BOSTON — The state legislature passed a $101-million COVID-19 supplemental-spending bill on Thursday, which is a $46-million increase since the bill was first introduced last week.
The bill will now go before Gov. Charlie Baker, who will decide if he will sign it in its current form.
State Sen. Brendan Crighton (D-Lynn) said this bill provides much-needed supplies to teachers, students and health-care workers, and the state must “continue to allocate resources to fight this ongoing pandemic.”
From the funding, $75 million will be used for additional masks, testing, and improving vaccine equity for communities disproportionately impacted by the pandemic and other high-risk populations such as children, individuals experiencing homelessness, and frontline workers.
“As the data trends in the right direction, communities like Lynn are still not out of the woods in respect to COVID infections and economic recovery,” said state Rep. Daniel Cahill (D-Lynn). “These funds will go a long way in assuring progress made in the fight against COVID is maintained and businesses are supported.”
“As we approach the two-year mark since the pandemic began, it is important that the commonwealth continue to invest in widespread testing, masks, and vaccination,” added state Rep. Peter Capano (D-Lynn). “This supplemental COVID-19 spending bill will allow us to direct resources to frontline workers and to families and communities who have suffered the most these past two years.”
The remaining $25 million will be used to replenish the COVID-19 Massachusetts Emergency Paid Sick Leave Program that was formed last year, with $1 million being set aside to help fund a public-information campaign to educate people on unemployment insurance-benefits overpayments.
House Minority Leader Bradley H. Jones Jr. said this supplemental-spending bill addresses many of the state’s critical COVID-related needs.
“The funding allocated in this bill will be used to expand access to testing and vaccinations, while also supplying protective masks to our schools, nursing homes, home health aides, and others, to help contain the spread of the virus and keep residents safe,” Jones said.
State Rep. Jessica Giannino, of Revere, said these resources will be instrumental in combating the effects of this pandemic.
“There has been a massive strain put on the health and economic well-being of the commonwealth. Massachusetts residents deserve these provisions to preserve their health and quality of life,” Giannino said.
The bill also extends some previously established COVID-emergency policies, including allowing for remote public meetings and other services.
