~ Submitted by Rep. Ken Gordon (D-Bedford)
The Massachusetts House of Representatives unanimously passed an appropriations bill on Wednesday that includes funding for critical COVID-19 response needs. The supplementary budget would provide $55 million to address the ongoing needs of communities throughout the Commonwealth related to COVID-19, including:
- $30 million will be allocated for the establishment and expansion of COVID-19 testing sites, with at least $5 million dedicated to expanding vaccination rates among children ages 5 to 11 in communities that have been disproportionately affected by the virus.
- $25 million would be designated for purchasing and distributing high-quality personal protective masks for children and faculty in elementary and secondary public school districts.
“I was proud to support the important funding in this bill,” said Representative Gordon. “This commitment from the Commonwealth will provide needed assistance to our communities, our students, and our teachers as we continue to navigate through this difficult time”.
In addition to the bill’s funding provisions, the bill also includes important expansions of COVID-19 policies designed to ease the burden of COVID-19 on businesses and municipal governments. Among these provisions is an amendment filed by Representative Ken Gordon (D-Bedford) that would extend the authorization for municipalities to hold representative town meeting remotely through July 15, 2022.
Other provisions of the bill include:
- Authorization to conduct public meetings remotely through July 15, 2022
- Authorization to conduct remote notarization through July 15, 2022
- Extends authority to public corporations and non-profit entities to hold Board meetings remotely
- Reschedules statewide primary date to September 6, 2022, to ensure compliance with federal law for ballots sent to military and overseas voters
The bill now moves to the Senate for consideration.
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