State lawmakers sent a $101 million coronavirus spending bill to Gov. Charlie Baker that would boost rapid test availability, youth vaccination education efforts and invest in higher-quality masks for teachers, and is nearly double what legislators first proposed.
The legislation grew by $46 million since it was first pitched, with additional dollars going to replenish the COVID-19 Paid Sick Leave Program and to support education campaigns about an unemployment overpayment waiver process.
“With this agreement, we support our ongoing pandemic response efforts by including $75 million for masks, rapid tests and vaccine equity efforts that support children, educators, front-line health care workers, small businesses, our most vulnerable populations and communities disproportionately impacted by this pandemic,” Ways and Means Co-Chairs Sen. Michael Rodrigues and Rep. Aaron Michlewitz announced on Thursday morning.
The bill also includes extensions to COVID-19-era emergency rules allowing remote notary services, public meetings, and reverse-mortgage counseling. And it moves the statewide primary election to Sept. 6.
The governor’s office said Baker would review the bill. Baker has 10 days to sign the bill, veto it or return the bill to the Legislature with an amendment.
“The bill before us today is a supplemental budget that provides for critical time sensitive supports against the pandemic, alongside a number of crucial pandemic related policy extensions,” Rodrigues said Thursday from the Senate floor. “Basically, in a nutshell, what this amendment before us does, it takes all the great work suggested by our friends in the House, it takes all the great work that we added, suggested by all of our members here in the Senate, and combines both of them.”
The bill earmarks $50 million to establish and expand COVID-19 testing at community health centers, regional vaccination clinics, urgent care centers, and other nonprofit organizations. Locations receiving money to add more testing must provide walk-up appointments, according to the bill text.
Lawmakers pitched the additional COVID spending bill at the height of the omicron wave as coronavirus case numbers hit record levels and hospitals filled to the brim.
Stay connected with us on social media platform for instant update click here to join our Twitter, & Facebook
We are now on Telegram. Click here to join our channel (@TechiUpdate) and stay updated with the latest Technology headlines.
For all the latest Health & Fitness News Click Here
