state residents, Massachusetts residents returning home, and students returning to campus, will be required to comply with a new travel order. All visitors and Massachusetts residents returning home must fill out a “Massachusetts Travel Form” and quarantine for 14 days unless they are coming…
I am pleased to report that this week, after two full days of debate, the House of Representatives passed the Economic Development Bill by a vote of 156 to 3. As the House Chair of the Committee on Economic Development and Emerging Technologies, it was my responsibility to draft the Economic Development Bill in committee…
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…
