State and federal governments continue to address the medical and economic consequences the COVID-19 issue.

Here is a summary for employers. If you have questions regarding these or other public policy issues, please contact a member of the AIM Government Affairs Team.

November 30, 2021

Schedule

Tuesday November 30 

• Joint Committee on Veterans and Federal Affairs-Veteran Benefits-1:00pm-Virtual Hearing-https://malegislature.gov/Events/Hearings/Detail/4107
• Joint Committee on Transportation-Recreational and Specialty Vehicles-1:00pm-Virtual Hearing-https://malegislature.gov/Events/Hearings/Detail/4105

Wednesday December 1 

• Joint Committee on Public Safety and Homeland Security-Immigration-11:00am-Virtual Hearing-https://malegislature.gov/Events/Hearings/Detail/4104
• Joint Committee on Cannabis Policy-General Legislation-1:00pm-Virtual Hearing-https://malegislature.gov/Events/Hearings/Detail/4102

 

CDC Strengthens Booster Recommendation

Boston Globe – WASHINGTON (AP) — The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention broadened its recommendation for COVID-19 booster shots to include all adults because of the new Omicron variant. The agency had previously approved boosters for all adults, but only recommended them for those 50 years and older or living in long-term care settings.

 

“Everyone ages 18 and older should get a booster shot either when they are six months after their initial Pfizer or Moderna series or two months after their initial J&J vaccine,” CDC Director Dr. Rochelle Walensky said in a statement.

 

The CDC’s recommendation comes after President Biden Monday appealed to the roughly 80 million unvaccinated Americans aged 5 and up to get their shots, and for the rest of the country to seek out booster shots six months after their second dose. He also encouraged everyone to get back to wearing face masks in all indoor public settings — a pandemic precaution that has fallen out of use across much of the country.

 

When omicron arrives, and it will, Biden said, America will “face this new threat just as we’ve faced those that have come before it.”

Biden was joined by Dr. Anthony Fauci, the nation’s top infectious disease expert and the president’s COVID-19 adviser, who said earlier Monday that scientists hope to know in the next week or two how well the existing COVID-19 vaccines protect against the variant, and how dangerous it is compared to earlier strains.

 

“We really don’t know,” Fauci told ABC’s “Good Morning America,” calling speculation premature.

 

The new variant poses the latest test to Biden’s efforts to contain the pandemic, mitigate its impacts on the economy and return a sense of normalcy to the U.S. during the holiday season.

 

Moderna, Pfizer Fast-Track Study of Omicron Variant

 

Boston Herald – As the omicron variant has seized the world’s attention, crushing financial markets and grounding global travel, vaccine manufacturers are scrambling behind the scenes to make sure their shots still protect against the deadly virus, and make adjustments if they don’t.

 

“We should know about the ability of the current vaccine to provide protection in the next couple of weeks, but the remarkable thing about the mRNA vaccines’ Moderna platform is that we can move very fast,” Moderna’s Chief Medical Officer Paul Burton told the BBC on Sunday, noting the company has “mobilized hundreds” to research the new variant.

 

Executives at Pfizer, makers of the other mRNA vaccine, expect to know within two weeks if the variant is resistant to its current vaccine, but said they, too, would be able to respond quickly.

“Pfizer and BioNTech have taken actions months ago to be able to adapt the mRNA vaccine within six weeks and ship initial batches within 100 days in the event of an escape variant,” the company said in a statement.

Public health experts agree existing vaccines should provide at least some protection against the deadly virus and Gov. Charlie Baker seized the opportunity on Sunday to encourage residents to roll up their sleeves.

“If you’re not vaccinated, get vaccinated and if you’re eligible for a booster, get a booster. That’s your best protection,” Baker said, following a menorah lighting ceremony in Boston Common on Sunday evening.

Dr. Anthony Fauci, chief medical adviser to President Biden, also plugged vaccines during an interview on CBS’s “Face the Nation” on Sunday, saying they are the nation’s best hope for combatting a “potential” new COVID-19 wave.

Baker: State May Need to Up Booster-Shot Availability in Response to New Variant

WGBH – State, federal and municipal officials strategized in conversations throughout the weekend about how to address the new, highly mutated omicron variant of COVID-19, according to Gov. Charlie Baker.

Baker said his administration has been “in constant touch” with federal health officials and the White House and expects conversations to continue this week.

“There are three big questions,” Baker told GBH News in an interview Sunday. “The first is the transmissibility relative to previous variants. The second is the nature of the impact that it has on the people who get infected by it, which is a really important issue and a hard one for people to answer immediately. The third is, what’s the likely issue associated with this relative to the vaccines that are already available? And that question, I think, will be answered relatively quickly.”

Omicron, first discovered in South Africa earlier this month and declared a “variant of concern” by the World Health Organization on Friday, has increased the call nationwide for booster shots of COVID-19 vaccines, which officials from the National Institutes of Health describe as the best bet for tackling the spread of the new variant.

“If you’re not vaccinated, get vaccinated,” Baker told GBH News on Sunday. “And if you’re eligible for a booster, get a booster. That’s your best protection.”

Massachusetts Cash Hoard May Reshape Debate Around Income Surtax

 

Boston Globe – Massachusetts has nearly $5 billion in unspent federal stimulus dollars to spread to its residents. At least another $8 billion in aid is coming from the US government to help repair roads, bolster public transit, and shore up the state against climate change. The state’s tax receipts are again running well ahead of expectations.

 

This is good news for Massachusetts. But the heady fiscal times could also complicate a question that voters are set to answer in the November 2022 election: Should Massachusetts raise taxes on its wealthiest residents to generate billions more for the state to spend?

 

A proposed constitutional amendment that would layer a surcharge on yearly earnings above $1 million will land on the ballot in 2022, years after it first surfaced during a time of mounting needs for Massachusetts’ school and transportation systems — and of financial uncertainty for the state.

 

Worlds Apart Politically, Wu and Baker Begin to Form a Relationship

 

Boston Globe – Michelle Wu is a 36-year-old progressive champion who preaches the gospel of the Green New Deal and rent control for Boston.

 

Charlie Baker is a 65-year-old moderate Republican who recently yanked an ambitious climate change program and opposes rent control.

 

This month, theirs became the most important political partnership in the state, with implications for everything from Boston’s global reputation to its snowstorm preparations.

 

The future of the city that is New England’s economic engine rests on the relationship between the Boston mayor and the Massachusetts governor. So far, there isn’t much of one: Aides say Baker and Wu don’t know each other well. Both have said they’re committed to building that bond and collaborating effectively.

 

High Inflation? Low Polling? White House Blames the Pandemic

 

US News – Inflation is soaring, businesses are struggling to hire, and President Joe Biden’s poll numbers have been in free fall. The White House sees a common culprit for it all: COVID-19.

Although the economy has actually been coming back, there are multiple signs that COVID-19 will leave its scars even if the pandemic fades.

For now, in the administration’s view, an intransigent minority that is resisting vaccination is spoiling the recovery for the rest of the country — forcing masks on the vaccinated and contributing to lingering anxiousness everywhere you look.

Asked why Americans aren’t getting the message that the economy is improving, White House press secretary Jen Psaki said this past week: “We’re still in the middle of fighting a pandemic and people are sick and tired of that. We are, too.”

Biden’s team views the pandemic as the root cause of both the nation’s malaise and his own political woes. Finally controlling COVID-19, the White House believes, is the skeleton key to rejuvenating the country and reviving Biden’s own standing.

But the coronavirus challenge has proved to be vexing for the White House, with last summer’s premature claims of victory swamped by the more transmissible delta variant, millions of Americans going unvaccinated and lingering economic effects from the pandemic’s darkest days.

All of that as yet another variant of the virus, omicron, emerged overseas. It is worrying public health officials, leading to new travel bans and panicking markets as scientists race to understand how dangerous it may be.

‘No Appetite’ for a Shutdown as Congress Readies Funding Fix

Politico – Democrats are preparing a temporary funding fix to keep the government open into the new year, with federal cash set to run out — again — at midnight on Friday.

The House could vote as early as Wednesday to avert a shutdown, sending the stopgap measure to the Senate. While leaders have yet to settle on an end date, they are mulling mid to late January.

That span would buy top lawmakers and the White House less than two months to hash out a bipartisan deal, which would include revamped spending totals for the military and all the other federal agencies that have been running on autopilot since the new fiscal year began on Oct. 1.

Democrats had originally eyed a short-term funding fix that would expire before the holidays, hoping to keep the pressure on Republicans to negotiate a broader funding deal before Christmas. But GOP leaders have shown no inclination to participate in those talks, leveraging the threat of sticking Democrats with non-defense funding levels established when Donald Trump was president.

Republicans were planning to make Democrats a counteroffer for the next funding patch on Monday afternoon. A Senate GOP aide said Democrats “decided to start a conversation” about the stopgap on Sunday. Meanwhile, Democrats have accused Republicans of failing to negotiate on a broader funding agreement for weeks.

“We are working diligently and hope to reach a resolution“ by the deadline on Friday, the GOP aide said, adding that the length of the next temporary funding bill should provide Congress with “as much time as possible“ to work out a broader agreement.

A stopgap through the new year would remove one major legislative item from the calendar as Democrats race to pass President Joe Biden’s social spending package before Christmas. And, unlike Democrats’ bill to expand the social safety net that can pass on party lines, the government funding deal requires buy-in from at least 10 Senate Republicans.

“People are very, very concerned,” House Appropriations Chair Rosa DeLauro (D-Conn.) said of funding the government through stopgap measures rather than full-year spending bills. “I’m getting calls every day — what does this mean for this program? What does it mean for that program? What’s going to happen? … We can get started if you want to get started, and you want to try to move forward.”

Despite the gridlock, lawmakers in both parties say a funding lapse is highly unlikely after the 35-day government shutdown that began just before Christmas three years ago.

What’s Next for East-West Rail in Massachusetts and the Berkshires?

Berkshire Eagle – “If you build it, they will come” has been the mantra of those who want to see passenger rail service connect Pittsfield and Boston through Springfield and Worcester.

“What we advocated for was a commuter rail system throughout the commonwealth. To have a separate governmental structure for Boston versus Western Massachusetts says to me that they are not committed to Western Massachusetts, especially beyond Springfield,” said William “Smitty” Pignatelli, state representative, D-Lenox

Money to “build” that service, which would run along a combination of existing and newly constructed track, could come through the federal government’s $1.2 trillion bipartisan infrastructure bill, which President Joe Biden signed Nov. 15.

Western Massachusetts lawmakers overwhelmingly hail east-west rail — or “west-east” rail, as Berkshire County supporters say — as a generational investment that would help their constituents access economic opportunities in the east and relieve Greater Boston residents of an increasingly unaffordable housing market, all while curbing vehicle emissions from highway travel.

Lobbyists Turn to Implementation of Infrastructure Law

The Hill – The $1.2 trillion bipartisan infrastructure bill is enshrined into law, but the lobbying over its implementation is just getting started.

The spending package, which aims to rebuild roads, bridges and rail and expand broadband and clean drinking water, gives federal agencies broad powers to craft key policies. That opens up an opportunity for industry lobbyists to fight provisions they unsuccessfully urged Congress to strip from the final bill — as well as scramble over how and where billions of federal dollars will be spent.

The fast-growing cryptocurrency industry, for example, lost its first lobbying battle when the infrastructure bill included a measure that requires brokers to disclose digital asset transactions to the IRS.

Advocates warned that the law’s broad language could apply to crypto miners or wallet developers who are unable to comply with the tax reporting rules. After failing to secure an amendment to better define what crypto “brokers” are, they’re now shifting their lobbying efforts to the Treasury Department, which is tasked with writing the new rules.

“It’s our job as the crypto industry to have conversations with the IRS and Treasury and explain to them why if they attempt to go too broad, it simply won’t work,” said Kristin Smith, executive director of the Blockchain Association, which lobbies on behalf of crypto exchanges such as Binance.US and Kraken.

Schools Struggle to Ease Mask Mandates

Newburyport News – Schools are struggling to meet the state’s requirements to ease COVID-19 mask requirements, which require at least 80% of students and staff to be vaccinated to lift the restrictions.

As of this week, only 15 of the state’s more than 1,800 schools had been authorized by the state Department of Elementary and Secondary Education to lift their masking policy. None of them are in the North of Boston region.

Under the policy, schools are allowed to lift the rules for vaccinated students and staff if at least 80% have been inoculated. Unvaccinated students and staff are still required to mask up. The state also encourages children younger than 5 – who are not eligible to receive COVID-19 vaccines – to wear masks.

The mask mandate, which was originally approved by the Board of Elementary and Secondary Education in August, has been extended until the end of the year for schools that cannot meet the 80% threshold.

Many school districts are still verifying how many students and staff have been vaccinated.

In most cases, that process involves providing a scanned copy of a COVID-19 vaccine card, but schools can also meet the verification requirements by getting a signed self-attestation from a student, parent or guardian, or a printout from the Massachusetts Immunization Information System.

The vaccination rate is calculated on a school-by-school basis, not at the district level. It must include all enrolled students, in addition to staff regularly providing in-school services.

 

School Food-Service Workers Scramble to Feed Students Amid Supply Chain Issues

Metro West Daily News – For the food-service staff at Assabet Valley Regional Technical High School, it’s been all hands on deck lately.

As supply and staffing shortages squeeze food-service departments in schools statewide, those who remain are scrambling to make sure students are fed. About 85% of the Marlborough school’s 1,200 students are served breakfast and lunch.

The school’s director of nutritional services, Dina Wiroll, noted during a recent phone interview that it was probably the first time she’d sat at her desk in two months.

“I’m with my staff every day feeding kids,” said Wiroll, who added, “They work like crazy people.”

The ongoing labor shortage and supply chain issues mean there are not enough workers to harvest food, transport it or distribute it, Wiroll said.

As a result, school nutrition directors throughout Massachusetts are facing a backlog of orders every week. To make it work, they rework lunch menus day to day and hunt for hard-to-find key products, such as chicken or forks.

“It’s kind of a global situation that funnels to a very local level,” Wiroll said.

 

GOP Courts Anti-Vaxxers with Jobless Aid

Axios – Republican officials around the country are testing a creative mechanism to build loyalty with unvaccinated Americans while undermining Biden administration mandates: unemployment benefits.

Florida, Iowa, Kansas and Tennessee have changed their unemployment insurance rules to allow workers who are fired or quit over vaccine mandates to receive benefits.

Extending unemployment benefits to the unvaccinated is just the latest in a series of proposals aligning the GOP with people who won’t get a COVID shot. Republicans see a prime opportunity to rally their base ahead of the midterms. No matter how successful their individual efforts, the campaign is a powerful messaging weapon.

Nine GOP-controlled states have passed laws requiring exemptions for the Biden administration’s vaccine mandate, or banning private companies from requiring vaccination altogether, according to the National Academy for State Health Policy.

Several states have made it as easy as possible for workers to claim exemptions, allowing them to opt-out on philosophical grounds or requiring businesses to accept all requests for religious or medical exemptions without proof.

Legal uncertainty created by a wide variety of new vaccine exemptions in Florida – including for past COVID-19 infections and “anticipated future pregnancy” – prompted Disney World to suspend its vaccine mandate on Tuesday.

In Congress, Sen. Mike Braun (R-Ind.) is leading a formal challenge against the federal vaccine mandate using the Congressional Review Act, the official process for Congress to eliminate an executive branch rule.

Teen Vaccination Rates Lag in Most Massachusetts Towns hit Hard by Coronavirus

Boston Herald – Vaccination rates among teenagers are lagging in the same cities and towns that have suffered the most amid the coronavirus pandemic, a new report by equity advocates reveals, renewing calls for officials to prioritize the state’s most vulnerable residents with cases back on the rise.

“We are nine months into the state’s vaccination program, yet we are still seeing the same inequities that plagued the program from the start,” said Dr. Atyia Martin, Co-Chair of the Vaccine Equity Now! Coalition.

A data visualization created in partnership with Boston Indicators revealed inequities in COVID-19 vaccination rates among 12-19 year-olds living in different cities and towns. The scatterplot shows many communities with higher cumulative incidences of coronavirus and higher social vulnerability ratings have lower rates of vaccination among youth while more affluent communities that were less affected by the virus have vaccinated teens in higher numbers.

Martin said the chart “shows in no uncertain terms” that many of the state’s most vulnerable communities are still being left behind.

Officials Discuss New Omicron COVID-19 Variant

MSN – Health officials say it appears the omicron variant is more contagious, but it’s unclear if it will result in more severe illness.

And it’s not yet clear how the current vaccines hold up against it.

“I think the bottom line – whether it’s delta, omicron or whatever is next – people can’t just assume that they can ignore this virus, go about their business, as if nothing was wrong,” said Dr. Robert Klugman of UMass Memorial Health.

Gov. Charlie Baker said his administration has been communicating with the feds about the omicron variant over the past few days.

“There are three big questions, you know? What’s the answer with respect to transmissibility? What’s the answer with respect to severity? And what’s the answer with respect to how vaccines that are currently available respond to this? And those are questions that we expect we’ll learn a lot more about in the next few days, and we’ll make adjustments in our current plans, based on that information, as it becomes available,” Baker said.

Pfizer and Moderna are already working to adapt their vaccines to fight omicron if necessary, but that process could take two to three months.

No Time to Let Down the Guard

Newburyport News – Winter is coming. The pandemic continues. Too many people are unvaccinated. Breakthrough cases are common. And now, even as the delta variant continues to pummel the masses, an ominous new strain – Omicron – is on its way.

And so, this is the time to pause; to pay attention to the trends; to get vaccinated if you are not or schedule your booster if you haven’t yet. We have to mask up, practice social distancing, sanitize, and become hyper-vigilant about personal and public safety.

We know the drill. And as much as we might not want to, it’s time to double down.

In the United States, new daily coronavirus cases have risen by 10% in the past week, according to Washington Post figures. Deaths have increased by 10% as well, while hospitalizations crept up 4% in that period.

In Massachusetts, the number of new daily COVID-19 cases reported as of Thursday was 5,058, while the number of newly confirmed deaths rose by 24, according to Department of Public Health data. There were 771 people reported hospitalized with the virus that same day, 156 of them in intensive care units. Cases have doubled since October.

Gov. Charlie Baker issued an emergency order to hospitals facing limited capacity, requiring them to reduce nonessential, nonurgent scheduled procedures beginning this week. He did so for a variety of reasons, among them protecting patients and the workforce, and ensuring beds are available during a winter surge.

 

Mobile Vaccination Clinics Pop Up as Booster Appointments Hard to Find

Boston Herald – The state is rolling out COVID-19 mobile pop-up vaccination clinics, as many people struggle to find booster appointments at pharmacies across the region.

Four of the community-based, short-term vaccination clinics were held on Sunday in Chelsea, Everett, Methuen and Fall River — and more of these clinics are set for this week as Bay Staters seek out booster doses.

Gov. Charlie Baker said Sunday the shots are available at 800 locations statewide, but officials may “may need to do more” to keep up with demand.

“A couple weeks ago you could get a booster pretty much anywhere on a walk-in basis. We now have seen a very significant increase since we started talking about boosters for everybody over age 18 and that means we may have to up our game a little with respect to additional capacity,” Baker said.

Coronavirus cases are surging in Massachusetts, and many residents are hoping to get a third shot as soon as possible for extra protection this winter. All fully vaccinated people who are 18-plus are eligible for the booster, and more than 1 million people in the state have already received the third dose.

Some residents trying to find appointments at local pharmacies have been struggling, however.

“No time slots are available for this date at this location,” the CVS message reads for many locations in the Greater Boston area. “Try choosing another location or day.”

A CVS spokesperson on Sunday said they’re “continuing to book appointments and administer COVID-19 vaccines and we encourage patients to make appointments at CVS.com on or the CVS Pharmacy app.”

While those appointments have been hard to come by, people on Sunday without appointments walked into the state’s mobile pop-up vaccination clinics and got the shot within 20 to 30 minutes.

The mobile pop-up vaccination clinics coming up this week include: New Bedford, McCoy Center, Monday from 2 to 7 p.m.; Chelsea Senior Center, Monday from 2 to 7 p.m.; Nahant Town Hall, Tuesday from 3 to 8 p.m.; Amherst, Eric Carle Museum of Picture Book Arts, Wednesday from 5 to 7 p.m.; and Chelsea Senior Center, Friday from 2 to 5 p.m.

Wu Hints at Possibility of Vaccine Passports for Restaurants, Businesses

Boston Herald – Mayor Michelle Wu said she’s looking at “all the options available” when it comes to a potential vaccine mandate for restaurants, venues and businesses, which some key stakeholders oppose.

Wu had previously voiced support for a vaccine verification system or “vaccine passport” such as the one implemented in New York City where residents and visitors cannot enter establishments like restaurants and concert halls without showing proof of coronavirus vaccination.

When asked again on Boston Public Radio on Tuesday, Wu said, “I still very much think that we should be taking all possible action to protect our community members, to protect customers and those who might be wanting to attend these events.”

Wu said, “We’re looking internally as well as externally at all of the options available.”

She added she’s working with the Boston Public Health Commission on “what those standards will look like.”

Some small businesses and restaurants in Boston have no appetite for a vaccine passport.

Bob Luz, president of the Massachusetts Restaurant Association said, “The government can’t come back and start to put enforcement responsibilities on our understaffed and overstressed restaurant employees.”

He added, “We know firsthand what employees had to overcome when having to enforce mandates on guests, and it really wasn’t pretty

Some ‘Boston-based’ companies are hardly here

Boston Globe – What does it mean to be a “Boston-based” company these days?

With lots of startups giving up office leases, hiring people in other states, and even having top leaders move away during the pandemic, the very notion of a company with a home office or headquarters is starting to seem antiquated.

Take a company such as EverTrue, which helps universities communicate with alumni to persuade them to donate. I met the founder, Brent Grinna, in 2010, just after he’d earned a degree at Harvard Business School and was starting the company.

 

He went through the Techstars Boston and MassChallenge “accelerator” programs, designed to help companies polish their products, attract investors — and ideally, put down roots in Boston. EverTrue raised money from Bain Capital Ventures, a Boston investment firm, and before long, it had an office in the Seaport with 37 employees.

 

Clearly, a Boston company.

 

But when EverTrue’s office lease expires in January, Grinna doesn’t plan to renew it. Amidst the pandemic, Grinna and his family moved to Narragansett, R.I. — about a 90-minute drive from the office.

 

“When we started the company, our first 30 or so hires were all in the Boston metro area,” Grinna says. But of the 23 people he has hired since COVID shut down offices last March, just three live in or near Boston. “We’ve also supported three employees who’ve relocated from Boston to Maine, Colorado, and Rhode Island — me,” Grinna says.

 

“It’s hard to imagine going back to a world where we care how close to the Boston Seaport a candidate lives,” or whether they will move here, he adds.

 

EverTrue is not a one-off. Josh Walker co-founded Sports Innovation Lab, a research firm that focuses on trends in the world of pro sports and that had office space in a WeWork building near the TD Garden. He and his wife, who works for another Boston startup, decided to move to Manchester, Vt., last summer, in part so that their children could attend school in person. He sees the company likely convening in Boston for all-hands gatherings, but says, “I cannot imagine putting monthly rent and multiyear leases back on our books anytime soon.”

 

Hospitals to Reduce Non-Essential Elective Procedures

Boston Herald – Massachusetts hospitals, which are once again facing critical staffing and bed shortages, will soon be limiting non-essential pre-scheduled procedures to preserve resources and capacity.

“The current strain on hospital capacity is due to longer than average hospital stays and significant workforce shortages, separate and apart from the challenges brought on by COVID,” said Secretary of Health and Human Services Marylou Sudders in a statement.

“COVID hospitalizations in Massachusetts remain lower than almost every other state in the nation, but the challenges the healthcare system face(s) remain,” she continued. “This order will ensure hospitals can serve all residents, including those who require treatment for COVID-19.”

According to data compiled by the New York Times, Massachusetts hospitals are at 82% ICU capacity, compared to 69% capacity nationally.

The COVID-19 Public Health Emergency Order developed by the Baker-Polito administration and the Massachusetts Health and Hospital Association goes into effect Monday, Nov. 29.

It instructs any hospital or hospital system that has limited capacity to start reducing “non-essential, non-urgent scheduled procedures that may require the use of bed capacity and/or services,” according to the order. The guidance is aimed at preserving capacity for more pressing health needs.

State officials said the changes were due largely to ripple effects of the pandemic, including staffing shortages across the health care system and about 500 fewer beds available statewide in both medical/surgical and intensive care units.

Senate Leader Hopes to Revive Facial Recognition Debate

State House News – Limits on law enforcement use of facial recognition software enacted last year “did not go far enough” to rein in the technology, a top Senate Democrat told her colleagues on Tuesday.

Senate Majority Leader Cynthia Creem urged the Judiciary Committee to advance legislation (S 47) that would impose a near-total ban on public agency use of facial recognition, arguing that the burgeoning tool empowers government surveillance and creates disproportionate impacts on people of color.

“Given their significant implication, we cannot allow government agencies to keep using this technology without further regulations in place, and right now there are no regulations on government agencies following us,” Creem said.

Her bill would prohibit any government agent from using facial recognition to track people in public spaces and would require police to obtain a warrant to use facial recognition databases except in some emergency cases. The Registry of Motor Vehicles could continue to use facial recognition to verify identities when handling licenses or other documents.

Lawmakers originally approved a ban on almost all law enforcement use of facial recognition systems as part of a police reform bill they sent Gov. Charlie Baker last year, but in a compromise with Baker, the final law allows police to use the tool to assist with criminal cases or to mitigate “substantial risk of harm” after submitting a request in writing.

Civil rights advocates, including the American Civil Liberties Union of Massachusetts, and some legislators continue to push for an update to the policy, particularly to standardize practice across the state after some municipalities have taken steps to rein in facial recognition at the local level.

“Last session, we were able to establish limited regulations on police use of facial technology,” Creem said. “Unfortunately, these reforms were the result of a compromise and truly did not go far enough.”

November 23, 2021

Schedule

Tuesday November 23 

• Joint Committee on the Judiciary-Privacy & Protected Classes-10:00am-Virtual Hearing-https://malegislature.gov/Events/Hearings/Detail/4100
• Joint Committee on Community Development and Small Businesses-Zoning/Planning-11:00am-Virtual Hearing-https://malegislature.gov/Events/Hearings/Detail/4085
• Joint Committee on Education-Early Education and Care-11:00am-Virtual Hearing-https://malegislature.gov/Events/Hearings/Detail/4095

Wednesday December 1 

• Joint Committee on Cannabis Policy-General Legislation-1:00pm-Virtual Hearing-https://malegislature.gov/Events/Hearings/Detail/4102

All U.S. Adults Now Eligible for Pfizer and Moderna COVID Vaccine Booster Shots

CNBC – All adults in the U.S. are now eligible to receive Pfizer’s and Moderna’s COVID vaccine boosters after the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention authorized the shots for the general public Friday.

The move allows an extra dose of protection for tens of millions of fully vaccinated Americans as cases climb and public officials worry the nation could face another surge during the winter.

CDC Director Rochelle Walensky signed off on the booster shots hours after the agency’s independent panel of vaccine scientists unanimously endorsed opening up eligibility to everyone 18 and older at least six months after they received their second dose.

The Food and Drug Administration had authorized both companies’ vaccine boosters for all U.S. adults earlier Friday.

“After critical scientific evaluation, today’s unanimous decision carefully considered the current state of the pandemic, the latest vaccine effectiveness data over time, and review of safety data from people who have already received a COVID-19 primary vaccine series and booster,” Walensky said in a statement Friday evening.

Gov. Charlie Baker Blames State Lawmakers for COVID Relief Bill Delay

MassLive – Gov. Charlie Baker is among those disappointed that Beacon Hill Democrats couldn’t agree on a plan to put nearly $4 billion to work before breaking for a seven-week stretch of informal sessions. The governor blamed a legislative decision earlier this year for causing delays.

Baker proposed spending American Rescue Plan Act funds in June, but legislative Democrats put the federal aid in a lockbox that they control and opted for a long public hearing process to gather feedback about the state’s needs. They then couldn’t agree on a consensus bill by Wednesday when formal sessions ended for 2021.

“The Baker-Polito Administration believes the Legislature’s original decision six months ago to freeze these funds and subject them to the legislative process created a massive delay in putting these taxpayer dollars to work,” Baker press secretary Terry MacCormack said.

“Massachusetts was already behind most of the country in utilizing these funds before the latest setback, and further delay will only continue to leave residents, small businesses and hundreds of organizations frozen out from the support the rest of the country is now tapping into to recover from this brutal pandemic.”

Advocates Push Massachusetts Lawmakers to Pass Road-Safety Bills 

Boston Herald – Road safety advocates remembered the 2,500 lives lost in fatal roadway crashes since 2015 by blanketing the State House steps with yellow roses and asking lawmakers to act to on a slate of bills designed reduce the “human toll of traffic crashes.”

“This is the sixth year the Vision Zero Coalition has called on the Legislature to pass life-saving legislation on World Day of Remembrance. Every moment of delay adds to the devastating statewide toll of preventable traffic crashes,” said Emily Stein of Safe Roads Alliance, one of a handful of safe-streets organizations that make up the Massachusetts Vision Zero Coalition.

In the last seven years, 910,149 car and pedestrian crashes in Massachusetts have killed 2,463 people and seriously injured 15,700, the coalition said.

The 4,000 yellow blossoms laid Sunday were a solemn reminder of each life impacted by a fatal or serious traffic crash in Massachusetts during 2020 and 2021.

Rep. Mike Moran, D-Boston, a lead sponsor for a bill that would require side-guards, convex mirrors, back-up cameras and other prevention measures on trucks to prevent drivers from rolling over people spoke of the “heart-wrenching” process of mourning lives lost to traffic accidents.

“One of the hardest parts of our jobs is attending a ghost bike dedication at the site of a recent crash where someone was killed, and bearing witness to the collective sadness,” Moran wrote in an op-ed column with MassBike Executive Director Galen Mook published in Commonwealth Magazine.

It also requires the Executive Office of Public Safety and Security to standardize bicyclist and pedestrian crash data collection and maintain a publicly accessible database in an effort to inform policy. 

House to Take the Next Step in Re-Opening for Employees 

State House News – All employees of the Massachusetts House of Representatives will need to be “available and able to work in person at the State House as a condition of their employment,” including complying with a COVID-19 vaccine mandate, starting Dec. 13, House leaders announced Monday.

The House’s plan to move into Phase 2A of re-opening features new enforcement of the chamber’s vaccine requirement, including threats of indefinite unpaid administrative leave and “further disciplinary action” that could begin as the Legislature returns from its holiday recess in January.

Effective Dec. 13, all House employees and officers must be available and able to work from the building, though in-person work in the House will be “at the scheduling discretion of the employee’s supervisor or House HR,” according to a summary of the reopening update the House’s human resources office released on Monday.

Executive: Maine Vote Can’t Apply to Hydro Projects 

State House News – For opponents of the transmission corridor intended to carry hydroelectric power from Quebec through Maine for Massachusetts’ benefit, the result of the Nov. 2 referendum on the New England Clean Energy Connect project speaks louder than any finicky legal argument about the question’s constitutionality or applicability.

But with about $450 million already invested and much of the 145-mile corridor already cleared, Central Maine Power Company and its affiliates laid out in detail Monday the legal arguments underpinning their belief that the referendum does not actually apply to the project that Gov. Charlie Baker’s administration is also relying on to fulfill part of a 2016 Massachusetts clean energy law.”The initiative will not affect construction of the project … because our view that it is unconstitutional and it cannot be applied to the project. Retroactive application of the initiative on the project is unconstitutional and unlawful,” Thorn Dickinson, president and CEO of NECEC Transmission, said during a Maine Department of Environmental Protection hearing held Monday as the agency weighs whether to suspend the license it issued for the NECEC project in May 2020.

Maine’s Question 1, which asked whether Mainers “want to ban the construction of high-impact electric transmission lines in the Upper Kennebec Region and to require the Legislature to approve all other such projects anywhere in Maine” including retroactively, cruised to victory earlier this month with about 60 percent support. 

Massachusetts Economy Nearly Doubles Monthly Job Gains 

Boston Business Journal – The Massachusetts economy added 25,000 jobs in October, according to a preliminary estimate published Friday, its third-highest monthly total this year.

The gains are almost twice those of September when the state added 13,500 jobs, according to a revised figure shared Friday by the Massachusetts Executive Office of Labor and Workforce Development. It is the second consecutive month that gains have beat out those of the previous month.

The state’s unemployment rate rose to 5.3% in October, from 5.2% the previous month. The national jobless rate is still lower than it is in Massachusetts, at 4.6%.

The job gains may be a sign that Massachusetts employers are making some headway in hiring workers amid complaints about a labor shortage.

What’s in the $2.2 Trillion Social Policy and Climate Bill? 

New York Times – The House on Friday passed a sprawling, roughly $2 trillion social-policy, climate and tax measure that is the central pillar of President Biden’s domestic agenda.

The product of months of intense negotiations, the package would bolster the federal safety net, enhancing support for children and families with child care subsidies and universal prekindergarten, expanding health coverage, increasing housing assistance and investing heavily in combating climate change.

The measure is likely to change as it moves through the evenly divided Senate, where Republicans are unanimously opposed and Democrats cannot afford to lose even a single vote from their party.

Significant Increase in Massachusetts School COVID Cases

MassLive – The number of COVID-19 cases reported among Massachusetts school students and staff members jumped significantly in the last week.

From Nov. 11 to 17, state public schools reported that 3,257 students and 558 staff members tested positive for the virus.

That’s up from last week’s report, when state officials announced that 2,640 students and 381 staff members tested positive for the virus from Nov. 4 to 10.

Despite the higher numbers, the rate of positive cases remains below 1%. With about 920,000 students enrolled and roughly 140,000 staff members working in public school buildings, the rate of COVID-19 cases currently stands at 0.35% among students and 0.40% among staffers, according to a report from the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education.

Each Thursday, DESE issues a report detailing the number of COVID cases reported among school staff members and students during the previous Thursday-Wednesday period. The report also includes data on COVID testing in schools.

Northampton, Amherst Restaurants Press State for Continued Outdoor Dining

MassLive – Jeremiah Micka, owner of the Union Station complex in Northampton, said he spent about $25,000 last year on a tent, tables, chairs and other equipment to boost his outdoor dining capacity from 150 to 250.

“I’d like to see it last forever,” Micka said Friday at a legislative hearing, conducted in Ludlow, focused on the future of outdoor dining in the state.

Somerville and Boston Want Rent Control, but Beacon Hill Could Get in the Way 

WBUR – It’s been 27 years since voters ended rent control in Massachusetts. But with a housing shortage and rising rents, there’s renewed interest in bringing back the measure.

Boston’s new mayor, Michelle Wu, was sworn in last week after campaigning on a platform that included rent control — also known as rent stabilization. And Somerville’s mayor-elect, Katjana Ballantyne, also touted rent control during her campaign.Before the election, Wu said rent control — which limits how much landlords can hike rents each year — has “worked to keep people in their homes in cities across the country.”

The measure has a long history in Massachusetts.

Several communities in the area, including Cambridge, Brookline and Boston, enacted rent control around the 1970s. And the policy remained popular in all three cities.

Enrollment in Boston Public Schools Drops below 50,000 Students 

Newsbreak – Overall, 48,654 students are attending 122 schools in the district, a decrease of more than 2,000 students from the last school year, according to the analysis, which combines student enrollment for BPS and its six in-district charter schools, which the state reports separately. Over the past decade, the school

Baker Drops Out of TCI

Gov. Charlie Baker has pulled the plug on a regional climate initiative that would have capped tailpipe emissions and was projected to hike gas prices at a time of record inflation, admitting the multi state-deal is “no longer the best solution.”

He backs out of the Transportation and Climate Initiative just days after Connecticut did.

“The Baker-Polito Administration always maintained the Commonwealth would only move forward with TCI if multiple states committed, and, as that does not exist, the transportation climate initiative is no longer the best solution for the Commonwealth’s transportation and environmental needs,” Baker press secretary Terry MacCormack said in a statement Thursday.

MacCormack said the federal infrastructure package and a statewide tax revenue surplus puts the state in a strong position to upgrade its infrastructure and public transit, while also investing in emissions reduction strategies.

TCI would have capped carbon emissions by forcing fuel companies that exceeded limits to buy additional permits and invest those proceeds into green transportation and climate-resilient infrastructure. It aimed to reduce vehicle emissions by 26% by 2032.

One of the few remaining states, Connecticut, pulled out Tuesday, with Gov. Ned Lamont citing high gas prices — which would creep up even higher by up to 9 cents per gallon by 2023 if TCI were enacted.

Initially, 12 states plus the District of Columbia were in talks to enter the agreement, but just Massachusetts, Connecticut, Rhode Island and D.C. eventually signed a memorandum of understanding by December 2020.

“Today is a major win for the taxpayers of Massachusetts,” said GOP gubernatorial candidate Geoff Diehl. “Joining TCI was a bad idea from the start, and it would cost our state too much money.”

Novo Nordisk to Pay $3.3 Billion for Lexington Biotech Dicerna 

MSN – After the Lexington biotech he runs inked two licensing deals with big drugmakers in less than a week in 2018, Douglas Fambrough said Dicerna Pharmaceuticals’ cutting-edge approach for developing medicines was “very attractive to the pharmaceutical industry.”

That turned out to be an understatement. On Thursday, the Danish drug giant Novo Nordisk announced that it had signed a deal to buy Dicerna for $3.3 billion. The agreement for $38.25 a share represented a premium of almost 80 percent to Dicerna’s closing price on Wednesday.

Dicerna’s share price closed at $38.03 Thursday, up 78.7 percent.

Founded in 2006, Dicerna is developing medicines that rely on RNA interference, a Nobel Prize-winning technology that turns off disease-causing genes. The firm calls its approach GalXC. Dicerna and Novo Nordisk have been collaborating since 2019 to discover more than 30 potential liver cell targets for RNAi drugs in the hopes of treating chronic liver disease, type 2 diabetes, obesity, rare diseases, and other illnesses.

Massachusetts Pension Fund May be Used to Fight against Climate Change 

Rachel Carson Council – The state treasurer Thursday called for Massachusetts’ $98.5 billion pension fund to be used as a weapon in the fight against climate change, recommending that the fund’s managers pressure companies to cut emissions and take other measures to comply with world climate goals.

Legislators and activists have been pushing the state to divest its funds from fossil fuel companies for nearly a decade, which other public pension funds have done in recent months, including New York and Maine and the Canadian province of Quebec. On Wednesday, Boston’s City Council voted to divest all city funds from fossil fuels.

The proposed rule, which will be voted on by the pension fund’s board in February, draws on a history of shareholder activists who pressure companies from the inside, treasury officials said. And using the leverage of all the state’s investments rather than withdrawing funds from selected ones, Goldberg said, can influence significantly more companies, reflecting the broader physical and financial risks posed by climate change.

In short, if a company fails to align its business plans with the goal of limiting global warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius above preindustrial times or achieving net-zero emissions by 2050, the state’s Pension Reserves Investment Management board would vote against the company’s slate of directors at its annual shareholder meeting.

Hospitals are Busier than Ever — But not Because of COVID 

Boston Globe – In the bay outside the crowded emergency department of UMass Memorial Medical Center in Worcester, the ambulances keep coming.

Just inside the doors, a pair of paramedics wait with their patient, an elderly woman on a stretcher.

Eventually, they take the patient to a room where a nurse checks on her. But many others are not so lucky. Sick and distressed, they lie in beds in the hallways, bright lights overhead, alarms beeping, doctors and nurses rushing past. There are more patients here than beds or medical staff to care for them.

Here and across the state, hospitals are busier than at any time during the pandemic.

In the emergency department at Massachusetts General Hospital, every bed and hallway are often full and dozens of patients wait to be admitted — a situation known as “capacity disaster.”

Hospitals in the Beth Israel Lahey Health system are postponing some scheduled surgeries to open beds for patients with more urgent needs. In many hospitals, patients are staying longer because they are sicker.

Little of this surge is driven by COVID infections, even as cases rise across the state. Instead, patients are flooding hospitals with every kind of problem — heart attacks, strokes, drug overdoses, suicidal thoughts, broken bones, infections, and COVID. Many had put off medical care during the pandemic and came to the hospital only when they could no longer bear to stay home.

As much as hospital leaders had strategized and prepared for the pandemic, they didn’t foresee this.

“We didn’t quite appreciate how much the delays of care would impact the acuity of illness for patients now,” said Dr. Ravin Davidoff, chief medical officer at Boston Medical Center. “We probably underestimated the magnitude of that impact and the volume that we’re seeing now.”

Cannabis Oversight Board to Lobby Legislators for Greater Industry Equity

Boston Business Journal – In a change from its past approach, the state board that oversees cannabis licensing says it plans to take a more active role in lobbying the state Legislature for changes that will ensure greater equity across the industry.

All five members of the Cannabis Control Commission on Thursday spoke in support of the lobbying efforts, which will start with attempts to establish a statewide fund, using both private and public money, that will give grants or low/no-interest loans to disenfranchised applicants.

“This industry lacks access to capital,” said Commissioner Nurys Camargo. “Small business loans, grants and other services that are available to regular businesses are not to marijuana operators. In many cases, this has encouraged predatory lending, and led to a lack of diversity and inclusion, and most importantly, as per our law, full participation by individuals who have been harmed by marijuana prohibition.”

Camargo said that while Massachusetts is the first state in the nation to have an equity cannabis mandate, “the task is incomplete.”

The commission has called the diversity statistics insufficient. Of all 1,070 approved cannabis licenses, just 24% identified as disadvantaged business enterprises. That designation includes women, veterans, minorities, LGBTQ and individuals with disabilities.

Of the 17,394 people authorized to work in the industry, 71% identified as white.

November 16, 2021

Schedule 

Tuesday November 16 

• Joint Committee on Public Service-Miscellaneous-10:00am-Virtual Hearing-https://malegislature.gov/Events/Hearings/Detail/4073
• Joint Committee on the Judiciary-Probate and Family II-Virtual Hearing-https://malegislature.gov/Events/Hearings/Detail/4090
• Joint Committee on Public Safety and Homeland Security-Firearms-Virtual Hearing-https://malegislature.gov/Events/Hearings/Detail/4083

Wednesday November 17

• Joint Committee on Environment, Natural Resources and Agriculture-Animals and Miscellaneous Mattters-2:00pm-Virtual Hearing-https://malegislature.gov/Events/Hearings/Detail/4088

Friday November 19

• Joint Committee on Tourism, Arts and Cultural Development-Traveling Animal Shows and Late Files-11:00am-Virtual Hearing-https://malegislature.gov/Events/Hearings/Detail/4084

Monday November 22 

• Joint Committee on Mental Health, Substance Use and Recovery-Late Filed and Discharged Bills Regarding Mental Health-1:00pm-Virtual Hearing-https://malegislature.gov/Events/Hearings/Detail/4046

Senate Passes Spending Bill with Bonuses of Up To $2,000 for Massachusetts Essential Workers

CBS Boston – Massachusetts is one step closer to giving bonuses of up to $2,000 to essential employees who showed up to work in-person during the COVID pandemic.

The Senate Wednesday night unanimously approved a $3.82 billion package that aims to spend billions in federal dollars from the American Rescue Plan Act.

The Senate still has to work out significant differences in allocations in its legislation with the version of the spending package that the House passed recently. But the State House News Service reports that leaders agree on two “cornerstones” in the bill – $500 million for the state’s unemployment trust fund and another half a billion dollars for the bonuses.

Gov. Charlie Baker also said in late October that he’s generally supportive of the “premium pay program,” saying that “this is something that is the right thing to do.”

Eligible workers must have worked in person during the state of emergency that began on March 10, 2020 and lasted for more than a year. Their household income must not be more than 300% of the federal poverty level.

Baker’s administration and an advisory panel would determine who exactly qualifies as an “essential worker.” The legislation suggests that those eligible may include but not be limited to health care workers, long-term care workers, public health staff, childcare workers, educators and school staff, farm workers, food production workers, grocery store and other service workers, transportation workers, utility workers and foster care parents.

The panel would offer its recommendations on eligibility no later than Feb. 1, 2022.

“The recommendations shall prioritize lower-income essential workers who performed essential duties in-person since the start of the state of emergency declared by the governor on March 10, 2020,” the bill states.

“The panel shall also consider factors including, but not limited to, an essential worker’s increased financial burden and increased risk of exposure to the 2019 novel coronavirus, also known as COVID-19, due to the nature of their work and any bonuses or hazard pay a worker has already received for their work during the COVID-19 pandemic and the amount thereof.”

It is possible that the payments may come in the form of a one-time refundable tax credit, the legislation adds.

Massachusetts Surpasses Major COVID Vaccination Milestone

MassLive – Though COVID-19 booster shots are rolling out and children ages 5 to 11 can now get immunized, some larger cities in Massachusetts are lagging behind in vaccination rates.

At least 16 communities with more than 20,000 people, about the size of the average Massachusetts town, have yet to cross the 60% vaccinated threshold, data from the state Department of Public Health shows.

In New Bedford, with a population of 99,980, for example, only 51% are fully immunized. In nearby Fall River, the rate is a bit higher, with 56% of 89,317 people vaccinated, according to DPH data.

In Springfield, which has a population of 156,245, the vaccination rate is 53%. Of the 99,226 people in Brockton, 55% are immunized. Holyoke has a population of 40,638 and a vaccination rate of 56%. Lawrence is close to crossing the 60% threshold. Right now, 59% of its 87,731 population is inoculated.

In Worcester, the rate is just hitting 60% of a 191,575 population. Boston, the state’s largest city with 692,958 residents, has a rate of 65%, data shows.

Last week, Worcester had a rate of 59%, Springfield was at 52% and New Bedford had just reached the 50% mark.

There are a few things to keep in mind when looking at the vaccination rates. The data uses 2019 population figures, those available at the start of the pandemic. Though that’s a consistent number for comparing data week-to-week, the percentage of vaccinated individuals in a town could be different based on current population estimates.

Additionally, the figures represent the total population and not just the number of people eligible to be inoculated against COVID. Children ages 5 to 11 were not able to get vaccinated until earlier this month and there is no immunization option for those younger than 5 years old.

Massachusetts is generally seeing an upward trend in virus cases. New infections rose about 24% last week over the previous week following seven weeks of a slow decline. A total of 4.8 million residents are now fully vaccinated with 5.2 million having received at least one shot of a vaccine. A total of 730,169 booster shots have been administered.

Coronavirus Cases on the Rise in Massachusetts; Experts Warn of ‘Viral’ Winter

Boston Herald – The highly contagious delta variant is once again driving up coronavirus cases in the state, fueling disruptive outbreaks across the Northeast and sending hospitalizations surging in the Mountain West.

It’s a worrisome sign of what could be ahead this winter as the nation’s battle against COVID-19 continues.

“A significant surge is inevitable, and the delta variant is the reason why,” Dr. Todd Ellerin, director of infectious diseases at South Shore Health.

As the United States braces for its first winter alongside the transmuted virus, signs of what’s to come are already evident in Massachusetts where the seven-day average of daily reported cases spiked by 299 in a single week. On Nov. 3 the average number of new cases daily stood at 1,182. As of Nov. 10, it had jumped to 1,481, state health data show.

“Delta is three to four times more contagious than the original virus so combine that with fact that we’re moving indoors and shutting windows, the fact that not even 60% of the country is vaccinated and pandemic fatigue — all of that combined with increased mobility around the holidays, it’s essentially a guarantee that COVID is going to go viral,” Ellerin said.

Trends are improving in hard-hit Florida, Texas and other warm Southern states, but the delta has headed north for the winter as people head indoors, close their windows and breathe stagnant air, prompting experts to underscore the importance of vaccines and wearing masks inside.

The tiny Vermont liberal arts college St. Micheal’s put the lid on social gatherings this week after a spike in cases was tied to Halloween parties.

Boston health officials on Tuesday shut down a Jamaica Plain elementary school for 10 days due to a coronavirus outbreak across several grade levels and classrooms.

The delta variant dominates infections across the U.S., accounting for more than 99% of the samples analyzed. Experts like Ellerin attribute the surge in cases to “COVID fatigue and waning immunity.”

Even states like Massachusetts with above-average vaccination rates should prepare for a hard winter, Ellerin said.

Surgeon General Says Blocking COVID Vaccine Mandate Would be ‘Public Health Setback’

MassLive – U.S. Surgeon General Vivek Murthy on Sunday defended the Biden administration’s push for businesses with 100 or more employees to require COVID-19 vaccines or weekly testing, an order that remains in a standstill while facing ongoing court challenges from Republican-led employers and legal groups. 

Murthy told Fox News Sunday that the vaccines are proven to be safe and effective, and that the requirement makes sense at a time when a winter spike in new cases is likely. The U.S. is coming off a surge of cases driven by the highly contagious delta variant, particularly in areas with low vaccination rates, but more Americans staying indoors during the holiday season “increases the possibility that there will be spread,” Murthy said. 

“I think it would be a setback for public health,” Murthy said, referencing the possibility that the mandate is permanently killed in the courts. “What we know very clearly is that when people get vaccinated – and the more people who get vaccinated the quicker we’re able to bring this pandemic to an end — the more lives that we can ultimately save.” 

In a ruling released Friday, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 5th Circuit described the mandate as “a one-size-fits-all sledgehammer that makes hardly any attempt to account for differences in workplaces (and workers).”

The panel maintained a temporary stay on the order as the case plays out in court. The mandate has faced sharp criticism from Republican-led governors and businesses, even though — with its option for weekly testing — it is not as strict as some state and local governments’ requirements.

After 600 Days, the Massachusetts Statehouse Remains Closed to the Public

Steeped in history, the Massachusetts State House stands alone for many reasons among the country’s state capitols: Its iconic dome was constructed with copper from Paul Revere’s foundry. Samuel Adams laid its cornerstone. It holds a 237-year-old fish effigy.

The seat of the state’s executive and legislative branches now has another: The State House appears to be the only state capitol on the continent where the public remains barred from entering. 

The pandemic-induced closure has now stretched past 600 days, and legislative leaders in charge of the building say they’re juggling how to safely reopen a living museum where hundreds of people work — most of whom are vaccinated against COVID-19 — but typically receives some 100,000 visitors each year.

Nearly every other state has taken more steps to let people back into the “people’s house” since the onset of COVID-19, according to a Globe review of official statements, news reports, and responses from government officials. And while Hawaii is the only other state whose capitol the Globe found is still closed to the general public, it does allow those with appointments to enter. 

The lack of clarity on when the Massachusetts Legislature will reopen its capital has now stirred complaints about an institution that’s long been criticized for opacity.

Millennial. Mom. Mayor. Michelle Wu Reflects a Changing Boston

Boston Globe – As a 34-year-old working mom of two children, Maria Zolotarev sees a lot of herself in Mayor-elect Michelle Wu. In fact, she sees a lot of Wu, period: typically at the Saturday farmers market in Roslindale, each with their kids in tow.

“I feel like I have tons in common with her,” said Zolotarev, who calls herself a bit of a Wu “fangirl.” “We are both working moms, both have two kiddos, both children of immigrant parents.”

And over the years Zolotarev has watched her fellow “Rozzident” juggle parenthood and politics, navigate the Boston Public Schools, and be a voice trying to help families afford — and stay in — the city. Now she’s thrilled to see “someone who gets it” become mayor.

When Can I get the Novavax Vaccine?

Boston Herald – Maryland-based biotech company Novavax could soon bring a new coronavirus vaccine into the market about a year after Americans first rolled up their sleeves.

When can I get a Novavax coronavirus vaccine?

The vaccine, called NVX-CoV2373, is not currently available in the United States. The company expects to submit data to the Food and Drug Administration by the end of the year. Once authorization is requested, a rigorous review process will take place before the shot is cleared for use in the general public.

What makes this coronavirus vaccine different from the ones we already have?

The Novavax vaccine is protein-based and uses the same platform as shots for shingles and hepatitis. The proteins deliver immune stimulation directly into a person’s cells as opposed to a fragment of genetic code. It is not an mRNA as is the case with Moderna and Pfizer, or an adenovirus vector, such as the Johnson & Johnson vax.

How does it work?

The Novavax coronavirus vaccine is engineered from the genetic sequence of coronavirus with nanoparticle technology. The technology binds with human receptors targeted by virus which is critical for effective protection. When the vaccine is injected, it stimulates the immune system to produce antibodies.

Is it safe and effective?

Clinical trials for the Novavax shot have shown an overall 90% efficacy against coronavirus and 100% protection against moderate and severe disease. Most common side effects include injection site pain and tenderness, fatigue, headache and muscle pain. No single adverse reaction was reported by more than 1% of trial participants.

Can foreign travelers show proof of the Novavax vaccine to enter the United States?

Yes. Novavax clinical trial participants from sites outside the U.S. are considered fully vaccinated if they received the same product that was administered in the U.S. clinical trials. It is one of the vaccines already approved by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention for air travel in the U.S., giving the 30,000 in the trial for the jab a passport to move around, whereas other shots haven’t made the cut.

Could children get this vaccine?

The vaccine is not yet authorized for use in the United States

Baker Administration Unsure of Balance in Unemployment Insurance Fund

Commonwealth Magazine –  A top aide to Gov. Charlie Baker said on Friday that the administration is still trying to determine the current balance in the state’s unemployment insurance trust fund.

Rosalin Acosta, the secretary of labor and workforce development, told members of a study commission that US Treasury data indicate the fund has a current balance of $2.9 billion and owes the federal government $2.3 billion in connection with previous borrowings to keep the fund solvent.

Although the two numbers would seem to indicate the fund has a surplus after the $2.3 billion owed the federal government is paid off, Acosta indicated she isn’t ready to go along with that conclusion. She called the $2.9 billion number “a fluid number that can change daily.”

The unemployment insurance trust fund pays out the state’s share of unemployment benefits. Its funding comes from businesses. Until the last few days, state officials have been saying the trust fund is drowning in red ink brought about by the pandemic and needs financial support to remain solvent and reduce the financial burden on businesses.

Lawmakers have authorized the Baker administration to borrow up to $7 billion to help stabilize the fund and the Legislature seems poised to steer at least $500 million in American Rescue Plan Act money into the fund. But those decisions hinge on determining the fund’s current financial status, which Acosta’s office has been unable to do for the last several months.

“There are a lot of federal debits and credits and reconciliation that we’re still doing on our side and I assure you as soon as that is completed we will get all our reports out and we have some that are late. Our reports will come out as soon as we are very sure and very sure-footed on exactly what the balance is so we can then put to rest the bond issue etc.,” Acosta told her fellow commission members at a virtual meeting.

Elizabeth Warren Says Vote on Build Back Better Bill ‘Unlikely’ before Thanksgiving

Boston Herald – Elizabeth Warren said a vote on President Biden’s Build Back Better bill that includes social safety-net programs and addresses climate change concerns is “unlikely” before Thanksgiving.

The companion bill to Biden’s $1.9 trillion infrastructure bill passed by the House earlier this month is a “once-in-a-generation investment in our people,” the president has said.

“It will lower bills for healthcare, child care, elder care, prescription drugs, and preschool. And middle-class families get a tax cut.”

During a Sunday appearance on WCVB’s “On the Record,” Warren said the Senate has “a deep and abiding commitment to the rest of it.” Doing so will require commitment from all 50 Senate Democrats.

“Whether we can get both of those done by Thanksgiving, I think that’s pretty unlikely,” Warren said.

The splitting up of the two infrastructure packages has angered progressives, who voted against passage of President Biden’s $1.2 trillion

U.S. Rep. Ayanna Pressley, D-Massachusetts, was among the progressives who voted no. The other nine members of the Bay State’s congressional delegation, also Democrats, voted for the bill.

More Schools Get OK to Lift Mask Mandate 

MassLive – More Massachusetts schools are getting approval from state education officials to move away from a COVID-19 mask mandate. 

Schools that can show a COVID vaccination rate of at least 80% can seek permission from the state Department of Elementary and Secondary Education to end the mask mandate for individuals who have been immunized.

Just because a school gets DESE approval does not mean students and staff automatically ditch masks. Local school officials and school committees decide whether to lift the mandate after receiving the OK from the state. 

So far, DESE has received 23 requests to lift the mask mandate and has approved 13, officials said. 

Schools with approval are Hopkinton High School, Ashland High School, Westborough High School, Westwood High School, Sarah Gibbons Middle School in Westborough, Algonquin Regional High School in Northborough, Norwell High School, Medway High School, Franklin High School, King Phillip Regional High School in Wrentham, New England Academy School, Corwin-Russell School at Broccoli Hall and Cotting School.

Those 13 approvals and 23 requests are up from 11 approvals and 18 requests last week.

Hopkinton was the first to get DESE approval and did not end the mask mandate until the school committee voted.

When an approved school ends its mask mandate, unvaccinated individuals must continue to wear masks, according to DESE guidelines.

Uncovering a Contractor’s Path of Destruction in Mass.

NBC Boston – The NBC10 Investigators have uncovered a contractor’s path of destruction across Massachusetts. Homeowners paid big bucks for pools and other home improvement projects but were left with giant holes in their backyards and broken promises.

During a three-month investigation, we discovered criminal records and lawsuits spanning more than two decades in New England. From there, we followed the trail of money, tracked down the contractor responsible and asked authorities if he’ll be held accountable.

In our three-part series, “To Catch a Contractor,” we also review the red flags consumers should be aware of before they hire someone for a project. And we take a closer look at the statewide system meant to provide oversight of contractors with a sketchy track record.

When we visited Huy Pham in late August, an enormous hole was all he had to show for the $60,000 he’d already paid a contractor to install a pool in his backyard in Sharon.

According to the project contract, his three kids were supposed to be swimming by the Fourth of July. But after breaking ground and digging the hole in June, Pham said the project came to a standstill.

Pham had hired Steve Docchio, owner of Xtreme Living Pools and Construction.

According to the web site, the company is “built on quality workmanship, dedication…and keenly focused on delivering breathtaking results.”

The contractor had seemed eager to start the project and knowledgeable about pool installations, Pham recalled. On the day they moved into their home in April, Docchio showed up to collect the deposit. When the timeline started to slip by a couple of weeks in June, Pham claimed the contractor did not take it well when he inquired about the delay.

“He just exploded on me and said, ‘No pool for you! No pool for you!’ I couldn’t believe what had happened,” Pham said.

What’s in Senate ARPA Package for Western Massachusetts?

Gazettenet – The Massachusetts Senate unanimously passed its version of a $3.82 billion American Rescue Plan Act spending package late Wednesday, allocating about half of the federal relief funding to several areas of need.

In western Massachusetts, there is money to improve local public health systems, provide storm damage disaster relief, and fund environmental work and internet infrastructure.

The Senate voted 38-0 in favor of a package that prioritizes health care, including behavioral and mental health, economic recovery, and climate preparedness among others. The vote came after multiple hearings and a total of 722 proposed amendments.

Sen. Jo Comerford, D-Northampton, said one of her main priorities during debates was building a stronger public health system.

“I had a strong focus on public health in my own advocacy and on what we have to do to be more prepared, more resilient and more equitable the next time we face such a disaster,” Comerford said.

When the pandemic shook the foundations of the commonwealth’s public health system, many rural areas were not prepared, Comerford said — there wasn’t a strong enough foundation to handle the crisis.

In its ARPA package, the Senate allocated $250.9 million to local and regional public health, in particular providing funds to “communities with the least ability to meet minimum public health standards, enact workforce development and training initiatives, and transform public health data systems.”

“The communities hardest hit were low-income, communities of color, and rural communities,” Comerford said. “These are the communities that didn’t have the same public health infrastructure or the same level of preparedness of bigger,

McCarthy, Warren Meet to Discuss Green Jobs, Infrastructure

WBUR – White House National Climate Advisor Gina McCarthy and Massachusetts Sen. Elizabeth Warren joined state and local leaders Friday to discuss the influx of money coming to the state as a result of the recently passed bipartisan infrastructure bill.

Massachusetts is expected to receive more than $9 billion, with with money earmarked for roads and bridges, public transportation, an electric vehicle charging network, internet expansion, climate resiliency, airport infrastructure and lead pipe replacement. President Biden is scheduled to sign the bill on Monday.

The roundtable conversation at the Ben Franklin Institute of Technology in Boston focused on the environmental justice investments baked into the legislation; 40% of the bill is designated for marginalized communities.

“A lot of the communities here in Massachusetts … suffer from legacy pollution,” said McCarthy. “This goes directly to taking the resources we need to actually improve lives.”

Some of those resources would go to places like the Ben Franklin Institute that primarily serve Black and brown students, said Warren, highlighting the funding as an opportunity to expand green jobs.

Roundtable attendees met with students learning about the installation and operation of heat pumps. The state wants to install 1 million of the devices as part of its roadmap to meet environmental targets by 2030, but is well behind schedule to meet that benchmark.

Schumer urges Biden to tap petroleum reserve to ease fuel prices

(Bloomberg) — Senate Majority Leader Charles Schumer urged President Joe Biden to tap the U.S. government’s reserves of emergency fuel to help lower gasoline prices.

“Consumers need immediate relief at the gas pump, and so I am urging the administration to approve fuel sales from the nation’s Strategic Petroleum Reserve,” Schumer, a Democrat who is New York’s senior senator, said at a news conference Sunday.

Biden, whose popularity has dropped, in part, as many Americans blame him for failing to contain inflation, has hinted he may take actions aimed at taming fuel prices. A top aide declined to say on Sunday whether the president would tap the SPR.

“The president has made clear that all options are on the table,” Brian Deese, director of the White House National Economic Council, said on CNN. “We’re monitoring the situation very carefully.”

Gasoline prices at a seven-year high, along with surging costs for shelter, food and vehicles, have contributed to a spike in inflation. The consumer price index increased 6.2% in the 12 months through October, the fastest annual pace since 1990, according to Labor Department data released last week.

‘Tremendous Need’ for City Hall to Get Hiring Done, Wu Says

Boston Herald – Mayor-elect Michelle Wu’s spent the past week-plus plugging her way through briefing after briefing on everything from public safety to arts and culture, snow removal to contract procurement, and one topic keeps coming up: the many open jobs in City Hall.

“We’re hearing across all of the briefings a tremendous need for more staff,” Wu told the Herald during a sit-down interview during a brief lull in her schedule. “On any given day, there are hundreds of positions that we need to fill in city government. Very exciting opportunities. And we need to make sure that we’re reaching into our communities to pull people in.”

According to City Hall, there were 420 job postings active on the career website earlier this month. The actual number of openings is significantly higher, as many of the postings are advertising multiple jobs, like one now for 35 crossing guards. For another example, there’s one active for 17 positions of 911 call takers — a position that, as the Herald has reported, has been in “dire” need for months.

The overall number of postings actually is down from where it was early in Janey’s tenure, when the Herald reported on a widespread exodus from City Hall. At that point in June, the city had 541 active postings for more than 3,700 jobs. But there’s a bit of an extra pinch now, as hundreds of the city’s 18,000-or-so employees remain on leave due to violating the vaccine mandate.

Wu, speaking on Friday less than 100 hours before her swearing-in as mayor at noon on Tuesday, said she sees this as an opportunity to get the possibility of good city jobs in front of a diverse array of Boston residents — “some of whom might not see themselves working in city government, some who might not have known about these opportunities otherwise.”

The soon-to-be-former city councilor from Roslindale said the various departments in the 30-minute briefings have been presenting 30, 60 and 90 day timelines for what work is underway and what’s coming up.

“There are also many pressing issues that will require some decision making even in the next 30 days,” Wu said. That includes filling “key vacancies,” she said, and contracts expiring that the city has to figure out what to do with, plus “plans that have been delayed to get a better sense with a new administrat

Cyr: State Legislative Redistricting Non-Controversial on Cape Cod

Cape Cod Times – According to the 2020 Census, the population of Massachusetts increased by more than 7 million people in the last decade. As a result, state legislative districts have been adjusted, and the altering of congressional district boundaries are being discussed and debated.

The House passed the maps for new state legislative districts by a vote of 158-1 and the Senate by a vote of 36-3, and Gov. Charlie Baker signed the new redistricting plan into law without hesitation.

Sen. Julian Cyr, D-Truro, called the redistricting changes on the Cape and Islands non-controversial.

The 4th Barnstable District, represented by state Rep. Sarah Peake, D-Provincetown, has moved east with the population change. Brewster’s Precinct 3 used to be in Peake’s district, but has been added to state Rep. Timothy Whelan’s, R-Brewster, 1st Barnstable District.  State Sen. Susan Moran, D-Falmouth, gained Plympton, in Plymouth County, and Mashpee as part of her adjusted senatorial district. Moran now represents four towns on the Cape including Bourne, Falmouth, Sandwich and Mashpee.

“Brewster is now fully in the 1st District and Barnstable will have two state representatives, not three,” Cyr said. “Those all follow good redistricting principles. Because of the population shift, we’re uniting a few more towns.”

Senate Democrats’ Mental-Health Access Bill to be Debated 

Milford Daily News – From annual mental health checkups to measures aimed at helping psychiatric patients avoid long waits in emergency rooms, an expansive mental health bill the Senate plans to take up proposes a host of policies that top Senate Democrats said aim to ensure people can access the care they need. 

Senate President Karen Spilka said the bill addresses a “top priority of the people of the commonwealth.” 

“Mental health and behavioral health has become so acute with (the) COVID-19 pandemic,” the Ashland Democrat told reporters Tuesday. “Everybody is concerned, practically, about the lack of, the fragmentation of the mental health services currently.”

The Senate on Tuesday adopted an order giving senators until 5 p.m. Friday to file amendments to the bill. It’s scheduled for consideration next Wednesday, which will mark the Senate’s second go in less than two years at many of the measures the legislation envisions.

In February 2020, less than a month before Gov. Charlie Baker declared a state of emergency around COVID-19 and state government’s agenda refocused around pandemic response, the Senate unanimously passed a bill aimed at increasing access to mental health care. 

While that bill, dubbed the Mental Health ABC Act for “addressing barriers to care,” would go on to die in the House Ways and Means Committee, senators said several of its provisions — including standardized credentialing forms for newly hired mental and behavioral health professionals, a pilot program for behavioral telehealth services in public high schools, and creation of a psychiatric mental health nurse practitioner fellowship pilot program — became law through other avenues. 

Nearly 1.3 Million in Massachusetts to Face Higher Medicare Costs

Nearly 1.3 million people in Massachusetts will be paying higher premiums, deductibles and coinsurance amounts for Medicare in 2022.

The U.S. Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services announced Friday that the standard monthly premium for Medicare Part B enrollees will be $170.10 next year, an increase of $21.60 or 14.54 percent from $148.50 in 2021. The annual deductible for all Medicare Part B beneficiaries will be $233 in 2022, an increase of $30 from the 2021 annual deductible.

The higher costs for Part B, which covers outpatient care and durable equipment, are due to rising health care costs and utilization, the possibility that Medicare could have to begin covering a high-cost Alzheimer’s drug and congressional action that held down the 2021 premium, CMS said.

Health care spending is on the front burner for Beacon Hill this week as the House and Senate each gear up to consider its leader’s priority health-related legislation and as the governor and attorney general prepare to address health cost growth at the Health Policy Commission’s annual conference on Wednesday.

Health care spending in Massachusetts exceeded an annual target set under a 2012 cost control law the second straight year in 2019, climbing 4.3 percent.

For Medicare Part A, which covers inpatient hospital, skilled nursing facility, hospice, and inpatient rehabilitation care, the 2022 deductible will be $1,556 per benefit period, up $72 or 4.85 percent from the current year’s $1,484 deductible. In Massachusetts, there were 1,375,687 total Medicare beneficiaries as of September, including 1,245,877 people enrolled in either Part B or Part A, according to CMS data.

House, Senate Name ARPA Spending Bill Negotiators

The House and Senate on Monday named their negotiating team as lawmakers in both branches work to see this week if they can reach a quick compromise on a $3.8 billion COVID-19 recovery bill.

The House named Reps. Aaron Michlewitz, Dan Hunt and Todd Smola as its conference committee members. The Senate appointed Sens. Michael Rodrigues, Cindy Friedman and Patrick O’Connor is its negotiators.

The spending bills are H 4234, which passed the House on Nov. 2, and S 2580, which cleared the Senate on Wednesday.

Lawmakers Seek to Revitalize Local Health Departments

Eagle Tribune – Local health agents were on the front lines of the state’s battle against COVID-19 — testing residents, enforcing virus restrictions and setting up vaccination clinics.

But medical experts say city and town health departments have been underfunded and understaffed for decades, and will need more money and resources to ensure they can respond to the next pandemic.

On Beacon Hill, lawmakers are planning to direct a windfall of funding to health boards as part of a plan to spend billions of dollars in federal pandemic relief money and surplus revenues.

A $3.82 billion House plan approved two weeks ago calls for spending $150 million over the next three years to strengthen the boards.

The Senate’s version of the spending bill, which was approved Wednesday, calls for spending more than $250 million on them over the next five years. That includes $118.4 million for public health infrastructure and data sharing upgrades, and $95 million for direct grants to local boards.

The Coalition for Public Health, which includes the Massachusetts Association of Health Boards and Massachusetts Public Health Association, has called for at least $251 million initially to support them.

“This is the level of funding that is necessary to fix the local public health system, which is pretty darn broken,” said Carlene Pavlos, the Public Health Association’s executive director. “We need to transform the system so that it’s not a matter of your ZIP Code whether you get good quality public health services.”

The Senate plan also includes a provision requiring the state to provide regular funding for local health agencies and through the annual budget and grants to improve services, data collection and cross-jurisdictional cooperation.

16 Small Massachusetts Towns Share $3 Million in Grants

Milford Spectrum – More than a dozen small towns in Massachusetts are sharing a total of $3 million in state grants to support local projects from improving wastewater treatment facilities to updating a 70-year-old fire station.

The Rural and Small Town Development Fund grants announced in Montague this week go to communities with fewer than 7,000 residents or a population density of less than 500 people per square mile.

The program was created in the economic development legislation signed by Gov. Charlie Baker last January.

Sixteen towns are getting grants ranging from $24,000 to $400,000.

Lincoln will use its $400,000 grant to create design and engineering plans to expand an existing wastewater treatment plant that services a shopping center and a 125-unit mixed income residential property.

Williamstown’s $400,000 grant will be used to help with the redesign of a fire station built in 1950 so it meets national standards and improves response times.

The other communities that got grants were Avon, Cummington, Eastham, Edgartown, Erving, Hopedale, Montague, Orange, Princeton, Tisbury, Topsfield, Truro, Westport and Whately.

Amherst Councilors Explore Moratorium on Big Solar Projects

Amherst Bulletin – A large ground-mounted solar system proposed for wooded land near the Pelham and Shutesbury town lines is prompting Amherst officials to consider a moratorium on such projects.

A divided Town Council voted 7-6 Monday to have the moratorium reviewed by the council’s Community Resources Committee.

The moratorium is proposed by District 2 Councilors Pat De Angelis and Lynn Griesemer, who also serves as the council president, to possibly give guidance for amendments to town bylaws so landscapes are better protected and possible environmental damage is prevented.

“The town needs time to consider and study the future implications and impacts of large-scale ground-mounted solar voltaic installations developments upon the town as a whole, as well as the consistency of the already completed solar facilities with the town’s current and future planning goals,” De Angelis and Griesemer wrote in a memo to their colleagues.

They also note the town has approved multiple installations of solar farms, at least one of which has involved extensive clear-cutting of forests and clearing of ground vegetation, and which is located in proximity to residential neighborhoods that depend on private drinking wells and septic systems. Article 3 of zoning, they contend, “is inadequate for protecting the town’s environmental resources and mitigating other negative effects of large-scale ground-mounted solar facilities on the town.

The moratorium comes after a recent proposal that is being reviewed by the Conservation Commission for an 11-megawatt project on about 100 acres of wooded land owned by W.D. Cowls Inc. south of homes on Shutesbury Road.

If the moratorium is approved — by a two-thirds council majority — it would prevent the Zoning Board of Appeals and Planning Board from accepting or approving “any application for a large-scale ground-mounted solar energy system with a rated capacity of 250 kW DC or greater.”

This would buy time for town officials to examine what areas are suitable for solar, and regulate tree clearing, provide design standards and address forest habitat loss.

“It will allow us to create reasonable regulation without preventing the development of solar energy systems and helping us to avoid the environmental disasters like those that have occurred in Hopkinton and Williamsburg.”

November 9, 2021

Schedule

Tuesday November 9

• Joint Committee on the Judiciary-Probate and Family I-10:00am-Virtual Hearing-https://malegislature.gov/Events/Hearings/Detail/4082
• Joint Committee on Labor and Workforce Development-Misc.-10:30am-Virtual Hearing-https://malegislature.gov/Events/Hearings/Detail/4069
• Joint Committee on Health Care Financing-Misc. Matters 11:00am-Virtual Hearing-https://malegislature.gov/Events/Hearings/Detail/4070
• Joint Committee on Housing-40B-11:00am-Virtual Hearing-https://malegislature.gov/Events/Hearings/Detail/4077
• Special Committee on Redistricting-Congressional Maps and Governor’s Council Maps-11:00am-Virtual Hearing-https://malegislature.gov/Events/Hearings/Detail/4077
• Joint Committee on Economic Development and Emerging Technologies-Inclusive & Equitable Economic Development-11:00am-Virtual Hearing-https://malegislature.gov/Events/Hearings/Detail/4080
• Joint Committee on Financial Services-Health Insurnace Matters-11:00am-Virtual Hearing-https://malegislature.gov/Events/Hearings/Detail/4064

Wednesday November 10

• Joint Committee on Public Health-Disease Prevention, Screening, and Treatment-9:00am-Virtual Hearing-https://malegislature.gov/Events/Hearings/Detail/4075
• Joint Committee on State Administration and Regulatory Oversight-Honorary Bills-10:30am-Virtual Hearing-https://malegislature.gov/Events/Hearings/Detail/4071

Monday November 15 

• Joint Committee on Public Health-Emergency Medical Services, Disposition of Remains, Miscellaneous Public Health Matters-9:00am-Virtual Hearing-https://malegislature.gov/Events/Hearings/Detail/4076
• Joint Committee on Children, Families and Persons with Disabilities-Accessibility, Children, and Workforce-1:00pm-Virtual Hearing-https://malegislature.gov/Events/Hearings/Detail/4079

Labor Market Back on Track after 531,000 Jobs Were Added in October

WBUR – A strong rebound in job growth in October is raising hopes for a long-awaited recovery in the labor market. But millions of workers remain on the sidelines — and the economy needs them back.

The Labor Department reported Friday that U.S. employers added 531,000 jobs last month. Job gains for August and September were also revised upward. The unemployment rate fell to 4.6% from 4.8% in September.

“America is getting back to work,” President Biden told reporters at the White House. “Our economy is starting to work for more Americans.”

Bars and restaurants added 119,000 workers in October as consumers felt more comfortable eating out. Factories and warehouses also saw significant job gains — a sign the fallout from the delta wave of coronavirus infections may be fading.

Biden credited an aggressive effort to boost vaccination levels, including a new OSHA requirement that large employers ensure all their workers are vaccinated by early January or get them tested for COVID at least once a week.

“That’s good for our health, but it’s also good for our economy,” Biden said. “Now vaccinated workers are going back to work. Vaccinated shoppers are going back to stores. And with the launch of the vaccine for kids ages 5-11 this week, we can make sure more vaccinated children can stay in school.”

Even with last month’s solid job gains, the economy is still 4.2 million jobs short of where it was when the pandemic began.

And questions about when or even if sidelined workers will return to the labor force continue to weigh on the U.S. recovery.

There were more than 10 million unfilled job openings at the end of August. From factories to furniture stores, businesses are desperate for additional help.

U.S. Lifts Pandemic Travel Ban, Opens the Doors to International Visitors

WBUR – The U.S. lifted restrictions Monday on travel from a long list of countries including Mexico, Canada and most of Europe, allowing tourists to make long-delayed trips and family members to reconnect with loved ones after more than a year and a half apart because of the pandemic.

The U.S. is accepting fully vaccinated travelers at airports and land borders, doing away with a COVID-19 restriction that dates back to the Trump administration. The new rules allow air travel from previously restricted countries as long as the traveler has proof of vaccination and a negative COVID-19 test. Land travel from Mexico and Canada will require proof of vaccination but no test.

Airlines are expecting more travelers from Europe and elsewhere. Data from travel and analytics firm Cirium showed airlines are increasing flights between the United Kingdom and the U.S. by 21% this month over last month.

The change will have a profound effect on the borders with Mexico and Canada, where traveling back and forth was a way of life until the pandemic hit and the U.S. shut down nonessential travel.

Malls, restaurants and Main Street shops in U.S. border towns have been devastated by the lack of visitors from Mexico. On the boundary with Canada, cross-border hockey rivalries were community traditions until being upended by the pandemic. Churches that had members on both sides of the border are hoping to welcome parishioners they haven’t seen during COVID-19 shutdown.

Loved ones have missed holidays, birthdays and funerals while nonessential air travel was barred, and they are now eager to reconnect.

River Robinson’s American partner wasn’t able to be in Canada for the birth of their baby boy 17 months ago because of pandemic-related border closures. She was thrilled to hear the U.S. is reopening its land crossings to vaccinated travelers.

“I’m planning to take my baby down for the American Thanksgiving,” said Robinson, who lives in St. Thomas, Ontario. “If all goes smoothly at the border I’ll plan on taking him down as much as I can. Is crazy to think he has a whole other side of the family he hasn’t even met yet.”

Appeals Court Temporarily Halts Biden Vaccine Mandate for Larger Businesses

WBUR – A federal appeals court on Saturday temporarily halted the Biden administration’s vaccine requirement for businesses with 100 or more workers.

The 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals granted an emergency stay of the requirement by the federal Occupational Safety and Health Administration that those workers be vaccinated by Jan. 4 or face mask requirements and weekly tests.

Louisiana Attorney General Jeff Landry said the action stops President Biden “from moving forward with his unlawful overreach.”

“The president will not impose medical procedures on the American people without the checks and balances afforded by the constitution,” said a statement from Landry, a Republican.

At least 27 states filed lawsuits challenging the rule in several circuits, some of which were made more conservative by the judicial appointments of former President Donald Trump.

The Biden administration has been encouraging widespread vaccinations as the quickest way to end the pandemic that has claimed more than 750,000 lives in the United States.

The administration says it is confident that the requirement, which includes penalties of nearly $14,000 per violation, will withstand legal challenges in part because its safety rules pre-empt state laws.

The 5th Circuit, based in New Orleans, said it was delaying the federal vaccine requirement because of potential “grave statutory and constitutional issues” raised by the plaintiffs. The government was to provide an expedited reply to the motion for a permanent injunction Monday, followed by petitioners’ reply on Tuesday.

Hospitals Terminate Hundreds over Vaccine Mandates

Boston Business Journal – The state’s largest health systems are terminating hundreds of health care workers for failing to meet vaccine mandate deadlines.

At Mass General Brigham, the state’s largest health system with 80,000 employees, there were 458 workers who didn’t comply with the mandate as of last Thursday, a day before the health system’s final deadline. Those employees are expected to be terminated on Nov. 11.

Those workers represent 0.4% of the entire workforce, and the company has said the employees are spread out through the system, so it won’t be detrimental to operations.

The terminations include employees who filed a lawsuit against the health system over its vaccine mandate, after the courts decided Thursday not to issue a preliminary injunction to prevent the health system from moving forward with the terminations. The broader court case is still ongoing.

Wellforce, the parent company of Tufts Medical Center, let go of 107 employees on Nov. 1 for failure to comply with vaccine mandates. That represents less than 1% of its 12,000-person workforce.

The numbers at Wellforce were much smaller than anticipated. The health system had 274 employees placed on unpaid leave Oct. 1 over the mandate, but nearly two-thirds changed their minds and got the shot. As at Mass General Brigham, the cuts were few enough not to illicit service reductions.

Vaccine mandates were similarly effective at Lawrence General Hospital, which only had 20 employees be let go out of its 2,000-person workforce on Nov. 1 due to vaccine mandates.

“It was a concern for all of us, but we did a lot of education and partnered with our team and worked with our staff,” said Lawrence General CEO Deborah Wilson. “Most of our staff wanted this. They wanted to be part of that safe environment.”

More terminations are likely. Beth Israel Lahey Health, the state’s second largest health system with 36,000 employees, placed 153 employees on unpaid administrative leave on Oct. 31. The employees are expected to be terminated on Nov. 14 if they don’t comply with the mandate.

Is Herd Immunity’ Possible?

WBUR – Now that children ages five to 11 are eligible for a COVID-19 vaccine, some epidemiologists are holding out hope that it might be possible to achieve “herd immunity,” which happens when enough people are immune to a virus to make spreading it unlikely.

Although it remains unclear whether this will become a reality, experts say reaching high vaccination rates among children will be a key step along that path.

“This is the most important piece,” said Robert Horsburgh, a physician and professor of epidemiology, biostatistics and global health at Boston University. “We’ve done a pretty good job with adult vaccines, but we were never going to get this under complete control until we get children vaccinated.”

While some states — including Massachusetts, Connecticut and Rhode Island — have vaccinated roughly 70% of residents, the virus has continued to circulate, although at lower rates than in some less vaccinated states. Horsburgh said one reason for this is children.

Despite being less likely than adults to get severely sick from the virus, children can still spread it. “They are a major way the virus stays in the community.” Horsburgh said.

Demand for Boosters Surpasses that for First Shots of COVID Vaccine

WBUR – The number of people getting COVID-19 vaccine boosters in the U.S. is now far outpacing the number getting their first shots, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

That trend represents a big success for White House’s aggressive booster campaign. But it also underscores the administration’s flagging effort to achieve its high priority of vaccinating the remaining unvaccinated Americans.

More than 21 million people have already received a booster in the short time they’ve been widely available, according to the CDC website. And more than 786,000 are getting boosters every day now on average. That’s nearly triple the number coming in for their first shots, though the rollout to kids under 12 could potentially change that equation.

This isn’t a big surprise: The same people who rushed to get their first jabs are apparently just as eager for their third, and with the booster recommendations announced late October, two out of every three vaccinated people are eligible, according to some estimates.

The trend is being praised by many public health experts. Boosters will help protect people who may have become more vulnerable because of waning immunity, especially against the delta variant. That will help prevent more people from getting sick or spreading the virus to others, and should prevent hospitalizations and deaths.

“I think the folks who are eligible for boosters should get them,” says Dr. Robert Wachter, chair of the department of medicine at the University of California, San Francisco. “The data are clear that your immunity wanes and that’s not good for you or good for the community if more people become vulnerable.”

But some worry the focus on boosters has distracted from the more important goal of vaccinating the tens of millions of people who are eligible but still haven’t gotten vaccinated. As of Thursday, over 222 million Americans, or 67% of the population, had gotten at least their first shot.

The large number of unvaccinated people is the primary reason that more than 70,000 people are still catching the virus every day, many hospitals are still overwhelmed, and more than a thousand are still dying every day.

Wu Replicates Menino Margin and Map

Commonwealth Magazine – In the closing weeks of the Boston mayor’s race, Michelle Wu was name-checking her one-time boss, Tom Menino, a lot more than her former law professor, Elizabeth Warren. It was smart politics to remind voters that she wasn’t just a protege of the Senate lefty firebrand but was also very much a product of Tom Menino’s City Hall, where she cut her teeth as a law student intern looking at small business licensing issues and school bus route logistics.

As much as the city’s Harvard-educated incoming mayor and its often tongue-tied longest-serving one seemed cut from very different cloths, they shared an interest in the nitty-gritty of how city government affects residents’ lives. When it comes to their political prowess, they now also share something else: An almost identical winning margin and map in rolling to dominant victories in their first mayoral runs.

In unofficial results from Tuesday’s election, Wu captured 64 percent of the vote to Annissa Essaibi George’s 36 percent. That’s exactly the same margin by which Menino beat Dorchester state rep Jim Brett in the 1993 race. What’s more, Wu dominated the city geographically in a way nearly identical to Menino. She actually did him one better when measuring victories at the ward level, winning 19 of the city’s 22 wards to Menino’s 18 ward-level wins in 1993.

In Michelle Wu, Many Business Leaders See a Mayor They Can Work With

Boston Globe – Her progressive promise may align with business community’s goals more than some might think 

Michelle Wu convinced Boston voters she’s the right person to run the city. Now, can she persuade a wary business community?

Her race against Annissa Essaibi George was often framed as progressive versus pragmatist. Wu’s talk of free T rides and reviving rent control struck some executives as pie-in-the-sky proposals with little chance of immediate success, not serious attempts to tackle longstanding problems. Meanwhile, her promises to push substantive reforms — by rewriting the rules of real estate development in Boston, for example — threaten the bottom line for powerful people who have benefited from the status quo.

But it might not be as tough as it seems to persuade Boston’s typically cautious business community to hop on board the Wu train — and not just because she emerged victorious last Tuesday. Business leaders know how this city has changed since they started their careers. And, for the most part, they recognize it needs to evolve further.

Wu gave herself a head start by directly engaging with executives in a variety of industries during the campaign. To many who met with her, the city councilor came across as genuinely interested in their concerns, and not simply as a politician casting for votes or campaign donations.

And when it comes to priorities, there’s plenty of overlap with the soon-to-be mayor. Bolstering Boston’s public schools. Improving mass transit and affordable housing. Making the city more resilient to catastrophic storms. Narrowing the wealth gap to help Black and Latino residents. Dealing with the drug addiction and homeless encampment at Mass. and Cass. Replacing all those “For Lease” signs downtown with vibrant shops and restaurants.

The Kids are Not Okay

Commonwealth Magazine – In a shocking and tragic incident last week, Patricia Lampron, the principal of the Dr. William Henderson Inclusion School in Dorchester, ordered a 16-year-old girl to leave the school grounds. The girl began punching her in the head, beating Lampron unconscious, according to a report in the Boston Globe. The school serves many students with physical, mental, and emotional disabilities, and the attack shocked the school community.

Parent Dalida Rocha told the Globe that she worried the school had not done enough to prepare students to return after the long pandemic-related closure. “We haven’t done a good job as a society to help children to deal with the traumatic experiences they have gone through with the pandemic,” she said.

Lawrence Mayor Kendrys Vasquez voiced similar fears last month amid an uptick of violence at Lawrence High School. The Eagle-Tribune reported that two teens were arrested and a dozen more issued summonses for disorderly conduct after an assault on a male teacher and a spate of fights at the school. Vasquez said the year-long break from school “took a mental and emotional toll” on students and educators, and it will take attention and resources to address that.

The impacts are not felt only through violence. The Gloucester Daily Times said local districts are struggling to address chronic absenteeism. While the paper did not give a reason, this may indicate that students are struggling, fearful, or simply out of the habit of regular school attendance.

Older students in college are not immune from the educational turmoil. Worcester Polytechnic Institute is reeling from four student deaths, two of which were by suicide. The Telegram & Gazette reported that some students feel the administration is not doing enough to address students’ mental health.

Health care providers have long been talking about a mental health crisis among children. Emergency department beds are filled with children in crisis waiting for inpatient psychiatric treatment. As of October 25, there were 191 kids with behavioral health problems “boarding,” waiting for an inpatient bed, according to the Massachusetts Health and Hospital Association.

Biden’s Infrastructure Win Gives Him some Momentum. Here’s Why He Needs That

WBUR – Friday night was a long one for President Biden, working the phones at the end of a week where his party lost a bellwether race in Virginia, following months of Democratic infighting over his agenda. Down in the polls, he had just returned from an overseas trip where he said he faced questions about whether he had support to back the pledges he made on the world stage.

But by Saturday morning, Biden could not contain his ebullience, celebrating a major legislative victory: a long-stalled $1.2 trillion infrastructure bill had passed with bipartisan support.

“Finally, infrastructure week,” Biden said, chuckling over what had become a running joke about his predecessor, who failed to ever make a deal on the investment needed for the nation’s roads and ports despite often promising to focus on the problem. “I’m so happy to say that: infrastructure week,” he said.

The bill’s passage — combined with some positive news on the economy and the pandemic — could give Biden some momentum for tackling the next big piece of his agenda, a sprawling package of social programs, an overhaul of the tax system and billions of dollars of climate incentives. The size and scope of the plan has exposed deep division within his own party. But it’s another win he’s eager to secure ahead of looming 2022 congressional elections.

“The week started rough for Biden, but the [infrastructure] win and great jobs numbers shows the path by which Biden can turn this around,” said Jennifer Palmieri, who worked in the Obama White House.

But there are a host of forbidding odds working against Democrats as they head into the 2022 midterm elections, says Doug Heye, a Republican political consultant. “Inflation, national security, the border and so much more,” Heye said. “It’s hard to find an issue where Democrats have an advantage now.”

Massachusetts Delegation, Minus One, Votes for Infrastructure Bill

Boston Herald – After a tense, drawn out negotiation period on Capitol Hill to pass a $1 trillion bipartisan infrastructure bill, it succeeded late Friday night — though not all Massachusetts House members voted in its favor.

“For months, my progressive colleagues and I … have been clear from the onset that any vote on the narrow roads and bridges bill must happen in tandem with a vote on the Build Back Better Act that invests in our care economy, housing, paid leave, combating climate change, and more,” said U.S. Rep. Ayanna Pressley, D-Boston, in a statement.

The agreement to move the smaller infrastructure bill alongside a larger bill including some of President Biden’s most ambitious campaign proposals was not honored, Pressley said. For this reason, she continued to “#HoldTheLine,” as she and other progressives have tweeted, and voted against the bill. Five other progressives, including fellow “Squad” member Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, also voted against the bill.

All the other Massachusetts U.S. House members, all Democrats, voted in favor of the passage of the bill. The final vote was 228-206, with thirteen Republicans voting with most Democrats to pass the bill, and six Dems voting against it.

Although Rep. Richard Neal, D-Springfield, voted in support of the infrastructure bill, the Ways and Means Committee chairman said in a statement that “basic workplace supports like child care and paid family and medical leave,” all parts of the Build Back Better Act, are just as important as the infrastructure bill.

Several members of the Massachusetts delegation made the same argument, including Rep. Lori Trahan, D-Lowell, and Rep. Jim McGovern, D-Worcester. McGovern likened the Build Back Better Act to the “New Deal” of the FDR era 89 years ago that ushered in sweeping reforms.

These Massachusetts Companies have the Most Women in the C-Suite

Boston Business Journal – Massachusetts companies reported their highest numbers of women in C-level positions yet, according to The Boston Club’s annual Census of Women Directors and Executive Officers, which tracks gender equity among the leadership of the state’s 100 largest public companies.

Forty-seven companies reported having at least three women directors, up from 39 companies a year ago, according to the census. Nineteen had at least three women executive officers as of June 30.

The number of companies with multiple women directors continued its growth over the past decade as the number of companies with a sole woman director or executive officer or with none — also known as “zero-zero” companies — continued to fall. In fact, the 2021 Census reported no “zero-zero” companies, just as it did last year. By comparison, the census had reported 35 zero-zeros when in 2003, its first year.

When drilling down into director-level positions, the Boston Club reported two of the 12 companies that are new to this year’s census have no women directors: Vicor Corp. (Nasdaq: VICR) in Andover and Organogenesis Holdings Inc. in Canton. The two companies also lack non-white directors.

On the other end of the spectrum are Framingham-based TJX Companies Inc. (NYSE: TJX), which has five or more women in leadership positions at the company. Vertex Pharmaceuticals Inc. (Nasdaq: VRTX) in Boston has at least four women in director or executive-officer positions. Keurig Dr Pepper Inc. (Nasdaq: KDP) in Burlington reported at least six women leading the company as directors or executive officers.

While the latest figures show improvement, the share of women in boardrooms is far smaller than the country’s population of women. As of late June, just under 28% of women held board seats in Massachusetts’ largest companies, and women accounted for 13.5% of top executives.

Advocacy Effort Launched to Push for Child-Care System Reform

Boston Globe – Parents fed up with exorbitant child-care costs and the difficulty of finding care for young babies are about to get something they may never have imagined: their own political action organization.

A Boston-based advocacy and lobbying effort was launched Monday by the Neighborhood Villages Action Fund to push for transformative changes to the child-care system that have already been proposed on both the state and federal levels.

In Massachusetts, the Common Start bill before the Legislature would publicly fund child care, boost teachers’ wages, and limit families’ child-care costs to 7 percent of household income. In Congress, a vote is expected later this month on a $1.85 trillion Build Back Better package that would pour $400 billion into child-care subsidies and create universal pre-kindergarten for all the nation’s 3- and 4-year-olds.

Massachusetts has higher costs for infant care than any state in the nation, averaging nearly $21,000 a year, behind only Washington, D.C., according to a 2020 analysis by the Economic Policy Institute.

With a populace keenly attuned to the need for reliable child care after a year and a half of pandemic-related closures and crises, the Action Fund aims to harness parents’ frustration and flex newfound political muscle on Capitol Hill and on Beacon Hill

“If you talk to parents, know parents, everyone’s talking about it,” said Latoya Gayle, senior director of advocacy for Neighborhood Villages. “I’m excited to bring all those voices together so they can be one, big loud voice, a voting bloc of parents.”

Child care has never been a cachet political issue, but the closure of centers and schools during the pandemic highlighted its centrality to the economy, particularly as women lagged in returning to the workforce.

Massachusetts has 10 percent fewer child-care slots than before the pandemic, and centers still can’t fill all of them because of understaffing. Low-wage child-care workers abandoned the demanding jobs over the past year, limiting centers’ ability to fully reopen even after pandemic restrictions were eased.

Mariano Backs Bill to Provide More Scrutiny of Hospital Expansions

Commonwealth Magazine – The Massachusetts House will consider a health care bill that would impose increased scrutiny on hospital expansions, House Speaker Ron Mariano said Thursday.

The goal of the bill would be to stop behemoth health care systems from expanding into communities where today patients primarily rely on community hospitals, then siphoning revenue away from those hospitals. Mariano acknowledged that the bill was prompted by Mass General Brigham’s proposal to expand into Westborough, Westwood, and Woburn – which some worry will take patients with commercial insurance away from providers already serving the area.

Mariano’s proposal represents yet another attempt to shore up financially struggling community hospitals, with a different type of policy solution than those lawmakers have considered previously. Instead of rate relief or subsidies, Mariano is seeking more aggressive regulation.

“We have a whole bunch of folks going forward with expansions into different catchment areas that dramatically affect community hospitals and their public-private payer mix numbers,” Mariano said in an interview. “My feeling is we really can’t allow some of these folks to move into some of the community hospital catchment areas and siphon off the private payers and leave the community hospitals only with public payers.”

Mariano said this bill, if passed, “will help stabilize the payer mix for community hospitals.”

Mariano said the bill will be released from committee before lawmakers go on break November 17, though he could not say if the House would try to pass it before then.

Lawmakers have been trying for years to pass legislation that would curb the costs of health care and also help financially struggling community hospitals stay afloat. Reports by the Center for Health Information and Analysis have repeatedly found that community hospitals are far less profitable than teaching hospitals and academic medical centers, which tend to be bigger with more market power and more ability to negotiate favorable rates with insurers.

Kerry Spouts Optimism About Global Action From UN Climate Change Summit

WGBH – John Kerry struck out with an optimistic tone about the U.N. climate summit on Thursday.

“I guarantee you, we are going to come out of Glasgow with a level of ambition that is going to surprise people,” the special presidential envoy for climate told host Jim Braude on Greater Boston.

The 2021 Conference of the Parties, known as COP26, kicked off on Sunday, bringing together world leaders to strike deals on combatting climate change. Former Secretary of State Kerry spoke enthusiastically about the market shifts that are greening the global economy and commitments from countries that previously haven’t been “at the table.” But Dr. Vanessa Kerry, director of the Global Public Policy and Social Change program at Harvard Medical School and CEO of Seed Global Health, pointed out that global health — which is threatened by the changing climate through its impact on food, water, sanitation and shelter — has been largely left off of the agenda.

“Believe me, nobody’s raised it with me. Not one conversation has anybody said to me, ‘Oh, you guys can’t do it, look at what’s going on [in Congress].’ Hasn’t happened,” he said. “But would it be helpful? You bet. It would be wonderful to walk into a meeting, and say, ‘Look at what we’re doing,’ and use [new legislation] as leverage.”

Sec. Kerry also praised a new level of engagement from countries such as Saudi Arabia and South Africa, highlighting efforts to meet the target he initially sought with the 2015 Paris Climate Accords: capping global warming to a 1.5-degree Celsius increase.

“About 65% of global GDP is now working on adopted plans to be able to keep 1.5 degrees alive,” Sec. Kerry said. “I’ll tell you, six months ago, I wouldn’t have believed that was possible, but it’s happening, and we have more to come in the next ten days.”

And for those who do make commitments, technological advances help keep up public accountability, Sec. Kerry said. He recalled a Washington Post investigation that worked off of satellite data to show a massive methane leak in a Russian republic. In the past, countries might simply understate emissions or deny problems, but that’s no longer possible in the same way.

Getting to ‘Yes’ on Electricity Transmission Infrastructure

Commonwealth Magazine – Any vision of the future decarbonized power system is sure to include hundreds of wind turbines dotting the Atlantic Ocean to power homes and businesses across New England. While the eye is drawn to the blades spinning above the water, equally important to this vision is what’s going on under the sea and back on land.

Transmission infrastructure–like substations, high-voltage lines, and underwater cables–will be a vital component of getting electricity generated by remote renewable projects to New England’s electricity consumers. Reaching the clean energy future the region desires will require collaboration and agreement from state and federal decision makers on where this infrastructure will be built and how it will be funded.

In New England, sharing a power grid across state borders provides reliability, market, and environmental benefits to residents in all six states. Over the past two decades, the region has invested nearly $12 billion to make the transmission system more efficient and reliable. These upgrades were made possible through an agreement reached by the majority of states and industry stakeholders on a formula for sharing costs among New England ratepayers.

We do not, at this time, have a similar arrangement for the construction of transmission infrastructure needed to achieve the states’ policy goals developed to combat climate change. As the power system evolves to one with more renewable resources and energy storage, state officials will again need to reach consensus on how transmission projects will be selected and paid for, based on the transmission planning conducted by ISO New England.

While these broader discussions are ongoing, the ISO is conducting long-range research projects, including the 2050 Transmission Study. Last year, the states asked the ISO to study how we could reliably and cost-effectively incorporate large-scale clean energy and distributed energy resources, such as rooftop solar and small batteries, by 2050, when most states need to meet decarbonization targets. The study, which we’ll release next year, includes interim looks at 2035 and 2040. It will examine several scenarios for future electricity generation and consumption developed by the states, based on different state policies and pathways toward meeting their decarbonization goals.

This is What the World Looks Like if We Pass the 1.5-Degree Climate Threshold

WBUR – There’s one number heard more than any other from the podiums at the United Nations climate summit in Glasgow, Scotland: 1.5 degrees Celsius.

That’s the global climate change goal world leaders agreed to strive for. By limiting the planet’s warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius, or 2.7 degrees Fahrenheit, by 2100, the hope is to stave off severe climate disruptions that could exacerbate hunger, conflict and drought worldwide.

The 1.5 degree target has long been championed by developing nations, where millions of people are among the most vulnerable to climate change. At the 2015 Paris climate negotiations, they pushed industrialized countries to improve on the 2 degree Celsius goal held at the time, since wealthier nations are responsible for most greenhouse gas emissions since the Industrial Revolution.

At the climate negotiations now underway, nations are touting new commitments to cut their heat-trapping emissions by switching to clean energy and reducing deforestation. India is pledging, for the first time, to be carbon neutral by 2070. More than 100 countries, including the United States, joined a global pact to cut methane, a potent greenhouse gas.

Still, added together, the recent pledges don’t go far enough. Even with more ambitious emissions cuts from some countries, warming is still on track for more than 2 degrees Celsius (or 3.6 Fahrenheit) by the end of the century. The Earth is already 1.1 degrees Celsius hotter than it was 150 years ago.

Though a half-degree Celsius difference in temperature increase might seem inconsequential, the difference for life on Earth could be huge. Here’s what scientists expect, if average global temperatures exceed 1.5-degree Celsius warming by 2100.

November 2, 2021

Schedule

Tuesday November 2

• Joint Committee on Housing-Condominium Laws-11:00am-Virtual Hearing-https://malegislature.gov/Events/Hearings/Detail/4062
• Joint Committee on Telecommunications, Utilities and Energy-Natural Gas-1:00pm-Virtual Hearing-https://malegislature.gov/Events/Hearings/Detail/4065

Wednesday November 3 

• Joint Committee on Public Health-Tobacco, COVID-19, Misc-9:00am-Virtual Hearing-https://malegislature.gov/Events/Hearings/Detail/4067
• Joint Committee on Environment, Natural Resources and Agriculture-2:00pm-Virtual Hearing-https://malegislature.gov/Events/Hearings/Detail/4063 

Monday November 8 

• Joint Committee on Mental Health, Substance Use and Recovery-Involuntary Commitments and Inpatient Treatment-1:00pm-Virtual Hearing-https://malegislature.gov/Events/Hearings/Detail/3951

Tuesday November 9

• Joint Committee on Labor and Workforce Development-Misc.-10:30am-Virtual Hearing-https://malegislature.gov/Events/Hearings/Detail/4069
• Joint Committee on Health Care Financing-Misc. Matters 11:00am-Virtual Hearing-https://malegislature.gov/Events/Hearings/Detail/4070
• Joint Committee on Financial Services-Health Insurnace Matters-11:00am-Virtual Hearing-https://malegislature.gov/Events/Hearings/Detail/4064

Wednesday November 10

• Joint Committee on State Administration and Regulatory Oversight-Honorary Bills-10:30am-Virtual Hearing-https://malegislature.gov/Events/Hearings/Detail/4071

Here’s What is in the Stimulus Spending Bill Passed by the Massachusetts House

Friday evening the Massachusetts House of Representatives unanimously passed a $3.82 billion COVID-19 spending plan. The funding came from a combination of direct federal aid allocated to the state in the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) and surplus revenue from the FY 21 budget.

The bill contains a $500 million deposit into the state’s unemployment trust fund and another $500 million for one-time bonus payments to low-income essential workers who remained on the job in-person throughout the COVID-19 state of emergency.

The house spent $2.510 billion from APRA aide and $1.313 billion in surplus spending. The legislation leaves roughly $2.9 billion in total remaining surplus for future projects. The House debate resulted in a $173 million increase in spending via amendments in a combination of $154 million in earmarks and $19.5 million supplemental spending on state programs.

The bill also contains critical relief to small businesses owners who paid $200 million in tax relief for small-business owners who paid personal income taxes on state or federal relief money.

The spending by category includes:

$600 Million for Housing

• $150M housing production
• $100M home ownership assistance
• $100M Commonwealth Builder Program
• $100M affordable housing production
• $150M public housing maintenance
• $11,737,000 in local housing earmarks

$365 Million for Environmental Project/Climate Change

• $100M offshore wind/marine port development
• $103M for climate resilient infrastructure
• $113M for water and sewer infrastructure
• $25M greening Gateway cites
• $34M state parks/rec facility upgrades

$777 Million for Economic Development

• $125M for Mass Cultural Council grants
• $500M unemployment insurance funding
• $25M for small businesses
• $25M for minority-owned businesses
• $50M to close digital divide in low-income areas
• $12M to assist resettling Afghan refugees
• $200 million in tax relief for small businesses that paid personal income taxes on state and federal relief awards over the last year and a half

$750 Million for Workforce Development

• $500M for premium pay bonuses for essential workers
• $150M for Workforce Competitive Trust Fund (job training),
• $100M for career technical institutes and vocational schools

$765 Million for Health and Human Services:

• 250M for providers/$70M specifically for nursing facilities
• $250M for behavioral health ($100M carve-out for student loan assistance, tuition reimbursement)
• $150M over 3 years to better address health disparities
• $20M to improve tech infra for CHC
• $18M for HHS programs and special projects
• $9.8M for public health projects

$280 Million for Education

• $100M for HVAC improvements in schools,
• $75M for capital/maintenance projects in higher ed,
• $25M endowment incentive program
• $20M for Special Education needs
• $10M to help BIPOC educators achieve licensure
• $16M in earmarks

Miscellaneous

• $15M toward prison re-entry grants, focusing on support for people released during the pandemic,
• $10M for community-based gun-violence prevention programs in high-risk areas
• $78M to help address food insecurity (earmarked)

Massachusetts Surpasses Vaccination Milestone

MassLive – More than 10 million doses of the coronavirus vaccine have now been administered in Massachusetts, Gov. Charlie Baker announced Thursday afternoon.

“Thank you to all of our health care and community partners who have helped the Commonwealth achieve this milestone in our vaccination efforts,” Baker wrote on Twitter, drawing criticism from some Twitter users over his strict COVID vaccine mandate that required more than 40,000 Executive Department employees and contractors to be fully immunized by Oct. 17.

The vast majority of those employees are vaccinated, Baker’s office has said. But officials have disclosed scant details on vaccination rates by individual department, as well as the number of medical or religious vaccine waivers granted.

On Tuesday, Massachusetts had hovered just below the 10 million dose milestone, with the Department of Public Health reporting that 9,997,290 doses had been administered. By Wednesday, that number rose to 10,052,080.

State health data show that 4,944,552 first doses — and 4,404,706 second doses — of the Moderna or Pfizer have been administered as of Wednesday.

The number of Johnson & Johnson doses administered as of Wednesday is much lower: 318,589. Meanwhile, state health data show 384,233 booster shots have already been administered in Massachusetts as of Wednesday.

The total number of vaccine doses administered across the United States is 417,795,537 as of Thursday, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Michelle Wu, Annissa Eassaibi George Make Final Pitch in Boston Mayoral Race

Boston Globe – On the next-to-last day of her mayoral campaign, Michelle Wu was once again on the trail, shaking hands and posing for selfies at Pavement Coffeehouse, in the heart of Boston University’s campus on Commonwealth Avenue.

“We’re down to the wire here,” she said of the contest that she formally joined more than a year ago.

After ordering a matcha latte, Wu, who has supported workers of the café in their unionization efforts, told a scrum of reporters that as mayor she would appoint a chief of worker empowerment tasked with ensuring that Boston is “building an economy that is fair and sustainable and centers out workers.”

But Wu is likely to lock horns with a certain subsection of labor groups, specifically Boston’s police unions, over changes in their contracts, which expired over a year ago. Monday morning, she said her mayoral administration would “fight for an objective approach to discipline within the department, accountability for the conduct of officers, and also budgetary changes that we need.”

Her rival, fellow Councilor Annissa Essaibi George, meanwhile was halfway through a 24-hour campaign blitz. Her schedule Monday included door-knocking in Dorchester, a tour of a nonprofit that helps children experiencing homelessness, and a get-out-the-vote rally in Hyde Park.

Baby Boys Get Fewer Protective Antibodies from Pregnant Moms with COVID-19 Compared to Girls, New MGH Study Suggests

Boston Herald – Pregnant women who get the coronavirus make fewer antibodies against the virus and transfer less immunity to their baby when having a boy compared to a girl, a new study out of Massachusetts General Hospital suggests.

“We definitely saw that male fetuses ended up with less protective antibodies from mom,” said Dr. Andrea Edlow, senior author of the study published in Science Translational Medicine and a maternal-fetal medicine specialist at Massachusetts General Hospital.

Edlow and her team looked at 68 pregnant women and 38 got the coronavirus during their third trimester before COVID-19 vaccines were available. They tested antibodies in the umbilical cord.

They found that the sex of the baby influenced the woman’s ability to make antibodies against the coronavirus and transfer them to the baby.

Mothers having a baby boy made fewer antibodies and transferred less protection to the baby compared with moms having a baby girl.

That’s because male placentas had higher levels of certain genes and proteins associated with increased immune activation. While the activation may help protect baby boys from being infected with the coronavirus, the inflammation can pose risks. That pattern was opposite in baby girls.

Studies have shown that male adults, kids and babies have a higher prevalence of the coronavirus and develop more severe disease than women. In addition, young boys are more likely to get multisystem inflammatory syndrome, a severe condition associated with COVID-19 in kids, than girls.

Edlow said the study may provide early insights into this vulnerability and shows that newborn boys up to six months of age might be more vulnerable to the coronavirus if their mother had the virus during pregnancy.

Overall, Edlow said it’s crucial that pregnant mothers get the coronavirus vaccine.

New Legislative District Maps Sent to Baker for Review

MassLive – After a tumultuous U.S. Census process and using feedback from legislators and interest groups to refine draft House and Senate maps, lawmakers sent legislation redrawing the state’s 200 legislative districts to Gov. Charlie Baker’s desk on Thursday.

The Legislature wrapped up its work on the House and Senate political boundaries that will be in place for the next decade, sending Baker bills carving the state into 160 House districts (H 4217) and 40 Senate districts (S 2563).

Both bills cleared their final procedural hurdles in the House and Senate on Thursday with no commentary after each branch previously debated and approved its respective map.

One week ago, the House voted 158-1 in favor of its redistricting plan that would increase the number of districts where non-white residents represent a majority of the population from 20 under the current map to 33.

Senators voted 36-3 on Wednesday to advance the Senate map, with two of those who voted against it voicing concerns about how their districts would shift and the process used to develop the proposal. Senate leaders faced criticism about their first redistricting draft, then redrew the map to add three new majority-minority districts, including one centered around Brockton, rather than just two as originally proposed.

Baker, a Republican, will get 10 days to review the legislation. He has not commented publicly on the redistricting plans, or made clear any concerns.

The Legislature faced significant time pressure during this round of redistricting. Because of pandemic-inflicted delays, the U.S. Census Bureau did not deliver decennial population data used to craft new political maps until mid-August, months after the information’s standard arrival.

Delta, Inflation Slow State’s Economic Growth

WWLP – Growth in the Massachusetts economy slowed significantly during the third quarter and the economic analysts at MassBenchmarks reported Thursday that their outlook for the next six months is less optimistic than it was previously as the Delta variant persists and consumer spending slows.

The state’s real gross domestic product increased at a 2 percent annualized rate in the third quarter, matching the national growth rate for the same period but stepping down from state growth rates of 6.1 percent in the first quarter and 8 percent in the second quarter, the publication from the University of Massachusetts Donahue Institute said.

“The slowdown in growth from the second quarter reflects the effects of the Delta variant of COVID-19 restraining the pace of reopening, continued supply chain disruptions and labor shortages, and less exuberant consumer spending on goods, especially durable goods,” Alan Clayton-Matthews, a Northeastern University professor emeritus and senior contributing editor of MassBenchmarks, wrote.

“Much of the growth that did occur reflects increased consumer spending on services and job growth in the leisure and hospitality and other services sectors. Inflation means that consumer spending’s effect on real output is diminished, and this also affects real GDP growth.”

Spending that is subject to the state’s sales tax or motor vehicle sales tax declined at a 5.8 percent annual rate in the third quarter after having climbed by a 40.3 percent annual rate in the second quarter of the year. Clayton-Matthews said the drop was fueled mostly by a shortage of motor vehicles that has contributed to a roughly 37 percent annual drop in their sales.

Jobs in Massachusetts grew at a 6.9 percent annual rate in the third quarter as compared to a 4.3 percent annual rate in the second quarter. Employment has grown by 6.2 percent in Massachusetts versus 4.6 percent for the country over the last year, MassBenchmarks said. Though the state’s unemployment rate climbed from 4.9 percent in June to 5.2 percent in September, Clayton-Matthews said it could indicate more people returning to the workforce.

Here’s What is in the $1.75 Trillion Biden Budget Plan 

Washington Post – President Biden on Thursday unveiled a roughly $1.75 trillion blueprint for overhauling the country’s health care, climate, education and tax laws, as he seeks to break a logjam among his party’s liberals and moderates that has stalled his economic agenda for months.

The plan includes some of Biden’s earliest policy priorities, including new spending to enhance child care and offer prekindergarten free to all American families. But it also shelved some of the Democrats’ most favored plans, including an effort to provide paid leave to millions of workers — one of many casualties in the party’s efforts to reduce its original, $3.5 trillion price tag.

Biden presented the plan on Capitol Hill in a private meeting with House Democrats earlier Thursday, after which many Democrats said they are still negotiating its specifics and haggling over what’s in and out of the package. He still must convince lawmakers including Sens. Joe Manchin III (D-W.Va.) and Kyrsten Sinema (D-Ariz.), who helped drive Democrats to scale back their policy ambitions in the first place.

Editorial: House COVID-19 Relief Spending Bill Needs Tweaks

Lowell Sun – Five months in the making, House leaders on Monday finally detailed a $3.65 billion spending package that would pour state surplus and federal COVID-19 relief money into virtually every aspect of the state’s economy, while also reserving about $2.75 billion for future allocation.

The state received roughly $5.2 billion in federal discretionary funds back in May. That $3.65 billion still falls far short of the spending wish list submitted to the Legislature.

With debate in the House ongoing and Senate consideration still weeks away, most of the bill’s details remain ripe for negotiation.

However, both branches appear to be in agreement on two key pieces of the legislation — totaling $1 billion.

They’re a pair of $500 million investments in the unemployment insurance system and bonus pay for low-income workers who remained on the job during the pandemic.

Employees who worked in-person during the state of emergency and earn no more than 300% of the federal poverty level — $79,900 for a family of four — would qualify for a one-time bonus of $500 to $2,000, according to House Ways and Means Chairman Aaron Michlewitz.

The vast majority of that funding — $460 million — would go to those in private industry, with the remaining $40 million reserved for state workers.

That’s the least the state can do for those lower-paid employees, who stocked supermarket aisles and worked the checkout counters while others took their jobs home.

With the other $500 million, the bill helps business owners facing repayment of a $7 billion loan to cover the historic number of unemployment benefit claims paid out during the pandemic, which pushed their trust fund into insolvency.

Digital Boom Sparks Crime Wave, Job Growth

WWLP – The COVID-19 pandemic changed the ways that businesses operate and people interact, but the shift towards even greater reliance on digital technologies has created new opportunities for cybercriminals and highlighted the state’s need for more skilled workers in the cybersecurity field. 

As he kicked off the annual Massachusetts Cybersecurity Forum on Thursday, CyberArk founder and CEO Udi Mokady put a fine point on the ways that bad actors have sought to take advantage of the pandemic-influenced shift to remote work and the rise in online payments and services.

“Since last year’s forum, the world has seen a lot of change. We’ve seen cyberattacks become much more targeted and damaging, with the goals of those attacks ranging from critical infrastructure disruption to massive financial damage,” he said from his company’s Newton headquarters. 

Mokady added, “The rapid movement to work from anywhere dissolved any remaining notions of a traditional network-based security perimeter, and attackers haven’t stopped innovating. Attackers are becoming bolder, with nearly all cyberattacks centered on compromised identities.” 

The FBI has said that Massachusetts residents lost around $100 million from reported cybercrimes in 2020 and a survey that NBC10 conducted in 2019 found that at least one out of six Massachusetts municipalities had been hit with a ransomware attack.

This spring, a malware attack forced the state’s auto inspection system offline for nearly three weeks and a ransomware attack on the Steamship Authority caused delays for vacationers and residents trying to get to Martha’s Vineyard or Nantucket. 

Massachusetts’ ‘Test to Stay Rollout Raises Questions

Stat News – Massachusetts is drawing praise and even imitation for its “test-to-stay” approach to keep kids in school during the COVID-19 pandemic. But the realities of the policy’s implementation have been less than rosy, overburdening school nurses and requiring the National Guard be sent to counter personnel shortages. 

Test to stay allows students to attend in-person classes and partake in extracurricular activities provided they test negative every day — an option aimed at keeping more kids in class, more often. In other states, many schools are choosing to quarantine all students who come into close contact with someone who tests positive, which has amounted to tens of thousands of missed days of school for people who have not been infected with the virus.

The approach has been heralded as a “success” and a “simple solution.” This month, there are even some indications that the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention will endorse test to stay. On Oct. 13, CDC Director Rochelle Walensky told reporters during a press briefing that the agency was working with states to evaluate test to stay as a “promising potential new strategy for schools,” and that guidance would be forthcoming.

Workforce Training Programs Must be Transparent, Accountable

Boston Business Journal – When the quasi-public Massachusetts Life Sciences Center offers a tax incentive to a company in exchange for a hiring promise, there is clear accountability: If the company doesn’t meet its job-creation goal, it is obligated to return that taxpayer money.

It mystifies us that not all state job-training programs have a similar level of transparency. 

Given the crisis that Boston-area employers are facing when it comes to hiring, there’s no question that help is needed. But so is the reassurance that state-funded workforce training programs are actually working and fulfilling the hiring needs of local employers. 

Gov. Charlie Baker has proposed putting $240 million of the state’s American Rescue Plan Act funding into an expansion of the state’s workforce development system. Just this week, Massachusetts House leadership proposed a $3.65 billion spending plan that included $750 million for workforce development programs, including $150 million for programs like the Workforce Competitiveness Trust Fund.

We applaud that both the governor and Legislature recognize that investment is needed in such programs right now. Three hundred thousand people in Massachusetts lost federal unemployment benefits in September, and many of their jobs are lost forever. They could benefit from retraining to return to the workforce.

But the main programs into which Gov. Baker wants to pump millions of dollars are either so new as to be unproven, or — as data so far suggests — they may not be as effective as state officials think they are.

For example, data obtained through public-records requests showed that two of those programs — the Workforce Competitiveness Trust Fund and Learn to Earn — left more than one-third of their enrollees over the past eight years without job placements. Another one, the trades-focused Career Technical Initiative, is so new that it has placed only seven enrollees into jobs to date, according to state records.

Is a roughly two-thirds placement rate a success? That’s debatable. Yet no debate is taking place because such numbers aren’t made widely available and success metrics aren’t clear.

Tenants, Landlords Struggle with Eviction Process after Moratoriums End 

South Coast Today – A crumbling ceiling, unlevel toilet and mushrooms sprouting in the bathroom. Since Michelle Sullivan moved into her New Bedford apartment two years ago, it has needed multiple repairs. 

Sullivan tried talking to her landlord, before filing complaints with the New Bedford Board of Health to get the apartment repaired. Sullivan said she refused when the landlord tried bribing her with money to keep quiet.

Now her landlord has petitioned to evict her. 

“She wants me out because of my record of all my complaints about the building and her,” Sullivan said. “And I can’t find housing anywhere else, so I’m stuck.” 

Following the end of the state eviction moratorium in October last year and the CDC moratorium on Aug. 26, evictions are still lower than before the pandemic, according to state housing court data.

Since the beginning of 2020, Middlesex County has had the highest number of eviction cases, at 3,930. Bristol County has issued the most court orders for evictions at 692. Worcester and Middlesex counties followed closely behind. 

Bristol County representatives met with Chief Justice Tim Sullivan of the Southeastern Housing Court to investigate the number of eviction orders. Sullivan cited the difference between evictions and execution of evictions — a court order allowing landlords to evict — according to

Rep. Chris Hendricks, D-New Bedford, a member of the Legislature’s Committee on Housing.

Other reasons for the rise in cases in certain counties may have to do with landlords’ miscommunication with tenants, how aggressively the courts are processing these cases, or the effectiveness of mediation and access to legal aid, according to housing committee co-chair Sen. John F. Keenan, D-Quincy.

State Must Crack Down on Labor Brokers 

Commonwealth Magazine – Massachusetts construction is once again taking off to pre-pandemic levels. This is great news for working families and for the economy, since responsible development — when conducted with proper labor protections — is a key producer of economic opportunity and of great, family-sustaining careers for residents of every neighborhood.

Unfortunately, some construction industry companies continue to take advantage of workers and taxpayers, undermining some of the gains that Greater Boston communities and workers would otherwise be experiencing. 

So-called “staffing agencies” such as the outfit known as TrueBlue often act as labor brokers in the non-union construction industry, claiming to provide on-demand workers to keep pace with the building boom. 

You may not have heard of TrueBlue, the parent company of PeopleReady, but they claim to have put nearly half a million people to work in 2020. Workers go to them looking to earn fair pay for a fair day’s work, but that’s hardly guaranteed. 

Unscrupulous contractors use labor brokers like TrueBlue to exploit loopholes in the law. By misclassifying workers as independent contractors, for example, they’re able to dodge payroll taxes and they avoid paying adequate workers’ compensation insurance.

The costs of misclassification, wage theft, and tax fraud were detailed in a recent report by the UMASS Amherst Labor Center, which looked at the impact of labor brokers in non-union residential construction, though they’re certainly active in commercial construction as well. 

There’s a lot at stake for construction workers who are misclassified as independent contractors on non-union construction projects. Labor brokers often don’t guarantee fair wages, overtime, or benefits such as workers’ compensation. Over 22,000 workers in Massachusetts are believed to be impacted by this wage and tax fraud.

MassWorks Grants Work for Lowell

Lowell Sun – Public-private partnerships have been a lifeline to urban centers pursuing economic development that otherwise would be beyond their financial reach.

In this state, that integral relationship was recently on display in Lowell and Leominster with the awarding of grants to support two major projects.

On Monday, Gov. Charlie Baker, Lt. Gov. Karyn Polito and other top state officials were in Lowell to announce a $1.72 million MassWorks Infrastructure Program grant to support a mixed-use development proposed on upper Merrimack Street, along with a number of other monetary awards.

Earlier this month, Leominster received a $2.09 million MassWorks grant for the extension of Orchard Hill Park Drive.

That funding, along with $19 million in private investment, is expected to create 300 full- and part-time jobs in 234,000 square feet of new building space, according to the city.

Proposed by JDCU and Soucy Industries, Lowell’s Acre Crossing development will create 32 affordable condominium units for first-time homebuyers and street-level retail and office space.

The MassWorks funding enables the city to make infrastructure improvements needed to support the project, including sidewalk reconstruction, traffic signal updates and new lighting.

Lowell City Manager Eileen Donoghue called the project “a textbook example of the kind of transformative development the MassWorks program can support,” and that it will have a great impact on the city’s Acre section.

Lawmakers Urge Biden to Address Public-Service Loan Relief 

MassLive – In 2007, Congress created the Public Service Loan Forgiveness program to encourage students to pursue careers in public service by offering relief on the remaining balance of college loans after a decade of employment.

But 14 years later, most public servants — including hundreds in Massachusetts — have been left out to dry on Congress’ promises under the PSLF program, struggling to overcome red tape, illogical eligibility rules and loan servicers’ delays, according to a new report from the offices of Sens. Elizabeth Warren and Ed Markey, and Rep. Ayanna Pressley.

The progressive lawmakers took the opportunity to again call on President Joe Biden to cancel up to $50,000 in federal student loan debt, arguing that recently announced plans to fix the PSLF program were not enough to resolve ongoing “bureaucratic torture” and systemic problems that leave people of color behind and make public service less appealing for millions of American students.

The report, shared with MassLive, noted that 98% of PSLF applications have been denied due to “major structural flaws” in the program, potentially prompting talented public servants to jump ship to “higher-paying work in the private sector which would allow them to pay off their debt more quickly.”

PSLF’s low forgiveness rates — which the Biden administration seeks to address — also makes it harder to draw young people to public service and may “deepen the disparity in access to vital resources experienced by underserved communities,” according to the report.

Gov. Baker Honored at Chamber Dinner

Eagle Tribune – With one of the highest vaccination rates in the country, Massachusetts is bouncing back from the pandemic says Gov. Charlie Baker, in his keynote address at the annual dinner hosted by the Merrimack Valley Chamber of Commerce.

In his talk to a crowd of more that 200 people who gathered at DiBurro’s Function Facility in Ward Hill, Baker said that as of March, Massachusetts had the highest vaccination rate per capita of any state in the country with more than five million people.

“We are in many respects as well positioned with respect to our vaccination rate as anything you’re going to find pretty much anywhere in the country,” Baker said. “That’s made it possible for us since the month of June to basically be pretty much fully open.”

Baker said that although people are still being affected by COVID-19, it’s nothing like it was at the height of the pandemic.

He said states with high vaccination rates have lower case counts, lower hospitalization rates and lower deaths per capita and that it’s just the opposite for states with low vaccination rates.

“That’s what the data says, whatever you think about it,” Baker said in support of vaccination. “It is in fact, the fastest way to get everybody back to what they want most of all, and that is to live their lives, be with their colleagues, friends and family and have some sense of confidence they are safe.”

The chamber presented several awards during the dinner, including its highest award, the Ralph B. Wilkinson Good Citizenship Award, to Pfizer of Andover.

Massachusetts Health Network Hacked; Patient Info Exposed

Boston.com – A Worcester, Mass. health care network says someone hacked into its employee email system, potentially exposing the personal information of thousands of patients.

UMass Memorial Health notified patients earlier this month if their information was involved in the breach, which occurred between June 2020 and January. The personal data included Social Security numbers, insurance information and medical information, The Telegram & Gazette reported Thursday.

More than 200,000 patients and health plan participants could have been affected by the breach, according to a federal database of cybersecurity incidents at medical facilities.

The hospital says it has investigated the incident but couldn’t determine how much of the personal information may have been stolen.

Power Outages Largely Resolved as Utility Companies Run ‘Massive Response Effort’ 

Boston Herald – The power outages along the South Shore and Cape Cod plunged over the last few days, as Eversource and National Grid worked around the clock to get the lights back on.

The peak of 500,000 power outages last week was largely resolved by Monday.

“In response to the extensive and widespread damage across southeastern Massachusetts caused by last week’s nor’easter, we mobilized a massive response effort of nearly 2,000 line and tree crews,” an Eversource spokesman said in a statement, noting that some workers came from as far away as Canada, Florida, Kentucky and Tennessee.

The personnel “worked around the clock to restore power to our customers,” the spokesman added.

Throughout the course of its storm response, Eversource restored power to more than 480,000 customers, including those who lost power more than once.

“Our dedicated employees will continue to work around the clock on a small number of outages in some of the hardest-hit communities and the additional outages that have been caused by high winds yesterday and other scattered weather,” the spokesman said. “Additionally, our crews will continue cleanup efforts, removing trees and other debris, and will complete an examination of the electric system that will continue to ensure it is safe and reliable.”

National Grid workers have also restored power to hundreds of thousands of customers in Massachusetts and Rhode Island since the storm began Tuesday night.

“Our crews remain in the field today, working to complete full restoration to customers impacted from last week’s storm,” National Grid said in a statement. “As of Saturday night, we had reached 99% of those impacted in MA and will be on the job until all are restored.”

Climate Change Became the Central Part of Biden Spending Bill

CNBC – Climate has emerged as the single largest category in President Biden’s new framework for a huge spending bill, placing global warming at the center of his party’s domestic agenda in a way that was hard to imagine just a few years ago.

As the bill was pared down from $3.5 trillion to $1.85 trillion, paid family leave, free community college, lower prescription drugs for seniors and other Democratic priorities were dropped — casualties of negotiations between progressives and moderates in the party. But $555 billion in climate programs remained.

It was unclear if all Democrats will support the package, which will be necessary if it is to pass without Republican support in a closely divided Congress.

Progressive Democrats in the House and two pivotal moderates in the Senate, Joe Manchin III of West Virginia and Kyrsten Sinema of Arizona, did not explicitly endorse the president’s framework. But Mr. Biden expressed confidence that a deal was in sight.

Bostonians Will Vote on Three Ballot Questions

Boston Globe – In addition to a historic mayor’s race and a slew of City Council contests, Bostonians will decide a trio of ballot questions this general election, the voting for which is already underway.

The most weighty, albeit wonky, of these is Question 1 on the city municipal ballot, which asks voters if Boston should drastically overhaul its budget process, giving city councilors much more sway over the city’s purse strings.

The binding referendum would allow the council to modify budget appropriations. Under the city’s current structure, the council can approve or deny the mayor’s proposed budget but can transfer funds only if the mayor requests it. The system has frustrated councilors for years.

The ballot measure would allow the council to amend the budget as long as it does not exceed the amount originally proposed by the mayor. The mayor could accept or reject the council’s version of the budget and amend any line item in that version. The council would have the ability to override the mayor’s veto or amendments by a two-thirds vote.

The measure would also create an independent Office of Participatory Budgeting with an external oversight board. If passed, the proposal would take effect for next year’s budget process. If approved by voters, the proposal would not need any further approval to take effect, according to organizers behind the question.

G-20 Leaders Make Mild Pledges on Climate Neutrality, Coal Financing

Boston Globe –  Leaders of the world’s biggest economies agreed Sunday to stop funding coal-fired power plants in poor countries and made a vague commitment to seek carbon neutrality “by or around mid-century” as they wrapped up a Rome summit before the much larger United Nations climate conference in Glasgow.

While the Italian prime minister, Mario Draghi, and France’s president, Emmanuel Macron, described the Group of 20 summit as a success, the outcome disappointed climate activists, the chief of the UN, and Britain’s leader. The UK is hosting the two-week Glasgow conference and had looked for more ambitious targets to come out of Rome.

Britain’s prime minister, Boris Johnson, called the G-20′s commitments mere “drops in a rapidly warming ocean.” UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres agreed the outcome was not enough.

“While I welcome the #G20′s recommitment to global solutions, I leave Rome with my hopes unfulfilled — but at least they are not buried,” Guterres tweeted. “Onwards to #COP26 in Glasgow.”

Biden Announces New Steps to Address Supply Chain Disruptions

Boston Globe – President Joe Biden took several steps to address supply-chain problems as he met leaders from major global economies, including the European Union, to address recent disruptions.

He issued an executive order during the Group of 20 summit on Sunday aimed at speeding up the response to shortfalls of supplies, equipment and raw materials housed in the U.S.’s National Defense Stockpile.

The U.S. also is boosting funding to Mexico and Central America to alleviate supply bottlenecks and to improve customs and clearance procedures, the White House announced Sunday.

“Solving this is going to take all of us — government and private industry, labor unions and research institutions,” Biden told reporters as he convened a meeting of international leaders in Rome.

Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo will convene a summit next year with their international counterparts to bring together companies, labor organizations, indigenous groups and academics to identify more steps to bolster the resilience of supply chains, according to the White House.

Biden ordered a broad review of U.S. supply chains this year as the economic disruption of the coronavirus pandemic triggered shortages of everything from computer chips used in cars to medical supplies and bicycles.

His defense-related order puts the Pentagon’s top weapons buyer in charge of deciding whether and when to release raw materials from the National Defense Stockpile.

The Pentagon’s undersecretary for acquisition and sustainment “may release strategic and critical materials from the National Defense Stockpile for use, sale, or other disposition only when required for use, manufacture, or production for purposes of national defense,” according to a White House statement.

October 26, 2021

House Proposes to Spend $3.65 Billion for Housing, Hospitals, Unemployment, Workforce

AIM Summary 

The Massachusetts House Ways and Means Committee announced a $3.65 billion spending plan that would invest in housing, hospitals, schools, the unemployment insurance trust, and workforce development. The plan draws from American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) dollars and state surplus revenue.

AIM appreciates the House Ways and Means Committee’s commitment of $500 million to help reduce the unemployment insurance trust fund deficit. This allocation is an important first step toward reducing the unemployment tax burden on the business community. However, given the overwhelming systemic debt of more than $7 billion, AIM calls on the Legislature for additional resources.

Sources: 

Total: $3.65Billion spending bill

• $2.5 Billion American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funds – $2.4billion remaining;
• $1.15 Billion Fiscal Year 2021 surplus funds  -$350 million remaining

Spending:

$500 million for Unemployment insurance trust-fund debt reduction.

$500 million for bonus pay for low- and middle-income essential workers during the pandemic

$600 million for housing

• $150 million – housing production
• $100 million – home ownership assistance
• $100 million – Commonwealth Builder Program
• $100 million – affordable housing production
• $150 million – public housing maintenance

$350 million for environment/climate change

• $100 million – offshore wind/marine port development
• $100 million – climate resilient infrastructure
• $100 million – water and sewer infrastructure
• $25 million – greening Gateway cites
• $25 million – state parks/rec facility upgrades

$777 million for economic development

• $125 million – Mass Cultural Council grants
• $500 million – unemployment insurance funding
• $25 million – small businesses
• $25 million – minority-owned businesses
• $50 million – close digital divide in low-income areas
• $12 million – assist resettling Afghan refugees
• $200 million – tax relief for small businesses that paid personal income taxes on state and federal relief awards over the last year and a half

$750 million for workforce development

• $500 million – premium pay bonuses for essential workers
• $150 million – Workforce Competitive Trust Fund (job training),
• $100 million – career technical institutes and vocational schools

$765 million for health and human services

• 250 million – for providers ($70 million specifically for nursing facilities)
• $250 million – behavioral health ($100 million carve-out for student loan assistance, tuition reimbursement)
• $150 million over three years to better address health disparities
• $20 million – improve technology infrastructure for CHC

$265 million for education

• $100 million – HVAC improvements in schools,
• $75 million – capital/maintenance projects in higher education
• $25 million – endowment incentive program
• $20 million – Special Education needs
• $10 million – help educators who are Black, indigenous people of color achieve licensure

Miscellaneous

• $15 million – prison re-entry grants, focusing on support for people released during the pandemic
• $10 million – community-based gun-violence prevention programs in high-risk areas
• $78 million – address food insecurity

House Plan Invests $3.65 Billion Across Massachusetts

State House News – House leaders on Monday detailed a $3.65 billion spending package that would pour state surplus and federal COVID-19 relief money into areas like housing, schools and workforce development, while also reserving about $2.75 billion to be allocated at a later date.The long-awaited plan to spend American Rescue Plan Act dollars arrived five months after the state first received roughly $5.2 billion in federal discretionary funds, and the Legislature resisted calls from Gov. Charlie Baker and others to put some of the money to use quickly as it gathered information on the existing needs.

Two of the cornerstones of the proposal, which will get a vote in the House later this week, are a $500 million investment in the state’s unemployment insurance system and $500 million for bonus pay for low-income workers who could not stay home during the pandemic. Leaders also said all the investments were designed with an eye on racial equity, and helping people and communities most impacted by the pandemic.

“The spending of this money is critical to getting Massachusetts back better than before. Our goal is to responsibly fund priority areas that will stand the test of time and make systemic and equitable changes,” House Speaker Ron Mariano said.

While House and Senate leaders said they have already agreed to the $1 billion for UI and bonus pay, the remaining details of how to spend the unprecedented amount of one-time federal stimulus funding must still be worked out between the branches.

The House plans to debate the bill (H 3922) on Thursday, and the Senate said it would take up a version of the bill “within the next few weeks.” House lawmakers have until 3 p.m. on Tuesday to file amendments.

Ways and Means Chairman Aaron Michlewitz said the bill proposes to leave up to $2.4 billion in ARPA funds untouched, and would spend about $1.15 billion of an estimated $1.5 billion in unbudgeted surplus funds.

Biden ‘Positive’ on Budget Deal; Manchin OK with Wealth Tax

Associated Press – Pivotal Democratic Sen. Joe Manchin appears to be on board with White House proposals for new taxes on billionaires and certain corporations to help pay for President Joe Biden’s scaled-back social services and climate change package.

Biden said Monday he felt “very positive” about reaching agreement on his big domestic policy bill, aiming for votes in Congress as soon as this week — though that is far from certain.

“That’s my hope,” the president said before leaving his home state of Delaware for a trip to New Jersey to highlight the child care proposals in the package and his infrastructure measure.

Democrats are working intensely to try again to wrap up talks, scaling back what had been a sweeping $3.5 trillion plan so the president can spotlight his administration’s achievements to world leaders at two overseas summits on the economy and climate change that get underway later this week.

Biden huddled with the conservative West Virginia Democrat Manchin and Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer at the president’s Delaware home on Sunday as they work on resolving the disputes between centrists and progressives that have stalled the Democrats’ wide-ranging bill. A person who insisted on anonymity to discuss Manchin’s position told The Associated Press the senator is agreeable to the White House’s new approach on the tax proposals.

It’s now being eyed as at least a $1.75 trillion package. That’s within a range that could still climb considerably higher, according to a second person who insisted on anonymity to discuss the private talks.

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi said that even at “half” the original $3.5 trillion proposed, Biden’s signature domestic initiative would be larger than any other legislative package with big investments in health care, child care and strategies to tackle climate change.

“It is less than what was projected to begin with, but it’s still bigger than anything we have ever done in terms of addressing the needs of America’s working families,” Pelosi said Sunday on CNN’s “State of the Union.”

Hearing Schedules:

Tuesday October 26

• Joint Committee on Public Service-Group Reclassification-10:00am-Virtual Hearing-https://malegislature.gov/Events/Hearings/Detail/4041
• Joint Committee on Tourism, Arts and Cultural Development-Tourism Marketing Cultural Development-10:00am-Virtual Hearing-https://malegislature.gov/Events/Hearings/Detail/4047
• Joint Committee on State Administration and Regulatory Oversight-Open Meetings/Public Records-10:30am-Virtual Hearing-https://malegislature.gov/Events/Hearings/Detail/4035
• Joint Committee on Health Care Financing-Alternative Health Care Financing Methods-11:00am-Virtual Hearing-https://malegislature.gov/Events/Hearings/Detail/4036
• Joint Committee on Financial Services-Banking-11:00am-Virtual Hearing-https://malegislature.gov/Events/Hearings/Detail/4034
• Joint Committee on Housing-Affordable Housing and Late Filed Legislation-11:00am-Virtual Hearing-https://malegislature.gov/Events/Hearings/Detail/4045
• The Future of Work Commission-Wraparound Services-11:00am-In Person-https://malegislature.gov/Events/Hearings/Detail/4059

Wednesday October 27

• Joint Committee on Advanced Information Technology, The Internet and Cybersecurity-Emerging Technologies, Cybersecurity, Digital Platforms, and Cable Television-1:00pm-Virtual Hearing-https://malegislature.gov/Events/Hearings/Detail/4042
• Joint Committee on Environment, Natural Resources and Agriculture-Oceans, Waterways, Wetlands, Water Resources-2:00pm-Virtual Hearing-https://malegislature.gov/Events/Hearings/Detail/3701

Thursday October 28

• Joint Committee on Public Health-Patient Safey and Quality, Health Equity, and Pharmacy-9:00am-Virtual Hearing-https://malegislature.gov/Events/Hearings/Detail/4043

Friday October 29

• Joint Commitee on Public Health-Health Care Facilities & Workforce Development-9:00am-Virutal hearing-https://malegislature.gov/Events/Hearings/Detail/4056
• Joint Committee on Children, Families and Persons with Disabilities-DDS-1-10:00am-Virtual Hearing-https://malegislature.gov/Events/Hearings/Detail/4056
• Joint Committee on the Judiciary-Court Administartion-10:00am-Virtual Hearing-https://malegislature.gov/Events/Hearings/Detail/4056

State Prepares to Start Elementary School Vaccines Next Month

WGBH – Massachusetts health officials are preparing to immunize more than 500,000 children ages 5 to 11 against the COVID-19 virus as soon as federal regulators grant emergency approval to the Pfizer vaccine.

Secretary of Health and Human Services Marylou Sudders told a legislative oversight panel Thursday the Baker administration expects approval of the vaccine for younger children sometime in the first week of November and will deliver the shots to pediatricians, school-based clinics, local boards of health and other providers.

“We are getting ready. We expect that the vaccines will be arriving between October 26 and no later than November 5th,” Sudders said.

Department of Public Health commissioner Margaret Cook told a joint of several legislative committees the state has placed an initial order of 360,000 doses of vaccine on behalf of 289 providers.

“We have, as the Secretary said, been able to preorder child vaccine from the federal government, and obviously, we think this is a strong sign that they are confident that it will be approved for 5 to 11-year-olds,” Cook told lawmakers.

Shots will be available through school-based clinics like the ones currently serving students over 12 years old, from pediatricians, local health boards.

House Plan Invests $3.65 Bil Across Massachusetts

State House News – House leaders on Monday detailed a $3.65 billion spending package that would pour state surplus and federal COVID-19 relief money into areas like housing, schools and workforce development, while also reserving about $2.75 billion to be allocated at a later date.

The long-awaited plan to spend American Rescue Plan Act dollars arrived five months after the state first received roughly $5.2 billion in federal discretionary funds, and the Legislature resisted calls from Gov. Charlie Baker and others to put some of the money to use quickly as it gathered information on the existing needs.

Two of the cornerstones of the proposal, which will get a vote in the House later this week, are a $500 million investment in the state’s unemployment insurance system and $500 million for bonus pay for low-income workers who could not stay home during the pandemic. Leaders also said all the investments were designed with an eye on racial equity, and helping people and communities most impacted by the pandemic.

“The spending of this money is critical to getting Massachusetts back better than before. Our goal is to responsibly fund priority areas that will stand the test of time and make systemic and equitable changes,” House Speaker Ron Mariano said.

While House and Senate leaders said they have already agreed to the $1 billion for UI and bonus pay, the remaining details of how to spend the unprecedented amount of one-time federal stimulus funding must still be worked out between the branches.

The House plans to debate the bill (H 3922) on Thursday, and the Senate said it would take up a version of the bill “within the next few weeks.” House lawmakers have until 3 p.m. on Tuesday to file amendments.

Ways and Means Chairman Aaron Michlewitz said the bill proposes to leave up to $2.4 billion in ARPA funds untouched, and would spend about $1.15 billion of an estimated $1.5 billion in unbudgeted surplus funds.

Biden ‘Positive’ on Budget Deal; Manchin OK with Wealth Tax

Associated Press – WASHINGTON (AP) — Pivotal Democratic Sen. Joe Manchin appears to be on board with White House proposals for new taxes on billionaires and certain corporations to help pay for President Joe Biden’s scaled-back social services and climate change package.

Biden said Monday he felt “very positive” about reaching agreement on his big domestic policy bill, aiming for votes in Congress as soon as this week — though that is far from certain.
“That’s my hope,” the president said before leaving his home state of Delaware for a trip to New Jersey to highlight the child care proposals in the package and his infrastructure measure.

Democrats are working intensely to try again to wrap up talks, scaling back what had been a sweeping $3.5 trillion plan so the president can spotlight his administration’s achievements to world leaders at two overseas summits on the economy and climate change that get underway later this week.

Biden huddled with the conservative West Virginia Democrat Manchin and Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer at the president’s Delaware home on Sunday as they work on resolving the disputes between centrists and progressives that have stalled the Democrats’ wide-ranging bill. A person who insisted on anonymity to discuss Manchin’s position told The Associated Press the senator is agreeable to the White House’s new approach on the tax proposals.

It’s now being eyed as at least a $1.75 trillion package. That’s within a range that could still climb considerably higher, according to a second person who insisted on anonymity to discuss the private talks.

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi said that even at “half” the original $3.5 trillion proposed, Biden’s signature domestic initiative would be larger than any other legislative package with big investments in health care, child care and strategies to tackle climate change.

“It is less than what was projected to begin with, but it’s still bigger than anything we have ever done in terms of addressing the needs of America’s working families,” Pelosi said Sunday on CNN’s “State of the Union.”

Hearing Schedules:

Tuesday October 26
• Joint Committee on Public Service-Group Reclassification-10:00am-Virtual Hearing-https://malegislature.gov/Events/Hearings/Detail/4041
• Joint Committee on Tourism, Arts and Cultural Development-Tourism Marketing Cultural Development-10:00am-Virtual Hearing-https://malegislature.gov/Events/Hearings/Detail/4047
• Joint Committee on State Administration and Regulatory Oversight-Open Meetings/Public Records-10:30am-Virtual Hearing-https://malegislature.gov/Events/Hearings/Detail/4035
• Joint Committee on Health Care Financing-Alternative Health Care Financing Methods-11:00am-Virtual Hearing-https://malegislature.gov/Events/Hearings/Detail/4036
• Joint Committee on Financial Services-Banking-11:00am-Virtual Hearing-https://malegislature.gov/Events/Hearings/Detail/4034
• Joint Committee on Housing-Affordable Housing and Late Filed Legislation-11:00am-Virtual Hearing-https://malegislature.gov/Events/Hearings/Detail/4045
• The Future of Work Commission-Wraparound Services-11:00am-In Person-https://malegislature.gov/Events/Hearings/Detail/4059

Wednesday October 27
• Joint Committee on Advanced Information Technology, The Internet and Cybersecurity-Emerging Technologies, Cybersecurity, Digital Platforms, and Cable Television-1:00pm-Virtual Hearing-https://malegislature.gov/Events/Hearings/Detail/4042
• Joint Committee on Environment, Natural Resources and Agriculture-Oceans, Waterways, Wetlands, Water Resources-2:00pm-Virtual Hearing-https://malegislature.gov/Events/Hearings/Detail/3701
Thursday October 28
• Joint Committee on Public Health-Patient Safey and Quality, Health Equity, and Pharmacy-9:00am-Virtual Hearing-https://malegislature.gov/Events/Hearings/Detail/4043
Friday October 29
• Joint Commitee on Public Health-Health Care Facilities & Workforce Development-9:00am-Virutal hearing-https://malegislature.gov/Events/Hearings/Detail/4056
• Joint Committee on Children, Families and Persons with Disabilities-DDS-1-10:00am-Virtual Hearing-https://malegislature.gov/Events/Hearings/Detail/4056
• Joint Committee on the Judiciary-Court Administartion-10:00am-Virtual Hearing-https://malegislature.gov/Events/Hearings/Detail/4056

State Prepares to Start Elementary School Vaccines Next Month

WGBH – Massachusetts health officials are preparing to immunize more than 500,000 children ages 5 to 11 against the COVID-19 virus as soon as federal regulators grant emergency approval to the Pfizer vaccine.

Secretary of Health and Human Services Marylou Sudders told a legislative oversight panel Thursday the Baker administration expects approval of the vaccine for younger children sometime in the first week of November and will deliver the shots to pediatricians, school-based clinics, local boards of health and other providers.

“We are getting ready. We expect that the vaccines will be arriving between October 26 and no later than November 5th,” Sudders said.

Department of Public Health commissioner Margaret Cook told a joint of several legislative committees the state has placed an initial order of 360,000 doses of vaccine on behalf of 289 providers.

“We have, as the Secretary said, been able to preorder child vaccine from the federal government, and obviously, we think this is a strong sign that they are confident that it will be approved for 5 to 11-year-olds,” Cook told lawmakers.

Shots will be available through school-based clinics like the ones currently serving students over 12 years old, from pediatricians, local health boards, other providers and through some retail pharmacies.

The initial order will be enough to vaccinate about 70 percent of the state’s children in the 5-11 age range.

More than 600 Boston Employees Remain on Leave over Vaccine Mandate

Boston Herald – More than 600 city employees remain on unpaid leave under the coronavirus vaccine mandate — for which enforcement kicks in on Tuesday for a whole new group of workers including police and fire, according to City Hall.

Acting Mayor Kim Janey’s office said 624 people remained on unpaid leave as of Friday evening, barely changed from the mark last Wednesday, just a day after the mandate went into effect.

The city began enforcing the vax-or-test mandate for the “Phase 1” group of its workers a week and a half ago, after the long weekend. After the city sent notice to all of the out-of-compliance employees the previous Wednesday, 1,400 facing punishment quickly dropped to 1,200 and then 812 who actually ended up getting placed on leave the day the enforcement began.

By the next day, that number was down to 637, and then 602 the next day — but the trend down hasn’t continued.

A city spokeswoman said the number of people fluctuates as some people get in compliance and others newly fall out of it.

Phase 1 appears to apply to the largest chunk of city employees, including the school district, which has the most staff of any department. The city’s never been willing to say quite how many employees fall under the Phase 1 umbrella, but some perusing of payroll documents suggests that more than 10,000 of the total 18,000 Boston employees are counted.

Phase 1 employees — who also include those in Boston Centers for Youth & Families, Boston Public Libraries, Age Strong and Commission on Disabilities — were technically supposed to come into compliance with the mandate Sept. 20, though enforcement didn’t follow for several weeks. Phase 2, which includes police, fire and inspectional services, hit their mandate Oct. 4.

And now enforcement will begin this coming Tuesday, Janey’s office said, saying that it sent out notice on Thursday to Phase 2 employees who are currently not compliant.

Moderna Data Shows Covid-19 Vaccine Produced Strong Immune Response in 6- to 11-Year-Olds

Wall Street Journal – Moderna Inc.’s Covid-19 vaccine was generally safe and induced the desired immune responses in children ages 6 to 11 in a clinical trial, according to the company.

The Cambridge, Mass., company said Monday that it would submit the results to health regulators in the U.S., Europe and elsewhere in seeking authorization to widen the use of its shots to include this younger age group.

The company announced the interim data in a press release, and results haven’t yet been published in a peer-reviewed medical journal.

Moderna’s vaccine is currently authorized for use in adults 18 years and older in the U.S.

The company’s efforts to expand use of its vaccine to include children are further behind Pfizer Inc. and BioNTech SE, which could get FDA authorization in days or weeks for use of their vaccine in children 5 to 11.

“We are encouraged by the immunogenicity and safety profile of mRNA-1273 in children aged 6 to under 12 years and are pleased that the study met its primary immunogenicity endpoints,” Moderna Chief Executive Stéphane Bancel said. Immunogenicity refers to a vaccine’s ability to trigger an immune response, though it alone isn’t definitive proof that the immune response will protect someone from disease.

The company has asked the Food and Drug Administration to authorize use of the vaccine in children age 12 to 17, but the FDA’s decision has been held up by the agency’s assessment of the risk of heart-inflammation conditions in younger vaccine recipients.

State Economy Tacks on Sixth Consecutive Quarter of Growth

State House News – Supply chain disruptions and labor shortages are continuing to hold back economic growth, but index readings released Monday show the Massachusetts economy in expansionary territory for a sixth straight quarter and four straight quarters of growth for the U.S. economy.

Citizens said its national Citizens Business Conditions Index finished the third quarter at 57.1, down from the second quarter reading of 57.4. The state economy’s third quarter reading was 55, up from 53.1 in the second quarter. Readings above 50 reflect an economy in expansionary mode.

“Despite ongoing challenges from the pandemic, the third quarter was a period of strong demand across most sectors of the economy,” Citizens said.

“With the continued support of low interest rates and fiscal spending initiatives, most sectors seem to have established a healthy trajectory of growth. Concerns over higher inflation have increased, and the employment sector still has ground to cover to reach pre-COVID status.”

The index draws from a pool of metrics, including manufacturing data, consumer spending, commercial banking data, initial jobless claims, commodity prices, and new business applications.

“Business activity is incredibly strong and confidence levels are quite high,” said Tony Bedikian, head of global markets at Citizens. “We haven’t fully exited the pandemic yet, but at this stage most parts of the economy have established some normalcy given the benefit of vaccines and the fiscal and monetary stimulus that continue to provide support towards full recovery. Many companies are doing well and would be doing even better if it weren’t for headwinds such as supply chain disruption and labor shortages.”

The new index readings were released as House and Senate leaders on Beacon Hill gear up to put $3.65 billion in one-time funds to work across Massachusetts, part of efforts over the next few weeks to allocate large chunks of American Rescue Plan Act funds and the state’s fiscal 2021 budget surplus.

Housing Bills Set for Legislative Hearing

Vineyard Gazette – Proposed legislation that would allow cities and towns in Massachusetts to impose a fee of up to two per cent on certain real estate sales to support affordable housing is among two dozen bills scheduled for a virtual hearing next week.

The legislature’s Joint Committee on Housing will convene at 11 a.m. on Tuesday to consider a variety of bills to address housing affordability, including two identical bills originating in the House and Senate respectively, H.1377 and S.828.

The bills, co-sponsored by Sen. Julian Cyr and Rep. Dylan Fernandes, are similar to bills that died in committee last year. But the new bills, presented by Sen. Joanne M. Comerford of Northampton and Rep. Mike Connolly of Cambridge, would give cities and towns more flexibility in how to administer the fee. They also have additional co-sponsors — 27 in the House and 19 in the Senate.

Among other things, the current bills would allow municipalities to assess a fee of up to 6 per cent on certain “speculative sales,” that is, where someone sells a house within year of buying it.

They also would exempt from the fee transfers for less than the state median sales price of a single-family home, about $500,000, or allow the city or town to set a higher threshold.

Dozens of State Workers Face Termination over Religious Beliefs, COVID Vaccine Mandate

MassLive – An unvaccinated Massachusetts social worker, paralyzed by uncertainty and silence from her supervisors, has ignored messages from her young clients all week.

The state employee, who spoke to MassLive on the condition of anonymity, said she is likely not authorized to report to work anymore, even though she’s yet to be formally suspended without pay.

While her employment status remains in limbo, she’s adamant about her immunization status: She will not get the COVID-19 shot, even though Gov. Charlie Baker’s vaccine mandate for more than 44,000 Executive Department employees and contractors took effect Sunday.

Massachusetts is the Only State to See Unemployment Increase in September

Worcester Business Journal – Massachusetts was the only state in September to see an increase in unemployment, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics’ Friday release. The rate grew from 5.0% to 5.2% from August to September, putting Massachusetts 0.4 percentage points above the national average of 4.8%.

This marks the second consecutive month Massachusetts’ unemployment rate has increased since its initial jump of 13.7 percentage points at the beginning of the coronavirus pandemic. It plateaued at 4.9% in June and July before rising in August.

The rate is still considerably lower than the 8.9% of Sept. 2020, but higher than the pre-pandemic 3.0% of Sept. 2019.

The Commonwealth was one of 28 states to have a statistically significant change in its unemployment rate last month, as 22 states remained basically stable through the month.

Workers Became more Willing to Go on Strike during the Pandemic

MSN – When the pandemic shut down movie and TV production across the country last year, thousands of crew members accustomed to spending long days on set suddenly had more time for themselves and their families.

But when filming resumed, studios went into overdrive to keep up with demand and pushed workers to the brink. So the workers pushed back — and voted to strike.

A walkout was narrowly averted when the International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees tentatively agreed to an offer that kept 60,000 people on the job. But the mind-set of the workforce has been indelibly shifted by the pandemic, which put workers’ long-simmering discontent into stark relief, said Chris O’Donnell, business manager for the union’s 1,100 members in New England.

Burnt out and fed up, and emboldened by the labor shortage, many of them, particularly those in unions, are increasingly willing to take a stand. Strikes surged nationally in October, with at least 40 actions ongoing (including 26 that have started so far this month) and 187 since the start of the year, according to Cornell University’s new Labor Action Tracker.

Covid-19 Vaccine Mandates Are Surviving Nearly All Court Challenges

Wall Street Journal – A range of people—from nurses to firefighters to students—have filed lawsuits objecting to the mandatory Covid-19 vaccinations imposed by states and cities, claiming the policies infringe on their constitutional rights.

Nearly every legal challenge has failed so far.

With limited exceptions involving religious objectors, judges have overwhelmingly upheld orders in numerous states that require health workers, public employees, state university students and government contractors to be fully vaccinated against Covid-19 as a condition of employment. These rulings have allowed states to fire workers who refuse immunization.

“What we’re seeing are courts finding that mandates are lawful and constitutional,” said Jennifer Piatt, a deputy director with the Network for Public Health Law, a national nonprofit group based in Minnesota that promotes public health laws and has kept track of the litigation.
More than 20 states and dozens of cities have adopted vaccination mandates—mostly through executive orders and legislation—to control the spread of Covid-19.
The legal basis for the orders largely stems from a Supreme Court ruling from a century ago upholding a vaccine mandate after an outbreak of smallpox in Massachusetts. The court acknowledged in that case that states have broad powers to combat significant public-health challenges.
In at least 17 lawsuits, judges appointed by both Democrats and Republicans have refused to block vaccine mandates.
A federal appeals court ruled on Oct. 15 that Maine can enforce its vaccination requirement for healthcare workers. The First U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals said Tuesday that Gov. Janet Mills had no choice but to mandate that healthcare workers be vaccinated to curb transmission of the Delta variant.

DiZoglio Says Small Business Day of Action Set for Monday to Push Pandemic Aid Extensions

WHAV – State Sen. Diana DiZoglio is co-hosting a Small Business Day of Action Monday in support of her legislation to extend restaurants’ option to sell cocktails to-go, to maintain third-party delivery fee caps and to provide grants to small businesses startups that were not eligible for government assistance when the pandemic struck.
DiZoglio said, “there remains significant work to be done to ensure the survival and vitality of our mom-and-pop shops, who have faced countless challenges over the course of the COVID-19 pandemic.”
“We can start by implementing these common-sense measures designed to help small businesses at a time when they need it most. We are on the road to recovery but must recognize that local businesses are going to need the legislature to provide continued support and financial relief as they rebuild. These tools are not just essential for them but to the health of all of our communities.”
Business groups across the state are also calling on the state legislature to investigate the insurance industry, which came under fire when most business interruption insurance claims made by small businesses as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic were denied.
THIRST, a citizen-led political action committee advocating for the hospitality industry, and representatives from the Massachusetts Restaurant Association, Massachusetts Restaurants United, Cocktails for Commonwealth, Love Live Local, and Cambridge Local First for the Small Business Day of Action, plan a virtual rally Monday morning, a press conference from the State House steps in the afternoon and a cocktail hour at The Emory.
State: School testing delays are being resolved
Commonwealth Magazine – Massachusetts health and education officials acknowledged on Thursday that “logistical challenges” led to a delayed rollout of the state’s COVID-19 testing program in schools, but they said the problems, which were primarily attributable to low staffing, are being addressed.
“As is often the case when developing a bold new idea – in this case, test and stay – there were logistical challenges during the initial ramp up, including significant staff recruitment difficulties and demand that far exceeded expectations,” said Marylou Sudders, the secretary of health and human services, in testimony submitted to legislative committees dealing with emergency preparedness, public health, and education.
Jeff Riley, the commissioner of elementary and secondary education, said only 28 of the 327 districts doing testing have not yet reported any tests, and he said some of those districts only recently launched their programs.
CommonWealth previously reported that the state’s pooled testing program faced delays in getting off the ground, apparently due to staffing shortages at CIC Health, the private company hired by the state to do the testing.
The state is offering schools access to three types of testing: test and stay, in which a student exposed to COVID-19 in school can take daily rapid tests rather than quarantining; rapid testing for kids who start showing symptoms in school; and pooled testing, which is routine weekly surveillance testing to catch cases before children or staff show symptoms. As of October 1, state officials said almost all schools had gotten the rapid tests. But several districts complained that they had not yet been able to begin pooled testing.
Sen. Jo Comerford, a Northampton Democrat who co-chairs the Legislature’s committees on public health and COVID-19 preparedness, revealed at the hearing that state education officials and CIC Health officials participated in “a very painful webinar with school superintendents where they detailed in significant measures the way the relationship with CIC Health has in many ways been a failure in Western Massachusetts.”
Port of Boston Deliveries are Being Passed Over
Boston Herald – Boston’s glory days as a major shipping port are long gone. It’s now about to pay a price for being lower down the food chain, as the shipping industry seeks to untangle the massive traffic jam of container ships waiting to enter the nation’s largest cargo ports.
Disruptions in the global supply chain have resulted in long queues of container ships waiting outside of bigger ports to unload, adding to the delays of goods shipped from overseas factories. Though Boston’s newly remodeled port doesn’t have as much traffic or traffic jams as larger ports, some shipments from China have arrived up to a month late, causing many New England retailers and other businesses looking to stock up on imported goods for the holiday shopping season.
And now, a major shipper that sends one of only two containerships that regularly visit Boston each week is planning to skip its visits for two months this winter. The move will allow the shipper to concentrate on speeding up deliveries at larger ports, such as New York.
As part of the supply chain crisis, the carriers are looking to save time wherever they can, said Jennifer Mehigan, a spokeswoman for the Massachusetts Port Authority, which operates the Conley Container Terminal in South Boston. A temporary measure is to bypass ports like Boston to accomplish that, said Cook.
Boston will take one for the team in the global shipping crisis.
The timing for Boston is a little unfortunate. Massport has just purchased and installed three new giant cranes at the Conley terminal as part of an ongoing $850 million renovation project. Once they pass tests, the cranes will allow the port to accommodate significantly larger cargo ships capable of carrying up to 14,500 standard shipping containers.
House Lawmakers Draw New Maps to Boost Representatives of Color
Boston Herald – New House district maps would make it easier for candidates of color to win seats in majority-minority cities like Worcester, Lawrence, Brockton and Chelsea over the next decade, map drawers said.
“The population counts for the 2020 Census are reflected in the diversity of our districts in these final maps,” said Assistant Majority Leader Michael Moran, a Boston Democrat who led the redistricting process for the second straight cycle, who said the new map reflects observed demographic shifts.
The House voted 158-1 in favor of the new district maps.
Georgetown Republican Rep. Lenny Mirra, whose district would be significantly altered, cast the lone no vote.
The Census revealed Massachusetts’ population surpassed 7 million and saw the number of white residents shrink 7 percentage points while the Black population grew nearly 17 points, the Asian population jumped 45% and the Hispanic population increased by 41%.
Brockton, despite having a majority of nonwhite residents, has never been represented by a person of color.
Incumbent-First Law is Unique to Massachusetts
Commonwealth Magazine – Among the ways that Massachusetts is unique among the 50 states: our state election ballots give top billing to incumbent state officeholders who are seeking re-election, with the other candidates listed in alphabetical order below. (Cities and towns can choose alternatives – Boston, notably, selects candidate order by lottery.)
No other state reserves the top ballot positions for incumbent candidates. Most states determine ballot order either by lottery or by rotating names among precincts, so as to avoid the “primacy effect” – the name psychologists give to the human inclination to select the first item on a list over those further down. Some states do recognize current officeholders on their ballots, not by listing the name first, but by some indication of the incumbent’s status next to it. Here in Massachusetts we do both – we put the incumbent’s name at the top and garnish it with the words “candidate for re-election.”
Studies of the primacy effect in voting have concluded that it has some influence. Its weight is more significant in primary elections than in general elections (where party affiliation also differentiates the candidates), and it’s most likely to play a role in low-profile elections, down-ballot races, and contests with many candidates. Bottom line, it can matter.
And it can matter enough to amount to a violation of the constitutional right to equal protection of the laws. In 1975, the California Supreme Court ruled in favor of a non-incumbent city council candidate challenging that state’s incumbent-first statute. Concluding that the law imposed “a very real and appreciable impact on the equality, fairness, and integrity of the electoral process,” the court struck it down as an infringement of the equal protection rights of voters who chose a candidate lower down on the list. In compliance with that decision, California has since adopted a ballot rotation system.
The incumbent-first law in Massachusetts still stands, however. A legal challenge here, decided one year later, had an entirely different result.
The 1972 Democratic primary election for two Middlesex County commissioner seats pitted two non-incumbent candidates (one of whom was Lowell city councilor Paul Tsongas) against two incumbents. Weeks before the election, the challengers filed a lawsuit seeking to invalidate the incumbent-first law on equal protection grounds. The court declined to intervene before the election, and Tsongas and his fellow challenger ended up winning the two spots, which made their legal claims moot. New plaintiffs joined the case, and after a trial a three-judge panel of the federal district court issued a decision upholding the law.

Free Transit had Benefits but May Not be Sustainable, Worcester Study Concludes

WBUR – A new report from the Central Massachusetts Regional Planning Commission revealed that the Worcester Regional Transit Authority outperformed most of its peer agencies in the state when it came to recovering ridership lost during the pandemic.

The finding comes after the agency offered fare-free service starting last spring and is now considering other options as the policy is set to end in December.

The commission looked at bus ridership between April 2020 and June 2021 for 12 regional transit agencies in the state and found the WRTA averaged 67% of pre-pandemic ridership during that time, topping the other agencies — including the MBTA.

“I can’t speak to being fare-free for the entirety of that period had an effect on that, but it is an interesting correlation,” said Jack Narron, an associate planner at the commission.

The report also found that free fares offered benefits such as more equity, since there is no barrier to entry for riders, and faster boarding. However, one of the downsides the commission found is that foregoing fares long term could lead to big financial losses.

WRTA administrator Dennis Lipka estimates the loss in fares will cost the agency nearly $6 million by the time the policy ends in December. The agency has been relying on federal pandemic assistance to fund the program but would need additional help to continue it. When the free fare policy sunsets, Lipka hopes to reinstate fares and move the agency to a new fare payment system

Prepare for Propane Sticker Shock

Wall Street Journal – Propane prices haven’t been so high heading into winter in a decade, which is bad news for the millions of rural Americans who rely on the fuel to stay warm.

At $1.41 a gallon at the Mont Belvieu trading hub in Texas, on-the-spot prices are about triple those of the past two Octobers. Of the two main U.S. propane futures contracts, one hit a high earlier this month and the other doesn’t have far to climb to eclipse the record it set during the blizzard of 2014. The average residential price tracked by the U.S. Energy Information Administration has jumped by 50% from a year ago, to $2.69 a gallon.

All manner of heating fuels are heading into winter at their highest prices in years and could climb more if the weather is cold. But propane is expected to take the biggest bite out of household budgets.

Most U.S. households and businesses are heated with natural gas or electricity, highly regulated markets in which consumers are insulated from price swings in the commodities and usually given time to catch up on payments before they go cold.

Buying propane is more like filling up a car. The fuel is paid for upon receipt and priced in the free market. Residential propane is delivered by truck, often by small firms over big swaths of countryside. Domestic inventories have been so drained by exports that it isn’t out of the question that some could be left for periods without propane no matter what they are able to pay.

s, other providers and through some retail pharmacies.

The initial order will be enough to vaccinate about 70 percent of the state’s children in the 5-11 age range.

More than 600 Boston Employees Remain on Leave over Vaccine Mandate

Boston Herald – More than 600 city employees remain on unpaid leave under the coronavirus vaccine mandate — for which enforcement kicks in on Tuesday for a whole new group of workers including police and fire, according to City Hall.

Acting Mayor Kim Janey’s office said 624 people remained on unpaid leave as of Friday evening, barely changed from the mark last Wednesday, just a day after the mandate went into effect.

The city began enforcing the vax-or-test mandate for the “Phase 1” group of its workers a week and a half ago, after the long weekend. After the city sent notice to all of the out-of-compliance employees the previous Wednesday, 1,400 facing punishment quickly dropped to 1,200 and then 812 who actually ended up getting placed on leave the day the enforcement began.

By the next day, that number was down to 637, and then 602 the next day — but the trend down hasn’t continued.

A city spokeswoman said the number of people fluctuates as some people get in compliance and others newly fall out of it.

Phase 1 appears to apply to the largest chunk of city employees, including the school district, which has the most staff of any department. The city’s never been willing to say quite how many employees fall under the Phase 1 umbrella, but some perusing of payroll documents suggests that more than 10,000 of the total 18,000 Boston employees are counted.

Phase 1 employees — who also include those in Boston Centers for Youth & Families, Boston Public Libraries, Age Strong and Commission on Disabilities — were technically supposed to come into compliance with the mandate Sept. 20, though enforcement didn’t follow for several weeks. Phase 2, which includes police, fire and inspectional services, hit their mandate Oct. 4.

And now enforcement will begin this coming Tuesday, Janey’s office said, saying that it sent out notice on Thursday to Phase 2 employees who are currently not compliant.

Moderna Data Shows Covid-19 Vaccine Produced Strong Immune Response in 6- to 11-Year-Olds

Wall Street Journal – Moderna Inc.’s Covid-19 vaccine was generally safe and induced the desired immune responses in children ages 6 to 11 in a clinical trial, according to the company.

The Cambridge, Mass., company said Monday that it would submit the results to health regulators in the U.S., Europe and elsewhere in seeking authorization to widen the use of its shots to include this younger age group.

The company announced the interim data in a press release, and results haven’t yet been published in a peer-reviewed medical journal.

Moderna’s vaccine is currently authorized for use in adults 18 years and older in the U.S.

The company’s efforts to expand use of its vaccine to include children are further behind Pfizer Inc. and BioNTech SE, which could get FDA authorization in days or weeks for use of their vaccine in children 5 to 11.

“We are encouraged by the immunogenicity and safety profile of mRNA-1273 in children aged 6 to under 12 years and are pleased that the study met its primary immunogenicity endpoints,” Moderna Chief Executive Stéphane Bancel said. Immunogenicity refers to a vaccine’s ability to trigger an immune response, though it alone isn’t definitive proof that the immune response will protect someone from disease.

The company has asked the Food and Drug Administration to authorize use of the vaccine in children age 12 to 17, but the FDA’s decision has been held up by the agency’s assessment of the risk of heart-inflammation conditions in younger vaccine recipients.

State Economy Tacks on Sixth Consecutive Quarter of Growth 

State House News – Supply chain disruptions and labor shortages are continuing to hold back economic growth, but index readings released Monday show the Massachusetts economy in expansionary territory for a sixth straight quarter and four straight quarters of growth for the U.S. economy. 

Citizens said its national Citizens Business Conditions Index finished the third quarter at 57.1, down from the second quarter reading of 57.4. The state economy’s third quarter reading was 55, up from 53.1 in the second quarter. Readings above 50 reflect an economy in expansionary mode. 

“Despite ongoing challenges from the pandemic, the third quarter was a period of strong demand across most sectors of the economy,” Citizens said.

“With the continued support of low interest rates and fiscal spending initiatives, most sectors seem to have established a healthy trajectory of growth. Concerns over higher inflation have increased, and the employment sector still has ground to cover to reach pre-COVID status.”

The index draws from a pool of metrics, including manufacturing data, consumer spending, commercial banking data, initial jobless claims, commodity prices, and new business applications.

“Business activity is incredibly strong and confidence levels are quite high,” said Tony Bedikian, head of global markets at Citizens. “We haven’t fully exited the pandemic yet, but at this stage most parts of the economy have established some normalcy given the benefit of vaccines and the fiscal and monetary stimulus that continue to provide support towards full recovery. Many companies are doing well and would be doing even better if it weren’t for headwinds such as supply chain disruption and labor shortages.”

The new index readings were released as House and Senate leaders on Beacon Hill gear up to put $3.65 billion in one-time funds to work across Massachusetts, part of efforts over the next few weeks to allocate large chunks of American Rescue Plan Act funds and the state’s fiscal 2021 budget surplus.

Housing Bills Set for Legislative Hearing 

Vineyard Gazette – Proposed legislation that would allow cities and towns in Massachusetts to impose a fee of up to two per cent on certain real estate sales to support affordable housing is among two dozen bills scheduled for a virtual hearing next week. 

The legislature’s Joint Committee on Housing will convene at 11 a.m. on Tuesday to consider a variety of bills to address housing affordability, including two identical bills originating in the House and Senate respectively, H.1377 and S.828. 

The bills, co-sponsored by Sen. Julian Cyr and Rep. Dylan Fernandes, are similar to bills that died in committee last year. But the new bills, presented by Sen. Joanne M. Comerford of Northampton and Rep. Mike Connolly of Cambridge, would give cities and towns more flexibility in how to administer the fee. They also have additional co-sponsors — 27 in the House and 19 in the Senate.

Among other things, the current bills would allow municipalities to assess a fee of up to 6 per cent on certain “speculative sales,” that is, where someone sells a house within year of buying it.

They also would exempt from the fee transfers for less than the state median sales price of a single-family home, about $500,000, or allow the city or town to set a higher threshold. 

Dozens of State Workers Face Termination over Religious Beliefs, COVID Vaccine Mandate

MassLive – An unvaccinated Massachusetts social worker, paralyzed by uncertainty and silence from her supervisors, has ignored messages from her young clients all week.

The state employee, who spoke to MassLive on the condition of anonymity, said she is likely not authorized to report to work anymore, even though she’s yet to be formally suspended without pay.

While her employment status remains in limbo, she’s adamant about her immunization status: She will not get the COVID-19 shot, even though Gov. Charlie Baker’s vaccine mandate for more than 44,000 Executive Department employees and contractors took effect Sunday.

Massachusetts is the Only State to See Unemployment Increase in September

Worcester Business Journal – Massachusetts was the only state in September to see an increase in unemployment, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics’ Friday release. The rate grew from 5.0% to 5.2% from August to September, putting Massachusetts 0.4 percentage points above the national average of 4.8%.

This marks the second consecutive month Massachusetts’ unemployment rate has increased since its initial jump of 13.7 percentage points at the beginning of the coronavirus pandemic. It plateaued at 4.9% in June and July before rising in August.

The rate is still considerably lower than the 8.9% of Sept. 2020, but higher than the pre-pandemic 3.0% of Sept. 2019.

The Commonwealth was one of 28 states to have a statistically significant change in its unemployment rate last month, as 22 states remained basically stable through the month.

Workers Became more Willing to Go on Strike during the Pandemic

MSN – When the pandemic shut down movie and TV production across the country last year, thousands of crew members accustomed to spending long days on set suddenly had more time for themselves and their families.

But when filming resumed, studios went into overdrive to keep up with demand and pushed workers to the brink. So the workers pushed back — and voted to strike.

A walkout was narrowly averted when the International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees tentatively agreed to an offer that kept 60,000 people on the job. But the mind-set of the workforce has been indelibly shifted by the pandemic, which put workers’ long-simmering discontent into stark relief, said Chris O’Donnell, business manager for the union’s 1,100 members in New England.

Burnt out and fed up, and emboldened by the labor shortage, many of them, particularly those in unions, are increasingly willing to take a stand. Strikes surged nationally in October, with at least 40 actions ongoing (including 26 that have started so far this month) and 187 since the start of the year, according to Cornell University’s new Labor Action Tracker.

Covid-19 Vaccine Mandates Are Surviving Nearly All Court Challenges

Wall Street Journal – A range of people—from nurses to firefighters to students—have filed lawsuits objecting to the mandatory Covid-19 vaccinations imposed by states and cities, claiming the policies infringe on their constitutional rights.

Nearly every legal challenge has failed so far.

With limited exceptions involving religious objectors, judges have overwhelmingly upheld orders in numerous states that require health workers, public employees, state university students and government contractors to be fully vaccinated against Covid-19 as a condition of employment. These rulings have allowed states to fire workers who refuse immunization.

“What we’re seeing are courts finding that mandates are lawful and constitutional,” said Jennifer Piatt, a deputy director with the Network for Public Health Law, a national nonprofit group based in Minnesota that promotes public health laws and has kept track of the litigation.

More than 20 states and dozens of cities have adopted vaccination mandates—mostly through executive orders and legislation—to control the spread of Covid-19.

The legal basis for the orders largely stems from a Supreme Court ruling from a century ago upholding a vaccine mandate after an outbreak of smallpox in Massachusetts. The court acknowledged in that case that states have broad powers to combat significant public-health challenges.

In at least 17 lawsuits, judges appointed by both Democrats and Republicans have refused to block vaccine mandates.

A federal appeals court ruled on Oct. 15 that Maine can enforce its vaccination requirement for healthcare workers. The First U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals said Tuesday that Gov. Janet Mills had no choice but to mandate that healthcare workers be vaccinated to curb transmission of the Delta variant.

DiZoglio Says Small Business Day of Action Set for Monday to Push Pandemic Aid Extensions

WHAV – State Sen. Diana DiZoglio is co-hosting a Small Business Day of Action Monday in support of her legislation to extend restaurants’ option to sell cocktails to-go, to maintain third-party delivery fee caps and to provide grants to small businesses startups that were not eligible for government assistance when the pandemic struck.

DiZoglio said, “there remains significant work to be done to ensure the survival and vitality of our mom-and-pop shops, who have faced countless challenges over the course of the COVID-19 pandemic.”

“We can start by implementing these common-sense measures designed to help small businesses at a time when they need it most. We are on the road to recovery but must recognize that local businesses are going to need the legislature to provide continued support and financial relief as they rebuild. These tools are not just essential for them but to the health of all of our communities.”

Business groups across the state are also calling on the state legislature to investigate the insurance industry, which came under fire when most business interruption insurance claims made by small businesses as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic were denied.

THIRST, a citizen-led political action committee advocating for the hospitality industry, and representatives from the Massachusetts Restaurant Association, Massachusetts Restaurants United, Cocktails for Commonwealth, Love Live Local, and Cambridge Local First for the Small Business Day of Action, plan a virtual rally Monday morning, a press conference from the State House steps in the afternoon and a cocktail hour at The Emory.

State: School testing delays are being resolved

Commonwealth Magazine – Massachusetts health and education officials acknowledged on Thursday that “logistical challenges” led to a delayed rollout of the state’s COVID-19 testing program in schools, but they said the problems, which were primarily attributable to low staffing, are being addressed.

“As is often the case when developing a bold new idea – in this case, test and stay – there were logistical challenges during the initial ramp up, including significant staff recruitment difficulties and demand that far exceeded expectations,” said Marylou Sudders, the secretary of health and human services, in testimony submitted to legislative committees dealing with emergency preparedness, public health, and education.

Jeff Riley, the commissioner of elementary and secondary education, said only 28 of the 327 districts doing testing have not yet reported any tests, and he said some of those districts only recently launched their programs.

CommonWealth previously reported that the state’s pooled testing program faced delays in getting off the ground, apparently due to staffing shortages at CIC Health, the private company hired by the state to do the testing.

The state is offering schools access to three types of testing: test and stay, in which a student exposed to COVID-19 in school can take daily rapid tests rather than quarantining; rapid testing for kids who start showing symptoms in school; and pooled testing, which is routine weekly surveillance testing to catch cases before children or staff show symptoms. As of October 1, state officials said almost all schools had gotten the rapid tests. But several districts complained that they had not yet been able to begin pooled testing.

Sen. Jo Comerford, a Northampton Democrat who co-chairs the Legislature’s committees on public health and COVID-19 preparedness, revealed at the hearing that state education officials and CIC Health officials participated in “a very painful webinar with school superintendents where they detailed in significant measures the way the relationship with CIC Health has in many ways been a failure in Western Massachusetts.”

Port of Boston Deliveries are Being Passed Over

Boston Herald – Boston’s glory days as a major shipping port are long gone. It’s now about to pay a price for being lower down the food chain, as the shipping industry seeks to untangle the massive traffic jam of container ships waiting to enter the nation’s largest cargo ports.

Disruptions in the global supply chain have resulted in long queues of container ships waiting outside of bigger ports to unload, adding to the delays of goods shipped from overseas factories. Though Boston’s newly remodeled port doesn’t have as much traffic or traffic jams as larger ports, some shipments from China have arrived up to a month late, causing many New England retailers and other businesses looking to stock up on imported goods for the holiday shopping season.

And now, a major shipper that sends one of only two containerships that regularly visit Boston each week is planning to skip its visits for two months this winter. The move will allow the shipper to concentrate on speeding up deliveries at larger ports, such as New York.

As part of the supply chain crisis, the carriers are looking to save time wherever they can, said Jennifer Mehigan, a spokeswoman for the Massachusetts Port Authority, which operates the Conley Container Terminal in South Boston. A temporary measure is to bypass ports like Boston to accomplish that, said Cook.

Boston will take one for the team in the global shipping crisis.

The timing for Boston is a little unfortunate. Massport has just purchased and installed three new giant cranes at the Conley terminal as part of an ongoing $850 million renovation project. Once they pass tests, the cranes will allow the port to accommodate significantly larger cargo ships capable of carrying up to 14,500 standard shipping containers.

House Lawmakers Draw New Maps to Boost Representatives of Color

Boston Herald – New House district maps would make it easier for candidates of color to win seats in majority-minority cities like Worcester, Lawrence, Brockton and Chelsea over the next decade, map drawers said.

“The population counts for the 2020 Census are reflected in the diversity of our districts in these final maps,” said Assistant Majority Leader Michael Moran, a Boston Democrat who led the redistricting process for the second straight cycle, who said the new map reflects observed demographic shifts.

The House voted 158-1 in favor of the new district maps.

Georgetown Republican Rep. Lenny Mirra, whose district would be significantly altered, cast the lone no vote.

The Census revealed Massachusetts’ population surpassed 7 million and saw the number of white residents shrink 7 percentage points while the Black population grew nearly 17 points, the Asian population jumped 45% and the Hispanic population increased by 41%.

Brockton, despite having a majority of nonwhite residents, has never been represented by a person of color.

Incumbent-First Law is Unique to Massachusetts

Commonwealth Magazine – Among the ways that Massachusetts is unique among the 50 states: our state election ballots give top billing to incumbent state officeholders who are seeking re-election, with the other candidates listed in alphabetical order below. (Cities and towns can choose alternatives – Boston, notably, selects candidate order by lottery.)

No other state reserves the top ballot positions for incumbent candidates. Most states determine ballot order either by lottery or by rotating names among precincts, so as to avoid the “primacy effect” – the name psychologists give to the human inclination to select the first item on a list over those further down. Some states do recognize current officeholders on their ballots, not by listing the name first, but by some indication of the incumbent’s status next to it. Here in Massachusetts we do both – we put the incumbent’s name at the top and garnish it with the words “candidate for re-election.”

Studies of the primacy effect in voting have concluded that it has some influence. Its weight is more significant in primary elections than in general elections (where party affiliation also differentiates the candidates), and it’s most likely to play a role in low-profile elections, down-ballot races, and contests with many candidates. Bottom line, it can matter.

And it can matter enough to amount to a violation of the constitutional right to equal protection of the laws. In 1975, the California Supreme Court ruled in favor of a non-incumbent city council candidate challenging that state’s incumbent-first statute. Concluding that the law imposed “a very real and appreciable impact on the equality, fairness, and integrity of the electoral process,” the court struck it down as an infringement of the equal protection rights of voters who chose a candidate lower down on the list. In compliance with that decision, California has since adopted a ballot rotation system.

The incumbent-first law in Massachusetts still stands, however. A legal challenge here, decided one year later, had an entirely different result.

The 1972 Democratic primary election for two Middlesex County commissioner seats pitted two non-incumbent candidates (one of whom was Lowell city councilor Paul Tsongas) against two incumbents.  Weeks before the election, the challengers filed a lawsuit seeking to invalidate the incumbent-first law on equal protection grounds. The court declined to intervene before the election, and Tsongas and his fellow challenger ended up winning the two spots, which made their legal claims moot. New plaintiffs joined the case, and after a trial a three-judge panel of the federal district court issued a decision upholding the law.

Free Transit had Benefits but May Not be Sustainable, Worcester Study Concludes

WBUR – A new report from the Central Massachusetts Regional Planning Commission revealed that the Worcester Regional Transit Authority outperformed most of its peer agencies in the state when it came to recovering ridership lost during the pandemic.

The finding comes after the agency offered fare-free service starting last spring and is now considering other options as the policy is set to end in December.

The commission looked at bus ridership between April 2020 and June 2021 for 12 regional transit agencies in the state and found the WRTA averaged 67% of pre-pandemic ridership during that time, topping the other agencies — including the MBTA.

“I can’t speak to being fare-free for the entirety of that period had an effect on that, but it is an interesting correlation,” said Jack Narron, an associate planner at the commission.

The report also found that free fares offered benefits such as more equity, since there is no barrier to entry for riders, and faster boarding. However, one of the downsides the commission found is that foregoing fares long term could lead to big financial losses.

WRTA administrator Dennis Lipka estimates the loss in fares will cost the agency nearly $6 million by the time the policy ends in December. The agency has been relying on federal pandemic assistance to fund the program but would need additional help to continue it. When the free fare policy sunsets, Lipka hopes to reinstate fares and move the agency to a new fare payment system

Prepare for Propane Sticker Shock

Wall Street Journal – Propane prices haven’t been so high heading into winter in a decade, which is bad news for the millions of rural Americans who rely on the fuel to stay warm.

At $1.41 a gallon at the Mont Belvieu trading hub in Texas, on-the-spot prices are about triple those of the past two Octobers. Of the two main U.S. propane futures contracts, one hit a high earlier this month and the other doesn’t have far to climb to eclipse the record it set during the blizzard of 2014. The average residential price tracked by the U.S. Energy Information Administration has jumped by 50% from a year ago, to $2.69 a gallon.

All manner of heating fuels are heading into winter at their highest prices in years and could climb more if the weather is cold. But propane is expected to take the biggest bite out of household budgets.

Most U.S. households and businesses are heated with natural gas or electricity, highly regulated markets in which consumers are insulated from price swings in the commodities and usually given time to catch up on payments before they go cold.

Buying propane is more like filling up a car. The fuel is paid for upon receipt and priced in the free market. Residential propane is delivered by truck, often by small firms over big swaths of countryside. Domestic inventories have been so drained by exports that it isn’t out of the question that some could be left for periods without propane no matter what they are able to pay.

October 19, 2021

Schedule

Tuesday October 19

• Joint Committee on Public Service-Retirement Allowances and COLA-10:00am-Virtual Hearing.
• Joint Committee on State Admin and Regulatory Oversight-Ethics, Labor, Lobbying-10:30am-Virtual Hearing.
• Joint Committee on Labor and Workforce Development-Wages, Tips and Overtime-Virtual Hearing.
• Joint Committee on Municipalities and Regional Government-Home Rule Petitions, Environment, Powers/Government, Personnel, Misc-11:00am-Virtual Hearing.
• Joint Committee on Healthcare Financing-Health Profession Oversight & Practice Enviroment-11:00am-Virtual Hearing.

Wednesday October 20

• Joint Committee on Financial Services-Insurance-11:00am-Virtual Hearing.
• Joint Committee on Election Laws-Misc-1:00pm-Virtual Hearing.

Thursday October 21

• Joint Committee on Public Safety and Homeland Security-Corrections-Virtual Hearing.

Friday October 22

• Joint Committee on Telecommunications, Utilities and Energy-Utilities Legislation-10:00am-Virtual Hearing.

Monday October 25

• Joint Committee on Mental Health, Substance Use and Recovery-Harm Reeducation for People Who Use Opioids-1:00pm-Virtual Hearing.

Tuesday October 26

• Joint Committee on State Administration and Regulatory Oversight-Open Meetings/Public Records-10:30am-Virtual Hearing.
• Joint Committee on Health Care Financing-Alternative Health Care Financing Methods-11:00am-Virtual Hearing.
• Joint Committee on Financial Services-Banking-11:00am-Virtual Hearing.

Thursday October 28

• Joint Committee on Public Health-Patient Safey and Quality, Health Equity, and Pharmacy-9:00am-Virtual Hearing.

Four Million Workers are Missing. Where Did They Go?

Wall Street Journal – Scarce labor is becoming a fixture of the U.S. economy, reshaping the workforce and prodding firms to adapt by raising wages, reinventing services and investing in automation.

More than a year and a half into the pandemic, the U.S. is still missing around 4.3 million workers. That’s how much bigger the labor force would be if the participation rate—the share of the population 16 or older either working or looking for work—returned to its February 2020 level of 63.3%. In September, it stood at 61.6%.

The absence comes as U.S. employers are struggling to fill more than 10 million job openings and meet soaring consumer demand. In another sign of just how tight the labor market is, jobless claims—a proxy for layoffs across the U.S.—fell to 293,000 last week, the first time since the pandemic began that they fell below 300,000, the Labor Department said Thursday.

Workers are quitting at or near the highest rates on record in sectors such as manufacturing, retail, and trade, transportation and utilities, as well as professional and business services.

Participation has fallen broadly across demographic groups and career fields, but has dropped particularly fast among women, workers without a college degree and those in low-paying service industries such as hotels, restaurants and child care.

The participation rate experienced its biggest drop since at least World War II in the early months of the pandemic. It partly rebounded last summer and since then has hovered near the lowest level since the 1970s, despite sturdy economic growth and the strongest wage gains in years.

More Than 300,000 Women Left Workforce in September

The Hill – More than 300,000 women exited the labor force last month, even as the nation saw tens of thousands of jobs added to the economy overall, an analysis from the National Women’s Law Center (NWLC) shows.

According to the analysis, 309,000 women ages 20 and above exited the workforce entirely last month. The group called the figure the biggest dive in women’s labor force participation since September 2020, when more than 800,000 women left the workforce.

At the same time, the unemployment rate for women dipped in September. A NWLC spokesperson said on Monday that the drop was likely driven by the significant number of women that exited the labor force last month, meaning “they are no longer employed nor looking for employment.”

A closer look at the racial breakdown of women’s unemployment numbers last month showed glaring disparities.

More than 7.3 percent of Black women at least 20 and older were unemployed last month, a slight dip from the 7.9 percent recorded the month prior.

The unemployment rate among white women during the same time frame went from 4.2 percent to 3.7 percent, underscoring the disproportionate burden Black women are facing in the pandemic labor market.

Similarly, unemployment decreased among Latinas in the same age group from 6 percent to 5.6 percent during the same period, data showed.

The unemployment rate among Asian women lowered from August to September from 4.2 percent to 3.4 percent.

Overall, the NWLC said the unemployment rate for women 20 and over was 4.2 percent last month, down from 4.8 percent month before. The unemployment rate for men was 5 percent in September, 0.4 percentage points lower than in August.

Interest in Municipal Internet is Rising on the South Shore, Nationwide

Patriot Ledger – As the chief technology officer for a software company, Gary MacDougall said getting on the Internet every day is as essential to his job as having electricity.

“Everything I do in the course of the day is online, so if I lost Internet for three or four days, I’d be in trouble,” MacDougall, of Weymouth, said. “You have tons of people working from home and kids trying to get on Zoom calls, so the Internet is definitely an essential utility.”

The pandemic has made clear that high-speed internet is all but essential for modern living, yet millions of Americans are still not online due to access or cost, and others struggle with service that is sluggish or unreliable.

Some communities on the South Shore – including Quincy, Weymouth and Milton – are exploring the potential of making broadband Internet a public utility, lumping it in with the long-considered-essential public services of water, electricity and sewer.

Quincy City Councilor Ian Cain first floated the idea for municipal broadband in early 2018 after hearing that Milton was exploring the concept. Cain said he pays more than $100 a month for Internet through Comcast, the only provider in the city.

Threats of Termination Convince Many Hesitant Hospital Workers to Get COVID Vaccine, but Thousands of Holdouts Remain

Boston Globe – Looming deadlines and threats of termination have convinced hundreds of hesitant health care workers to get their COVID-19 shots in recent days, but thousands of holdouts remain, Massachusetts hospital leaders reported Friday.

Already, one major hospital system, Springfield-based Baystate Health, said it terminated 90 workers who remained unvaccinated on Friday after an extensive effort to change their minds.

A pressing deadline also looms at Mass General Brigham, the state’s largest hospital system, where still-unvaccinated employees will be placed on unpaid leave at the end of their shift on Wednesday, the company said. Roughly 1,900 employees — about 3 percent of the 80,000-person workforce — remained unvaccinated Friday or had failed to submit documentation showing they had received at least one shot, according to the company.

“We are mandating the vaccine because we want to do everything possible to protect you, your families, and our patients,” the company said in a memo Thursday to employees. “You make our system great, and we do not want to lose you as a result of this condition of employment.”

‘It is Our Goal to Fire No One’: MGH President on Looming Employee Vaccination Deadline

WBUR – About 800 employees at Massachusetts General Hospital — including a small number of physicians and nurses — still aren’t vaccinated and are at risk of suspension or losing their jobs.

The hospital’s mandatory employee vaccine deadline is Friday.

MGH President Dr. David Brown tells WBUR about half of the employees are temporary “per diem” workers who don’t have regular hours at the hospital, while the other half are regular employees.

The group represents about 3% of the approximately 28,000 Mass General employees. There are about 77,000 employees across the entire Mass General Brigham hospital network, which includes Mass General.

“We’re busy confirming among that group of 800 at Mass General, who … is in fact vaccinated and can provide confirmation of that so that number gets smaller,” Brown says, adding that employees can get their doses right at any hospital in the system. They are still conducting hundreds of first-time vaccinations daily.

Brown says as of Thursday afternoon there are unvaccinated staff members in a wide range of roles, but only a small number are physicians or nurses.

“There isn’t one role group that seems to be disproportionately impacted,” he says.

Hundreds of State Workers Seek Vaccine Waivers, Union Says

WBUR – Hundreds of state workers are seeking exemptions from Governor Charlie Baker’s COVID-19 vaccine mandate, according to one of the commonwealth’s largest unions.

The Baker administration is casting its vaccine requirement as a success, saying Massachusetts state “agencies are seeing significant progress toward the vaccination goal.”

But unions have warned that some workers would rather quit or be fired than comply with the vaccine mandate, potentially leaving some agencies understaffed as early as next week.

And some are criticizing the state’s process of reviewing waiver applications, including at least one labor union that generally supports the vaccine mandate.

“There hasn’t been a consistent, uniform process for how these situations are going to be reviewed,” said Peter MacKinnon, president of SEIU Local 509, which represents about 8,500 state workers and endorsed Baker’s vaccine mandate.

“What we’re hearing anecdotally is that one agency is applying this set of criteria for exemption requests, whereas another agency is applying a different set of criteria. It shouldn’t be that way.”

Biden Open to Shortening Length of Programs in Spending Bill

Boston Globe – President Joe Biden said Friday he would prefer to cut the duration of programs in his big social services and climate change package rather than eliminate some entirely, as Democrats struggle to win support from moderates by trimming what had been a $3.5 trillion proposal.

Biden’s comments, reassuring progressives on what he hopes will be a landmark piece of his legacy, marked his clearest comments yet on how he hopes negotiations over the bill will play out. Appearing to side with a strategy preferred by progressive lawmakers, it marked at least a subtle break with House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, who has suggested that most Democrats prefer to focus on establishing a few enduring programs.

He also said there is no deadline for a deal.

“I’m of the view that it’s important to establish the principle on a whole range of issues without guaranteeing to get the whole 10 years,” Biden told reporters before boarding Air Force One to return to Washington from a trip to Connecticut. “It matters to establish it.”

Multiple Schools Reached 80% Vaccination Rate ahead of Oct. 18

MetroWest Daily News – Although the mask mandate for public schools in Massachusetts has been extended to Nov. 1, the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education has said that local school committees, at their discretion, can allow individuals who are vaccinated against COVID-19 to unmask as of Monday — provided the vaccination rate among students and staff at the individual’s school is greater than 80%.

The following MetroWest communities have met the 80% threshold for vaccinations of 12- to 19-year-olds as of Thursday, according to state Department of Public Health data: Natick, Marlborough, Hopkinton, Sudbury, Wayland, Southborough, Holliston, Northborough and Shrewsbury.

For some communities, there’s a disparity in rates between 12- to 15- year-olds and 16- to 19-year-olds — the two separate age groups the Department of Public Health presents in its data.

Towns that have this disparity include Hudson (the older group is over 80%, but not the younger), Weston (the younger group is over 80%), Ashland (the older group is at more than 95%), Milford (the older group is at more than 95%), Hopedale (the older group is over 80%) Mendon (the older group is over 80%) and Millis (the older group is over 80%).

Berkshire Health Systems puts Unvaccinated Employees on Leave, as System hits 98 percent Vaccination Rate

Berkshire Eagle – More than two months after Berkshire Health Systems announced that it would mandate COVID-19 vaccinations for its staff, about 75 employees remain unvaccinated.

The system had an 80 percent vaccination rate when the mandate went into place in August, according to BHS. As of this week, about 98 percent of the system’s approximately 4,000 employees were vaccinated.

Two weeks after the Oct. 1 deadline, BHS is pulling its unvaccinated employees from in-person work and preparing to terminate some workers.

“Our enforcement of this vaccination policy will likely result in employees losing their jobs,” David Phelps, BHS’ president and CEO, wrote in a letter to staff Wednesday. “However, not taking advantage of the opportunity to be vaccinated creates a level of risk for our patients and our staff that we cannot accept within our facilities.”

Patrick Borek, vice president of human resources at BHS, told The Eagle on Thursday that some of the unvaccinated employees have requested religious or medical exemptions. A number of those will be allowed to work remotely.

But, the majority of unvaccinated employees have been or soon will be put on unpaid suspension and eventually fired, like thousands of other hospital workers across Massachusetts and the nation.

“We’re meeting with people individually to look at their job content and ways in which we could accommodate them, working remotely mostly,” he said. “But we expect the number of people we can accommodate to be relatively small. Health care is very much a face-to-face business.”

BHS instituted its mandate about a month before the federal government announced that it would require all health care workers to get vaccinated.

Judge Denies Prison Guard Union Attempt to Block Governor’s Vaccine Mandate

WGBH – A federal judge rejected a bid by the state prison guard union to temporarily block Governor Charlie Baker’s vaccine mandate from going into effect on Sunday.

U.S. District Judge Timothy Hillman said the public health concerns around coronavirus outweigh the concerns that four members of the Massachusetts Correction Officers Federated Union (MCOFU) spelled out in their lawsuit.

These were namely that their constitutional and contract rights were being targeted by Baker’s August executive order that says employees who don’t get the COVID-19 vaccine by Sunday, Oct. 17 could face punishment and termination from their jobs.

“Even considering the economic impact on the Plaintiffs if they choose not to be vaccinated, when balancing that harm against the legitimate and critical public interest in preventing the spread of COVID-19 by increasing the vaccination rate, particularly in congregate facilities, the Court finds the balance weighs in favor of the broader public interests,” said Hillman in his decision, which denied granting a temporary ban on the mandate.

The Friday afternoon decision increases the likelihood that the Massachusetts National Guard will have to fill in for officers who have not been vaccinated. Baker activated the Guard preemptively on Oct. 12 to temporary work as prison guards in the event of a staffing shortage.

Key FDA Advisory Committee Unanimously Supports Moderna Boosters

Boston Business Journal – A key advisory committee to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration has voted unanimously in favor of Covid-19 booster vaccines made by Moderna Inc.

Specifically, the 19 voting members are endorsing a third shot of the Moderna vaccine for all patients 65 and older, adults with underlying medical conditions and adults who are at a high risk for Covid-19 because of their occupations or time in institutional settings.

The populations are identical to those for whom a Pfizer Inc. booster shot was authorized last month.

The FDA will likely issue an updated authorization in coming days. Moderna share prices rose after the committee vote by about 3%. The company’s market capitalization is just under $133.9 billion.

The FDA’s Vaccines and Related Biological Products Advisory Committee met for most of the day on Thursday before voting shortly after 3 p.m. During the meeting, which was held virtually and livestreamed over YouTube, committee members heard from FDA staffers as well as Moderna’s head of infectious diseases, Jacqueline Miller.

Israel’s director of public health and a professor at Israel’s Weizman Institute also provided information about their own Covid-19 vaccine booster program. Israel has offered Covid-19 vaccine boosters to older adults since July and thus has the closest thing to a real-world study in the world.

State Redistricting Proposal Would Shuffle Political Representation

Lowell Sun – Proposed new legislative districts in the state House and Senate could mean changes for voters in Greater Lowell, the Nashoba Valley and North Central Massachusetts.

Districts announced by lawmakers on Tuesday appear to be shifting east to accommodate population growth. Additionally, lawmakers have hoped to create new majority-minority districts with the redistricting proposal — an effort to have representation more representative of the state’s growing diversity.

In Lowell, state Rep. Vanna Howard would see her district shift from Chelmsford toward Tewksbury. Currently, Howard represents precinct 4 in Chelmsford and Lowell precincts 2 and 3, as well as Wards 1, 2, 3, 4, 10 and 11. In the shift, precinct 4 would move to the 14th Middlesex District currently represented by state Rep. Tami Gouveia.

The change would see Howard’s district head toward Tewksbury precinct 1. Howard would maintain Ward 1, Ward 2 precinct 3, Ward 4 precincts 2 and 3, Ward 10 precincts 1, 2, and 3, and Ward 11 precincts 1, 2 and 3.

 

Redistricting Sets Political Dominoes Falling

Politico – State Rep. Nika Elugardo won’t seek the Boston state Senate seat being vacated by Sonia Chang-Díaz. It’s increasingly looking like her colleague, state Rep. Liz Miranda, will.

Elugardo confirmed she plans to run for reelection to the House next year.

Miranda said she’s “taking a serious look” at the Senate seat and plans to announce her decision after the November municipal election.

Miranda is talking to community leaders about a potential Senate bid, according to a source familiar with her thinking who said it appears increasingly likely she’ll make a run for the 2nd Suffolk seat.

Elugardo and Miranda both expressed interest in the seat after Chang-Díaz announced in June she was running for governor. Both are Black women who were first elected to the House in 2018.

Elugardo, a Jamaica Plain Democrat, will vie for a third term in a district that will likely look different than the one she’s represented for the past three years. The proposed House redistricting map would consolidate her 15th Suffolk district within Boston and take her out of neighboring Brookline. Miranda’s 5th Suffolk district, which covers parts of Roxbury and Dorchester, would look different as well.

Mapmakers also proposed changes to the 2nd Suffolk — shedding voters in Jamaica Plain and the South End, adding parts of Mattapan and Hyde Park — that they believe will better empower Black voters in the district to elect their candidate of choice.

There will be more announcements. State Rep. Paul Mark (D-Peru) is expected to say in coming days that he’s running for the state Senate seat Adam Hinds (D-PIttsfield) is giving up to run for lieutenant governor, per a source familiar. In doing so, Mark will avoid a potential faceoff against state Rep. John Barrett III (D-North Adams) in a redrawn Berkshires House district.

Some might have to rethink their plans. State Rep. Andy Vargas (D-Haverhill) is running to succeed state Sen. Diana DiZoglio (D-Methuen), who’s vying for state auditor, in the 1st Essex district. But the proposed Senate map would put him in a new district rooted in neighboring Lawrence and Methuen instead.

Political newcomer Simon Cataldo believed he didn’t “have the luxury of waiting” for the new maps when he launched his campaign for the 14th Middlesex seat that state Rep. Tami Gouveia’s leaving open to run for LG. But Cataldo’s Concord precinct is no longer in that district under the proposed House map. Instead the Democrat would be up against state Rep. Carmine Gentile (D-Sudbury).

Jamie Belsito of Topsfield is running in the special election to succeed former state Rep. Brad Hill in the 4th Essex. But Topsfield wouldn’t be part of that redrawn district come next year. If the House map holds, Belsito, a Democrat, looks to be in the same district as state Rep. Christina Minicucci (D-North Andover).

Massachusetts Medicaid fraud case settled for $25M

Associated Press – A private equity firm and two former executives at a mental health provider have agreed to pay $25 million to settle a lawsuit that alleged they caused fraudulent claims to be submitted to the state’s Medicaid program, the state attorney general’s office said.

South Bay Mental Health Center, Inc., which operates facilities in more than a dozen communities around the state, provided services for thousands of patients through the state’s Medicaid program known as MassHealth by unlicensed, unqualified, and improperly supervised staff members, according to a statement from the office of Attorney General Maura Healey.

The attorney general’s office called the agreement is “the largest publicly disclosed government health care fraud settlement in the nation involving private equity oversight of health care providers.”

The settlement calls for H.I.G. Capital, a private equity firm that acquired South Bay, to pay $19.95 million, according to the statement. The two former executives, including South Bay’s founder, will pay the remaining $5.05 million.

The deal includes no admission of wrongdoing.

A spokesperson for H.I.G. declined to comment. Messages were left with attorneys for the former executives.

MassHealth Expands Long-Term Care to Thousands of Immigrants

WBUR – Thousands of immigrants will become eligible for long-term care coverage under MassHealth, the state’s Medicaid program, thanks to a policy change that takes effect Nov. 1.

The MassHealth members that fall under the new policy are currently prohibited from long-term care coverage due to their immigration status, though their medical care is covered by the program.

One of those immigrants is Nora Ketter, about whom WBUR reported in May. Ketter is a 75-year-old Liberian immigrant who came to the U.S. in 1989. In recent years, she developed dementia. She was admitted to UMass Memorial’s Clinton Hospital three-and-a-half years ago and has been stuck there ever since.

Ketter should be in a skilled nursing facility. But she hasn’t qualified for that care because she’s still awaiting the green card she applied for more than two years ago. Upon getting the green card and the lawful permanent residence it confers, she would have immediately qualified for long-term care due to how long she’s been in the U.S. Under the new MassHealth guidelines, she won’t have to wait for that change to her immigration status.

Lynch: ‘We Have To Get To An Agreement’ On Stalled Infrastructure Bill

CBS Local – The partisan divide in Washington, D.C. remains as strong as ever. But Massachusetts Rep. Stephen Lynch said it’s critical in particular to find common ground on President Biden’s proposed infrastructure bill.

Lynch talked about the stalled bill with WBZ-TV political analyst Jon Keller.

The infrastructure bill, which has some bipartisan support, and a social infrastructure bill both appear to have stalled for the time being. Lynch said he joined the Transportation Committee because it had historically been a bipartisan group.

“It has become anything but that. It has become as partisan as any other committee on the Hill,” Lynch said. “I’m greatly disappointed we can’t even get to an agreement on the basics in Washington, D.C. In this case, we have to get to an agreement. I’m sure we won’t get everything we want on the Democratic side, but we’re searching for that balance moving forward.”

Racial Equity Scorecard Will Grade ARPA Spending

WWLP – Expecting decisions from legislative leaders in the next few weeks over how to start spending billions of remaining dollars from the state’s American Rescue Plan Act allocation, a coalition of advocacy groups plus a handful of lawmakers on Monday released a scorecard they’ll use to measure whether the plans prioritize racial justice.

The coalition is launching a website that it says offers a roadmap for how lawmakers can use the $4.8 billion to focus on closing structural gaps that have been exacerbated by the pandemic’s disproportionate impacts on communities of color.

The scorecard will assess spending plans on six factors: urgency, attention to structural problems like housing instability and the racial wealth divide, innovation, targeting of funds to hardest-hit populations, accountability and inclusive processes for decision-making.

“Our state legislators saw the hiking numbers of COVID leading the charts in our state. They saw the thousands of people lined up for hours in our food lines and they heard the stories of deplorable housing conditions and health concerns due to the code violations in apartments facing monthly & yearly rent increases,” Norieliz DeJesus, director of policy and organizing at La Colaborativa in Chelsea, said in a statement.

“We must ensure these facts remain on the table and in the discussions as our Legislators are allocating funds to the different cities in our state. For the sake of our children that at times go to sleep hungry and worried about where they will sleep the next day, we must enact the Racial Equity Scorecard and give these children a fair opportunity out of poverty.”

Separately, two economic experts on Thursday urged policymakers to be mindful of equity as they chart a path forward for recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic.

Urban Institute Economist Christina Plerhoples Stacy and Federal Reserve Bank of Boston Executive Vice President Prabal Chakrabarti said the American Rescue Plan Act and other federal dollars have created an unprecedented opportunity to invest in an economic recovery that addresses long-standing issues of inequality.

Such investments, they said, could take the form of more affordable housing near job centers, cash transfers that incentivize apprenticeships and career training, or public transit that connects job seekers with work opportunities.

Chakrabarti and Stacy were brought together by the Massachusetts Taxpayers Foundation for a discussion about an equitable economic recovery as part of the think tank’s forum series focused on ARPA. MTF in May published a report titled Closing the Racial Divide in the U.S. and Massachusetts: A Baseline Analysis.

The State Asked for a Blueprint of a Gas-Free Future. Why are Utilities Writing the First Draft?

Daily Advent – Looking ahead to a future when fossil fuels must be almost entirely removed from everyday life, Massachusetts last year made what would seem a sensible move: It launched a formal effort to plot the organized phase-out of natural gas.

The outcome of that investigation into the future of natural gas is to be a key step in the state’s climate fight, meant to produce the “policy and structural changes we need to ensure a clean energy future” and address the critical questions of “when and how” the state will wean itself from its most pervasive heating fuel.

So, what state regulators did next triggered more than a few angry questions among climate advocates, legislators, and researchers involved in Massachusetts’ climate efforts: they handed responsibility for writing the first draft of how the state will reach net zero carbon emissions by 2050 to the very industry whose fate hung in the balance, natural gas.

For the first phase of the process, which began earlier this year, the Department of Public Utilities asked the gas companies to create several scenarios for how the state can reach net zero and still provide reliable, affordable heat to residents and business owners.

Other interested parties, including state and local governments, and labor, business, and environmental groups, are invited to take part in monthly meetings, but, according to an order from the DPU, it’s the gas companies that lead this part of the process. Only later, once those companies have filed their reports, will others have the chance to formally weigh in.

Moreover, the DPU gave the utilities responsibility for selecting and hiring the consultant needed to develop critical data and models that will be used in the blueprint, rather than retaining its own independent adviser.

Crunch Time: Biden Faces Critical Two Weeks for Agenda

Associated Press — President Joe Biden is entering a crucial two weeks for his ambitious agenda, racing to conclude contentious congressional negotiations ahead of both domestic deadlines and a chance to showcase his administration’s accomplishments on a global stage.

Biden and his fellow Democrats are struggling to bridge intraparty divides by month’s end to pass a bipartisan infrastructure bill and a larger social services package. The president hopes to nail down both before Air Force One lifts off for Europe on Oct. 28 for a pair of world leader summits, including the most ambitious climate change meeting in years.

But that goal has been jeopardized by fractures among Democrats, imperiling the fate of promised sweeping new efforts to grapple with climate change. There’s also rising anxiety within the party about a bellwether gubernatorial contest in Virginia and looming Senate fights over the federal debt limit and government funding that could distract from getting the president’s agenda across the finish line.

Biden is trying to stabilize his presidency after a difficult stretch marked by the tumultuous end of the Afghanistan war, a diplomatic spat with a longtime ally and a surge in COVID-19 cases that rattled the nation’s economic recovery and sent his poll numbers tumbling.

Key to Biden’s Climate Agenda Likely to Be Cut Because of Manchin Opposition

New York Times – The most powerful part of President Biden’s climate agenda — a program to rapidly replace the nation’s coal- and gas-fired power plants with wind, solar and nuclear energy — will likely be dropped from the massive budget bill pending in Congress, according to congressional staffers and lobbyists familiar with the matter.

Senator Joe Manchin III, the Democrat from coal-rich West Virginia whose vote is crucial to passage of the bill, has told the White House that he strongly opposes the clean electricity program, according to three of those people. As a result, White House staffers are now rewriting the legislation without that climate provision and are trying to cobble together a mix of other policies that could also cut emissions.

A White House spokesman, Vedant Patel, declined to comment on the specifics of the bill, saying, “the White House is laser focused on advancing the president’s climate goals and positioning the United States to meet its emission targets in a way that grows domestic industries and good jobs.”

Cities Seek to Loosen Rules on Spending Federal Pandemic Aid

Associated Press – At the Loma Verde Recreation Center south of San Diego, demolition work is underway on a $24 million project that will rebuild the facility from the ground up, complete with a new pool.

An hour’s drive to the north, the iconic bridge to the Oceanside pier is deteriorating because the city lacks the money for a roughly $25 million rehabilitation.

A reason one project is moving ahead and the other isn’t revolves around the American Rescue Plan — the sweeping COVID-19 relief law championed by President Biden and congressional Democrats that is pumping billions of dollars to states and local governments.

Under rules developed by the US Treasury Department, some governments have more flexibility than others to spend their share of the money as they want. That’s why the new swimming pool is a go, and the rehabbed pier — at least for now — is a no.

Similar disparities among cities across the country have prompted pushback from local officials, who want the Treasury to loosen its rules before the program progresses much further.

Strikes Sweep Labor Market as Workers Wield New Leverage

Washington Post – Marcial Reyes could have just quit his job. Frustrated with chronic understaffing at the Kaiser Permanente hospital where he works in Southern California, he knows he has options in a region desperate for nurses.

Instead, he voted to go on strike.

While Americans are leaving their jobs at staggering rates – a record 4.3 million quit in August alone – hundreds of thousands of workers with similar grievances about pay, benefits and quality of life are, like Reyes, choosing to dig in and fight.

Last week, 10,000 John Deere workers went on strike, while unions representing 31,000 Kaiser employees and 60,000 film and television production workers authorized walkouts. Film and TV workers reached a deal with producers Saturday night to avert a strike hours before a negotiating deadline.

All told, there have been strikes against 178 employers this year, according to a tracker by Cornell University’s School of Industrial Labor Relations. The Bureau of Labor Statistics, which records only large work stoppages, has documented 12 strikes involving 1,000 or more workers. That’s a significant jump from 2020, when the pandemic took hold, but in line with significant strike activity in 2019 and 2018, bureau data show.

The trend, union officials and economists say, is an offshoot of the phenomenon known as the Great Resignation, which has thinned the nation’s labor pool and slowed the economic recovery.

Workers are harder to replace and many companies are scrambling to manage hobbled supply chains and meet pandemic-fueled demand for their products. That has given unions new leverage and made striking less risky.

October 13, 2021

Schedule

Wednesday October 13 

• Joint Committee on Public Safety and Homeland Security-Transportation-11:00am-Virutal Hearing.
• Joint Committee on Advanced Information Technology, The Internet and Cyber Security-Data Use, Data Privacy, the Internet, and Broadband Access-1:00 pm.
• Joint Committee on Environment, Natural Resources and Agriculture-Environmental Justice, Air Pollution and Water Quality-2:00pm-Virtual Hearing.

Thursday October 14

• Joint Committee on Transportation-Bicycles and Predestrains-10:00am-Virtual Hearing.

Friday October 15

• Joint Committee on Children, Families and Persons with Disabilities-DTA #2-10:00am-Virtual Hearing.
• Joint Committee on Public Health-Professional Licensure, Scope of Practice and Agencies-10:00am-Virtual Hearing.  

Monday October 18

• Joint Committee on Education-Charter Schools and School Personnel-11:00am-Virtual Hearing.

Tuesday October 19

• Joint Committee on Public Service-Retirement Allowances and COLA-10:00am-Virtual Hearing.
• Joint Committee on State Admin and Regulatory Oversight-Ethics, Labor, Lobbying-10:30am-Virtual Hearing.
• Joint Committee on Labor and Workforce Development-Wages, Tips and Overtime-Virtual Hearing.
• Joint Committee on Municipalities and Regional Government-Home Rule Petitions, Environment, Powers/Government, Personnel, Misc-11:00am-Virtual Hearing.
• Joint Committee on Healthcare Financing-Health Profession Oversight & Practice Enviroment-11:00am-Virtual Hearing.

Wednesday October 20

• Joint Committee on Financial Services-Insurance-11:00am-Virtual Hearing.

Legislature Begins Redistricting Process with Drafted Proposals 

Massachusetts House and Senate leaders, along with the Joint Committee on Redistricting, released draft maps of new state legislative districts that, if adopted, would be in effect for the 2022 election.

• The maps are redrawn every 10 years to account for demographic changes captured by the most recent US Census.The population in Massachusetts grew by 7.4 percent to more than 7 million over the past 10 years
• The Joint Committee is hoping to finalize new district maps that can be approved by the House and Senate and signed by Gov. Charlie Baker ahead of the Nov. 8 deadline for House candidates to reside in the district they intend to run in next year.
• The Committee will allow up to a week for public review of the draft maps before they are presented to the full House and Senate for approval as early as next week
• The new House proposal adds 13 new majority-minority districts, and the Senate map adds two majority-minority districts.
• The committee will likely complete the maps for the state House and Senate before separately drawing new boundaries for the state’s nine Congressional districts and eight Governor’s Council districts

AIM Members can see the proposed maps here:

House: https://malegislature.gov/Redistricting/ProposedDistricts/House

Senate: https://malegislature.gov/Redistricting/ProposedDistricts/Senate

Study Says 140,000 Children Lost a Caregiver to COVID 

Commonwealth Magazine – A study published by the American Academy of Pediatrics in the journal Pediatrics on Thursday quantifies yet another tragic outcome of the COVID-19 pandemic: orphanhood.

The study used modeling to estimate that, from April 1, 2020, through June 30, 2021, more than 120,000 children in the US under age 18 lost their parent or custodial grandparent to a COVID-associated death. Another 22,000 lost a “secondary caregiver,” such as a grandparent providing housing for the family.

Of those children who lost a caregiver to COVID, 65 percent were racial and ethnic minorities – even though minorities make up just 39 percent of the population. The researchers say this is symptomatic of broader inequities that have made Black and Latino individuals more likely to contract COVID.

Susan Hillis, lead author of the study, said in a press release put out by US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention that COVID-related orphanhood is “a hidden, global pandemic that has sadly not spared the United States.” “All of us – especially our children – will feel the serious immediate and long-term impact of this problem for generations to come,” Hillis said, adding that addressing this loss must be a top priority in the response to COVID.

The study puts into stark terms what has been evident throughout the pandemic. Children may not be falling ill from COVID with the same severity as adults (though a small number do get seriously ill), but they feel its collateral consequences.

Children have been facing mental health crises at unprecedented numbers, due to stress, isolation, and a lack of educational and social supports. CommonWealth reported that due to stresses on the health care system, many of these children cannot get timely treatment.

Students have lost a year of education to the struggles of remote learning, and plunging MCAS scores this year illustrate how much ground many kids need to make up.

Even as vaccinated adults began returning to more normal life, children under 12 have been ineligible for vaccines, meaning families have continued to face tough choices about what risks they want to take with their unvaccinated children.

Schools Report Higher Rates of COVID-19 in Students, Staff 

WBUR – Massachusetts public schools have found and reported almost 15 times as many cases of COVID-19 among students and staff as they had at this point last year.

After four weeks of classes, the state tallies 8,502 total cases — 7,388 among students and 1,114 among staff — compared to just 578 in the same period of the 2020-21 school year.

While increases in the number of students learning in-person and in school-based testing account for part of that disparity, some public health experts and local officials take it as a sign that the state can’t yet let its guard down when it comes to controlling the virus’s spread.

Changes to state regulations mean that nearly all students are in school buildings this October, compared to about half as many by this point last fall. But Julia Raifman, an assistant professor at the Boston University School of Public Health, says the virus has changed, too.

“[The delta variant] is very transmissible, and it’s clear that it’s transmitting among children,” Raifman says. “And while children are lower-risk than adults, we’ve seen record-high hospitalizations and deaths of children across the country” with the variant.

More Than 1,000 Boston Employees Face Suspension Over Vaccine Mandate

Boston Herald – The Janey administration is scrambling to deal with what could be more than 1,000 city workers suspended at this start of this coming work week as City Hall begins to crack down on people out of compliance with coronavirus vaccine mandates.

As of the end of this past work week, about 1,200 city workers were not in compliance with the rules, which require either vaccination or negative tests, according to a spokeswoman for Acting Mayor Kim Janey. 

The suspensions — which would come without pay — began Tuesday following the long weekend, per the city. 

There are about 18,000 City of Boston employees, meaning 6 percent are not following the mandate. Information wasn’t immediately available on Saturday about how the compliance rate varies from department to department, other than the city saying that the Boston Public Schools rate is at 92 percent, slightly below the citywide mark. 

A Janey spokeswoman said that the school district has prepared “contingency plans” to ensure that the school day isn’t interrupted if it does so happen that there’s suddenly a bunch of suspensions. 

Janey in August announced a vaccine mandate for all of the city’s employees and contractors. It’s not an absolute mandate, as people who don’t wish to get a vaccine can instead opt to submit weekly evidence of a negative coronavirus test. 

Janey announced that this would begin to be phased in, with the first cohort of requirements starting Sept. 20, and applying to employees of Boston Public Schools, the Boston Centers for Youth & Families, Boston Public Libraries and some other higher-risk workers. Then others, including cops, firefighters, inspectional services and more, would face mandates starting Oct. 4.

The mandate expands to all remaining workers and contractors on Oct. 18, so these numbers come as some employees haven’t hit the wall yet. 

Where Did All the Workers Go?  

Wall Street Journal – The Labor Department on Friday reported another disappointing month for employment, but the problem wasn’t a dearth of jobs. The question is whatever happened to the workers? 

Employers added a mere 194,000 jobs in September, the second negative monthly surprise in a row. While the unemployment rate fell sharply to 4.8% from 5.2%, that’s because 183,000 Americans dropped out of the workforce. Labor force participation fell 0.1 percentage point to 61.6% and has barely moved since 61.4% a year ago even as the economy has grown rapidly.

There are still five million fewer Americans employed than before the pandemic lockdowns, and three million of them have left the workforce. Even the White House didn’t try to sugar-coat the numbers. It blamed the lousy report on COVID’s Delta variant, which probably contributed to the dearth of new jobs in food and accommodation. 

But the number of Americans unable to work because their employer closed or lost business due to the pandemic dropped 600,000 from August. COVID cases declined by a third in September, and many industries unaffected by the virus also failed to add workers.

Employers are crying for workers but they can’t find them even when they pay more. According to the National Federation of Independent Business, 67% of small businesses reported hiring or trying to hire in September, and 42% raised compensation. But a record 51% still have openings they couldn’t fill.

Return of Office Workers Reaches Pandemic High   

Wall Street Journal – A widely anticipated surge in employees returning to the office after Labor Day never materialized. But as COVID-19 infection rates fall again, workers are trickling back to the office at the highest rate since the pandemic began. 

Office-building use has been slowly rising after a number of businesses required employees to return at least part of the week. In other cases, workers are returning voluntarily with summer vacations over and their children back in school.

The number of workers returning to traditional office space has been edging higher since the week of Labor Day, when an average of 31% ofthe workforce was back in the 10 major cities monitored by Kastle Systems. The average hit 35% during the week that ended Oct. 1 and 36% during the week that ended Oct. 8, a new high during the pandemic period, said the security company that tracks access-card swipes. 

Office usage looks poised to push higher as more companies indicate they will be welcoming office workers back in the weeks ahead. BlackRock Inc., Whirlpool Corp. and Lions Gate Entertainment Corp. are among the companies that set return dates for October and early November. 

“There are things we can accomplish together in the office that we can’t do remotely,” Lions Gate Chief Executive Jon Feltheimer wrote in a message to employees, who are required to begin alternating between the office and working at home this month. 

Those return figures are still modest compared with the lofty expectations of the spring, when rising vaccination rates led many companies to say that a majority of their employees would be back at their desks at least part of the time in the early fall. Manhattan employers projected that 62% of their workers would be in the office by September, according to a survey released in June by the Partnership for New York City.

Hundreds of Troopers Face Firing Over Vaccine Mandate

Boston Herald – A group of State Police troopers and commanders have hired a Boston law firm as “hundreds” in the agency face being fired for not taking the coronavirus vaccine. 

A source told the Herald more than 300 troopers, sergeants, lieutenants, detective lieutenants, captains and staff are in that group and some have already caught COVID, giving them the antibodies. But that won’t help them come Oct. 17 when the vaccine mandate goes on the books.

“This has been my whole life. I’ve been a loyal cop,” the source said. “But unlike Boston Police and others, we don’t have a testing option.” 

Gov. Charlie Baker instituted a vaccine mandate for all Executive Branch employees Aug. 19, including all troopers, with a deadline of Oct. 17 to be fully vaccinated. The order only granted exemptions for those who have medical or religious grounds to reject the vaccine. 

State Police and Corrections Officers sued and lost in court and now the deadline is just over a week away. That means they can only take the one-shot Johnson & Johnson jab, the lesser of the vaccine options.

National Guard Expands School Transportation Help to Worcester, Wachusett, Revere and Haverhill 

MassLive – School transportation help from the Massachusetts National Guard is expanding to Worcester, Wachusett, Revere and Haverhill, officials said Thursday. 

The National Guard is starting service in those communities after getting requests for assistance from local government officials. Those requests fall under an order issued Sept. 13 by Gov. Charlie Baker, freeing up 250 personnel to assist with transportation.

Now the Guard is providing school transportation support in 13 districts: Brockton, Chelsea, Framingham, Haverhill, Holyoke, Lawrence, Lowell, Lynn, Quincy, Revere, Wachusett, Woburn, and Worcester.

More than 190 members of the Guard have completed the driver’s certification process to operate transport vans known as 7D vehicles. The orientation process included vehicle training, background screening and a thorough review of all health and safety measures, according to a statement from Baker’s office.

Beyond those certified as drivers, about 40 members of the Guard are activated to provide operational support for the mission, the statement said.

The Massachusetts National Guard gets regular training with law enforcement, civilian, and other military agencies to provide a broad spectrum of services in support of security, logistics, disaster relief, and other missions, the governor’s office said.

Families of At-Risk Children Struggle to Balance Safety and Education

Boston Globe – Every day in September, Bethany Van Delft agonized about her daughter’s education. The 9-year-old, known as Lulu, longed to return to the Henderson Inclusion School in Dorchester, her second home since she was 3, where caring teachers help her keep up with her class. But her history of severe respiratory illness — a common problem for people with Down syndrome — makes in-person school too risky, said her mother, until the little girl can be vaccinated. 

It took weeks for her family to identify a safe way for Lulu to keep learning. She missed a month of fourth grade as they struggled to find and access the state’s home-based learning option for medically at-risk children, the only path available to keep her safe at home, yet still connected to her school, under the state’s strict ban on remote education this fall. As of Friday, she still had not begun receiving instruction. 

Meanwhile, in Mattapan, another Boston mom is agonizing, too. Zoraida Ramon was frightened to send her son Axel back into his high school, Boston International Newcomers Academy, because of health risks stemming from his history of childhood brain cancer. But Ramon, who emigrated from the Dominican Republic three years ago in search of better medical care for her son, does not speak English. She never heard about any remote option. And so, she sent her son to school. 

New Harvard Business School Dean Talks about Inspiring the Next Generation of Executives  

Boston Globe – Talk to Srikant Datar for long, and you’re bound to hear about his “three aspirations” for Harvard Business School.

It may sound like a modest catchphrase. Datar, who is starting his first full school year as the HBS dean, can come across that way. It’s anything but that. Instead, the phrase reflects Datar’s ambitious vision for the school and the new roles it can play in the modern connected world beyond what HBS is best known for — that is, educating the next generation of executives and entrepreneurs.

He oversees a school with nearly 2,000 staffers, about 250 faculty members, and 1,700 MBA students. The incoming class of more than 1,000 students is larger than normal, because many deferred entrance from 2020, when classes were virtual because of the pandemic.

Datar took on the deanship like the lifelong academic he is, by embarking on extensive research to help inform his priorities. (He took over for predecessor Nitin Nohria midway through the last school year.) This included meeting with more than 1,000 students, faculty, staffers and alums to gauge their opinions. He put the results of these discussions into a computer, and used artificial intelligence to pinpoint the most commonly shared visions and goals.

The end result? Those three aspirations that Datar keeps mentioning. Business has a role to play as a force of good in society. Research needs to go beyond the ivy-covered walls of academia, and be put into action in the real world. And the business school can’t rest on its past successes, but needs to keep pace with broader societal changes, including more emphasis on diversity and lifelong learning options beyond the two-year master’s program.

With that in mind, it’s no surprise that HBS was the first school to sign up as an academic partner over the summer with the OneTen initiative, a coalition launched by big-name CEOs dedicated to seeing one million Black individuals get hired or promoted over the next 10 years into good-paying careers. So far, Datar said, about 60 Fortune 500 companies have joined the effort, led by the likes of Merck executive chairman Ken Frazier and former American Express CEO Ken Chenault.

One Reason for Supply Shortages: No One to Drive the Trucks 

Boston Globe – Local coffee shop constantly out of your favorite ingredient lately? Can’t find what you’re looking for at the store? Packages arriving late?

The problem might be as simple as having too few people to drive the stuff around.

A shortfall of truck drivers is one factor clogging every facet of the supply chain right now, and Massachusetts is feeling the impact. It’s not a new problem, industry experts say, but like so much else, the global pandemic has made it worse.

It’s even affecting America’s oldest county fair.

This year, the Trucking Association of Massachusetts had hoped to participate in a Touch-a-Truck event Friday at the Topsfield Fair, parking

a truck there for kids to climb on and play around. But executive director Kevin Weeks said his group had to back out. They couldn’t spare a driver.

One reason, Weeks said: The need for trucking just “exploded” during the pandemic, with all the online shopping from consumers working from home.

President Biden’s Proposal to Empower IRS Rattles Banks and Their Customers 

Boston Globe – When the Biden administration looked for ways to pay for the president’s expansive social policy bill, it proposed raising revenue by cracking down on $7 trillion in unpaid taxes, mostly from wealthy Americans and businesses.

To help find those funds, the administration wants banks to give the Internal Revenue Service new details on their customers and provide data for accounts with total annual deposits or withdrawals worth more than $600. That has sparked an uproar among banks and Republican lawmakers, who say giving the IRS such power would be an enormous breach of privacy and government overreach.

Banks and their trade groups are running advertising and letter-writing campaigns to raise awareness — and concern — about the proposal. As a result, banks from Denver to Philadelphia say they are being deluged with calls, emails and in-person complaints from both savers and small-business owners worried about the proposal. JPMorgan Chase & Co. has issued talking points to bank tellers on what to tell angry customers who call or come into a branch to complain.

“We have heard a lot from our customers about their concerns about their privacy,” said Jill Castilla, the chief executive of the one-branch Citizens Bank of Edmond, just outside Oklahoma City. “I’ve gotten calls, emails, and then we’ve had many customers come in.”

Banks already submit tax forms to the IRS about the interest that customer accounts accrue. But the new proposal would require they share information about account balances so that the IRS can see if there are large discrepancies between the income people and businesses report and what they have in the bank. The IRS could audit or investigate the gaps to see if those taxpayers are evading their obligations.

Business Groups Push Lawmakers to Act on Unemployment Debt 

Boston Herald – Industry groups accused Beacon Hill lawmakers of “not grasping” the scope of the unemployment hit on business owners, noting that at least 30 states have already moved to relieve the debt racked up amid the pandemic.

“The state is looking to businesses to lead the recovery from the pandemic and they can’t do that if they’re being weighed down by high taxes,” Christopher Carlozzi, state director for NFIB, said. “They don’t fully grasp just how much of a crisis this is at this point. This is a dire situation.” 

Massachusetts is on the hook to repay a $7 billion loan after the historic number of unemployment benefits claims paid out during the pandemic pushed its trust fund into insolvency. 

For now, the burden has been placed on the backs of business owners who will be paying higher unemployment rates for the next 20 years as the bond is paid down. 

States paid out roughly $175 billion in unemployment benefits collectively throughout the pandemic, with the federal government providing an additional $660 billion in assistance. 

At least 30 states so far have committed portions of federal relief dollars to relieve pressure on businesses still struggling to bounce back after government-mandated shutdowns and restrictions. The federal government in May gave states the green light to use the $195.3 billion on local relief from President Biden’s American Rescue Plan Act to cover unemployment costs.

House, Senate Approve Bill to Raise Debt Ceiling through December 

Boston Globe – Congress passed legislation to raise the debt ceiling through early December, after a small cluster of Republicans temporarily put aside their objections and allowed action to stave off the threat of a first federal default. 

The action came the day after Sen. Mitch McConnell of Kentucky, the Republican leader, partly backed down from his blockade on raising the debt limit, offering a temporary reprieve as political pressure mounted to avoid being blamed for a fiscal calamity.

But the fragile deal to move ahead was in doubt until the very end, with some Republicans reluctant to drop their objections. McConnell and his top deputies labored into the evening Thursday to persuade enough members to clear the way for a vote. Ultimately, 11 Republicans joined every Democrat in voting to take up the bill, clearing the 60-vote threshold needed to break the GOP filibuster. 

The final vote was 50-48, with Democrats unanimously in support and Republicans united in opposition.

Health-Care Lobbyists Admit Their Big Scam 

Daily Poster – The corporate health-care industry typically presents a united front in defense of for-profit medicine — but in a new letter to regulators, the hospital industry has detailed some of the most abusive techniques being used by insurers to fleece Americans.

The insidious details were spelled out by the Federation of American Hospitals (FAH) in a letter responding to a federal rule aiming to limit surprise billing. Though FAH’s comments defend the group’s own for-profit interests, the filing from FAH president and CEO Chip Kahn — himself a former insurance lobbyist — offers a detailed look at the ways insurance companies mistreat patients to boost their own bottom line.

Health insurance companies, noted Kahn, “have deployed a range of unfair payment practices and abuses to inappropriately deny coverage of emergency services” and employ “many other unfair and abusive plan practices that result in surprise bills for patients and/or burden providers and facilities with underpayments and disputes.”

Kahn’s comments are particularly striking, considering he has bragged about helping create a major health care industry dark money group working to convince Americans that the corporate insurance system is great, and that popular programs like Medicare should not be expanded.

716 Psychiatric Patients Stuck in Emergency Rooms, Report Says

WBUR – The first of what will be weekly reports from hospitals across Massachusetts shows 716 patients who need acute psychiatric care and can’t get it. That’s 174 children and 542 adults who showed up at an emergency room in distress and are still there because the treatment programs they need are full.

“Behavioral health has become the epidemic within the pandemic,” says Leigh Youmans, who leads work on this issue at the Massachusetts Health and Hospital Association (MHA). “We have seen significant amounts of behavioral health need increasing across all acute care hospitals in the state.”

The problem is worse in some regions and at some hospitals. At a peak during the past month, 49% of emergency room beds in Southeastern Massachusetts were filled with patients on a waiting list for psych care, compared to 24% in western Mass. The MHA says one hospital reported 87% of emergency department beds in use for what’s known as psych boarding in the past month.

Holding patients who need mental health care limits space for those who come in with chest pain, early signs of stroke, wounds and other common emergencies.

Baker Appoints Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority Board of Directors  

Governor Charlie Baker today appointed the seven-member Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority (MBTA) Board of Directors and designated Betsy Taylor as chair. In July, Governor Baker signed legislation that established a new, permanent board of directors for the MBTA.

“I am pleased to appoint this distinguished group that together will bring years of leadership and knowledge to serve on the MBTA Board of Directors,” said Governor Charlie Baker. “The expertise and diversity of perspectives that make up this Board will allow the MBTA to continue to focus on providing safe and reliable service to riders as it invests record levels of funding across the system, and I am thankful for the Board’s willingness to serve.”

“The guidance and insight of this Board will be valuable and significant as the MBTA continues to build a resilient and robust system working with multiple communities,” said Lt. Governor Karyn Polito. “We look forward to working with the Board to maintain the MBTA’s progress.”

The Administration previously proposed the Board in its Fiscal Year 2022 budget recommendation and before that, in its Fiscal Year 2021 budget recommendation, to replace the Fiscal and Management Control Board (FMCB) created by the Administration following the winter of 2015.

“The MBTA has become a safer, more reliable and equitable service provider that riders can depend on thanks in large part to the dedicated, strategic and transparent leadership provided over the last few years to address a system that had been overlooked and neglected,” said Transportation Secretary & MassDOT CEO Jamey Tesler.

“As the MBTA turns this corner, and we collectively emerge from the pandemic, the General Manager and his team are well positioned to continue to address ridership and revenue challenges, while successfully building on the record capital investments and customer-focused initiatives that have improved on-time performance, safety and reliability. I look forward to working with the Directors to serve as a strategic resource and see that the MBTA’s progress continues.”

“The MBTA looks forward to working with and receiving direction from the new Board as we continue to invest in the system and build back better, more equitable service for our current and future riders,” said MBTA General Manager Steve Poftak.

“We’re committed to working with the new Board to continue to invest billions of dollars, not only this year, but in the coming years, to modernize MBTA infrastructure and to continue to make dependable improvements for our riders in order to provide the safest, fastest service possible.”

By statute, the MBTA Board of Directors will consist of seven members. The Secretary of Transportation will serve as an ex-officio member. The MBTA Advisory Board appoints one member who has municipal government experience in the MBTA’s service area and experience in transportation operations, transportation planning, housing policy, urban planning or public or private finance. The Governor appoints the remaining five members, including a rider and resident of an environmental justice population, and a person recommended by the President of the AFL-CIO.

About the MBTA Board of Directors:  

Betsy Taylor (Chair) has served as the Treasurer and Chair of the Finance & Audit Committee for the MassDOT Board since 2015. During this time, she inspired the creation and hiring of a department-wide Chief Compliance Officer and is a Co-chair of the Allston I-90 Financing Team. Previously, Taylor worked at the Massachusetts Port Authority from 1978 to 2015 in a variety of financial roles and continues to serve as an elected board member of the Massport Employee Retirement system. While at Massport, she established the Authority’s first Treasury Department in 2001, and secured and maintained its Aa3, AA-, and AA credit ratings. Taylor also worked for the University of Massachusetts, Boston as the Assistant Director of the Office of the Budget. A longtime resident of Massachusetts, Taylor received her Bachelor’s degree from Oberlin College and her MBA from Stanford University.

Robert Butler serves as the President of the Northeast Regional Council of the International Association of Sheet Metal, Air, Rail and Transportation Workers (SMART), a post he has held since May of this year, as well as serving as the Vice President of the Massachusetts AFL-CIO. Previously, Butler served as the Business Manager of Sheet Metal Workers Local 17, where he was responsible for managing over 5,000 Union members and oversaw millions of dollars in investments and Union funds. Butler spent almost 20 years as a Journeyman in Local 17, giving him a strong understanding of the needs of trade employees that he uses to advocate for worker’s rights.

Thomas “Scott” Darling is an independent consultant where he provides advice and expertise to organizations to help them improve their safety, security, environmental, and change management performance. Previously, Darling served as the Chief of Safety, Security, & Control Center Operations for the Chicago Transit Authority (CTA), where he directed the function and Activities of the CTA’s Safety Department. He also served as for three years as the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administrator at the United States Department of Transportation after being confirmed by the Senate. Darling had previously served at the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration as the Acting Administrator and as its Chief Counsel. Darling also worked at the MBTA from 2008 to 2012 as a Deputy Chief of Staff and Assistant General Counsel, as well as working for the Conservation Law Foundation from 1999 to 2005 in various capacities. He received his Bachelor’s degree from Worcester’s Clark University and later went on to receive his Master’s degree from Tufts University and his Juris Doctorate from Suffolk University Law School.

Travis McCready is the Executive Director, US Life Sciences Market for JLL.  Before this, McCready most recently served as President and CEO of the Massachusetts Life Sciences Center, and before that, the Vice President of Programs for The Boston Foundation (TBF). In this role he focused the TBF’s grant awards on education, health, economic development, the arts and local neighborhoods. McCready previously served as TBF’s Chief of Staff and Corporate Secretary from 2001 to 2003. From 2010 to 2013 McCready was the Executive Director of the Kendall Square Association, where he increased membership and represented the organization as a member of Governor Patrick’s Economic Development Advisory Committee. McCready also has experience working at the Massachusetts Convention Center Authority in a variety of leadership roles and as Director of Community Affairs for Harvard University. He received his Bachelor’s degree from Yale University and his Juris Doctorate from the University of Iowa College of Law.

Mary Beth Mello is the principal at Mello Transportation Consulting, where she helps consult with the MassDOT Rail and Transit Division on matters related to the Commonwealth’s Regional Transit Authorities. Previously, Mello worked at the Federal Transit Administration (FTA) from 1993 to 2010, first as a Deputy Regional Administrator and then later as the New England Regional Administrator. While there, Mello oversaw federal funding for a variety of local initiatives, including the MBTA’s Green Line Extension project and Connecticut’s Walk Bridge Railroad Bridge Replacement project. She received several awards while working at the FTA, including the USDOT Secretary’s Gold Medal and Silver Medal. Mello is a graduate of Smith College, where she received her Bachelor’s degree, and Boston University, where she received her Master’s degree.

The MBTA Advisory Board has appointed Quincy Mayor Thomas Koch as its designee.

Which Climate Threats are Most Worrisome? US Agencies Made a List. 

Boston Globe – Less food. More traffic accidents. Extreme weather hitting nuclear waste sites. Migrants rushing toward the United States, fleeing even worse calamity in their own countries.

Those scenarios, once the stuff of dystopian fiction, are now driving US policymaking. Under orders from President Biden, top officials at every government agency have spent months considering the top climate threats their agencies face and how to cope with them.

On Thursday, the White House offered a first look at the results, releasing the climate adaptation plans of 23 agencies, including the departments of Energy, Defense, Agriculture, Homeland Security, Transportation, and Commerce. The plans reveal the dangers posed by a warming planet to every aspect of American life and the difficulty of coping with those threats.

Major Climate Action at Stake in Fight over Twin Bills Pending in Congress  

Boston Globe – President Biden has framed this moment as the country’s best chance to save the planet.

“The nation and the world are in peril,” he said weeks ago in the New York City borough of Queens, where 11 people drowned in their basement apartments after flood waters from Hurricane Ida devastated communities from Louisiana to New York.

“And that’s not hyperbole. That is a fact. They’ve been warning us the extreme weather would get more extreme over the decade, and we’re living in it real time now.”

Biden’s plan to try to fortify the United States against extreme weather — and cut the carbon dioxide emissions that are heating the Earth and fueling disasters — is embedded in two pieces of legislation pending on Capitol Hill. The future of both bills remains in question, with tension between moderate and progressive Democrats over the size and scope of many details.

Together, they contain what would be the most significant climate action ever taken by the United States. Because Democrats could lose control of Congress after 2022 and Republicans have shown little interest in climate legislation, it could be years before another opportunity arises, a delay that scientists say the planet cannot afford.

The climate provisions are designed to quickly transform energy and transportation, the country’s two largest sources of greenhouse gases, from systems that now mostly burn gas, oil, and coal to sectors that run increasingly on clean energy from the sun, wind, and nuclear power.

October 5, 2021

Schedule

Tuesday, October 5

Schedule

Tuesday October 5 

• Joint Committee on the Judiciary-Correctional Services & Sentencing-10:00am-Virtual Hearing.
• Joint Committee on Ways and Means-APRA Funding-11:00am-Virtual Hearing.
• Joint Committee Economic Development and Emerging Technologies-General Business and Economic Growth-11:00 am.

Wednesday October 6  

• Joint Committee on Financial Services-App Based Drivers-11:00am-Virtual Hearing.
• Joint Committee on Election Laws-Jail Based Voting-10:00am-Virtual Hearing.

Thursday October 7  

• Joint Committee on Public Health-Food and Nutrition; Oral Health-9:00am-Virtual Hearing.
• Joint Committee on Higher Education-Miscellaneous-10:00am-Virtual Hearing.
• Joint Committee on Tourism, Arts and Cultural Development-Historic Cultural Designations and Statewide Programs-10:00am-Virtual Hearing.

Tuesday October 12  

• Joint Committee on Housing-Manufactured Housing, DHCD, Misc. Bills-11:00am-Virtual Hearing.
• Joint Committee on Financial Services-Health Insurance Matters-11:00am-Virtual Hearing.

Wednesday October 13 

• Joint Committee on Public Safety and Homeland Security-Transportation-11:00am-Virutal Hearing.
• Joint Committee on Advanced Information Technology, The Internet and Cyber Security-Data Use, Data Privacy, the Internet, and Broadband Access-1:00pm-https://malegislature.gov/Events/Hearings/Detail/4007

Massachusetts Lowers Employer Costs for Paid Family, Medical Leave  

Boston Business Journal – The Baker administration announced Friday that employer costs for the state’s paid-leave program will go down next year, even though workers will be eligible to receive more in benefits thanks to rising wages statewide. 

For every $100 in eligible employee wages, the state will be owed 68 cents for the paid family and medical leave program in 2022. That’s down from 75 cents this year. The rate applies to businesses that have not opted out of the state-run program for one of the alternative plans offered by insurance companies. 

Many employers will be responsible for a little less than half of what the state pays, 33.6 cents for every $100 in eligible wages. Businesses with fewer than 25 covered workers, however, do not have to pay into the paid-leave fund themselves. Employees are on the hook for the remaining amount, though businesses have the option of covering part or all of that portion, too. 

Business groups had expressed concern that the paid-leave costs could increase next year because 2021 is the first year the claims have been paid out since the program was enshrined in law in 2018. There has been little publicly available information about the level of claim activity.

Biden Signs Bill to Avert Partial Government Shutdown  

Boston Globe – With only hours to spare, President Joe Biden on Thursday evening signed legislation to avoid a partial federal shutdown and keep the government funded through Dec. 3. Congress had passed the bill earlier Thursday.

The back-to-back votes by the Senate and then the House averted one crisis, but delays on another continue as the political parties dig in on a dispute over how to raise the government’s borrowing cap before the United States risks a potentially catastrophic default.

The House approved the short-term funding measure by a 254-175 vote not long after Senate passage in a 65-35 vote. A large majority of Republicans in both chambers voted against it. The legislation was needed to keep the government running once the current budget year ended at midnight Thursday.

Passage will buy lawmakers more time to craft the spending measures that will fund federal agencies and the programs they administer.

“There’s so much more to do,” Biden said in a statement after the signing. “But the passage of this bill reminds us that bipartisan work is possible and it gives us time to pass longer-term funding to keep our government running and delivering for the American people.”

Legislative Prepares for Pre-Thanksgiving Issue Feast  

Boston Globe – Before Thanksgiving, Massachusetts lawmakers could rearrange their districts for the first time in 10 years, begin tapping billions of dollars of federal stimulus money, and move — again — to reimagine how voters cast their ballots.

That may not be all. 

The Legislature is embarking on a crucial six-week stretch of lawmaking, with formal voting in 2021 scheduled to end by mid-November and the chambers’ competing lists of priorities each vying for oxygen in what’s informally considered their fall session.

The Senate opened the door to major legislation last week, teeing up a bill that would make voting-by-mail permanent and institute same-day voter registration for approval on Wednesday. In the coming weeks, lawmakers are expected to release highly anticipated maps redrawing the state’s political boundaries, a decennial effort that lawmakers say they must complete before the holiday break. 

And months of weighing how to spend nearly $5 billion in American Rescue Plan Act, or ARPA, funding is likely to begin bearing fruit. Legislative leaders say they’re still discussing where to funnel it — a deliberate process that’s frustrated Governor Charlie Baker, who’s called on lawmakers to move much more quickly.

But House Speaker Ronald Mariano suggested lawmakers could appropriate roughly half of it now, with areas such as housing seeing a significant infusion, according to legislative officials.

“It’s an opportunity to get people to make decisions,” Mariano said of the next six weeks. In the same span two years ago, lawmakers completed a generational change to the school-funding formula, banned drivers from using hand-held cellphones, and set the country’s tightest restrictions on the sale of vaping products, among other laws.

Battle Lines Clear in Digital Repair Fight  

State House News – The average Massachusetts family could save $330 a year if they could fix electronics rather than replace them, adding up to an estimated $875 million in annual savings for Bay State consumers, supporters of the digital right to repair movement said Monday.

The savings would flow if people got their smartphone, laptop, tablet, gaming console, or other electronic device repaired to extend the lifespan by 50 percent, Janet Domenitz of the Massachusetts Public Interest Research Group told lawmakers Monday as she testified in support of legislation (H 341 / S 166) that would require the makers of digital electronics and other products to make diagnostic repair tools and information available to product owners and independent repair shops. 

“Manufacturers of everything from phones to appliances to tractors intentionally make things difficult to repair, limiting repair to just their branded providers if they let anyone fix it at all,” Domenitz told the Joint Committee on Consumer Protection and Professional Licensure.

“Manufacturers aggressively lock out repairs to either force us to go back to them or buy the newest version. The result is surging repair costs and a massive amount of waste.”

MASSPIRG issued a report in July that found each American family disposes of an average of 176 pounds of electronic waste a year — waste that the group says largely could be avoided if access to digital repair information was mandated. 

Opponents, who ranged Monday from trade organizations representing video game manufacturers to agricultural equipment dealers, countered that their increasingly complicated technology should only be handled by people trained to properly repair it and that most manufacturers already provide product repair and support.

Merck Says Experimental Pill Cuts Worst Effects of COVID-19

Boston Globe – Merck & Co. said Friday that its experimental COVID-19 pill reduced hospitalizations and deaths by half in people recently infected with the coronavirus and that it would soon ask health officials in the U.S. and around the world to authorize its use. 

If cleared, Merck’s drug would be the first pill shown to treat COVID-19, a potentially major advance in efforts to fight the pandemic. All COVID-19 therapies now authorized in the U.S. require an IV or injection.

Merck and its partner Ridgeback Biotherapeutics said early results showed patients who received the drug, called molnupiravir, within five days of COVID-19 symptoms had about half the rate of hospitalization and death as patients who received a dummy pill. The study tracked 775 adults with mild-to-moderate COVID-19 who were considered higher risk for severe disease due to health problems such as obesity, diabetes or heart disease. 

Among patients taking molnupiravir, 7.3% were either hospitalized or died at the end of 30 days, compared with 14.1% of those getting the dummy pill. There were no deaths in the drug group after that time period compared with eight deaths in the placebo group, according to Merck. The results were released by the company and have not been peer reviewed. Merck said it plans to present them at a future medical meeting.  

An independent group of medical experts monitoring the trial recommended stopping it early because the interim results were so strong. Company executives said they are in discussions with the Food and Drug Administration and plan submit the data for review in coming days.

“It exceeded what I thought the drug might be able to do in this clinical trial,” said Dr. Dean Li, vice president of Merck research. “When you see a 50% reduction in hospitalization or death that’s a substantial clinical impact.”

Few Giving up Their Jobs over Vaccine Mandates 

Commonwealth Magazine – Vaccine mandates are sweeping across the country, both in the public and private sectors. They have produced a great deal of anxiety in public conversation, and polls in recent months suggested mandates would lead to mass firings and resignations among unvaccinated employees.

But that doesn’t seem to have happened so far, and the divide over vaccine mandates may be much smaller than it appears.

When push comes to shove, people have almost all gotten their shots rather than lose their jobs according to available media accounts. Our analysis of news articles about companies who have lost employees shows the numbers who have lost their job appears to be less than 1 percent of the company’s workforce on average. (Spreadsheet available here.)

In conducting this search, we found news accounts of 17 large organizations where resignations or terminations occurred. All but 3 of the organizations experienced under 1 percent turnover due to the requirements, with median turnover at 0.6 percent.

Here in Massachusetts, the State Police union grabbed national headlines claiming “dozens” of officers have submitted resignation paperwork. It’s hard to say what “dozens” refers to, or what the precise number is they are claiming. The Boston Globe later reported that a police spokesperson clarified that just one trooper has said he will retire out of a total force of 2,200.

Many news headlines and tweets cite the raw numbers of people who quit with no larger context. A headline from NBC blared, “Nearly 600 United Airlines employees face termination for defying vaccine mandate.”

These days, that’s all the fodder needed to launch an online culture war. But the article itself noted the airline employs 67,000 people, meaning just 0.9 percent will actually lose their jobs. That number was later reduced even further, to just 320.

This misleading pattern repeats itself over and over again. Politics is very often the search for the right denominator, and news organizations are failing to highlight the actual level of job losses.

t must be noted there is not a great deal of available data yet and most of what there is focuses on health care systems, where vaccination deadlines have come earlier than for other businesses. But what data there is shows remarkable consistency, and gives no support to the predictions of mass resignations.

MassDOT to Unvaccinated Workers: Get J&J Vaccine Before Deadline or Risk Firing

CBS Local – MassDOT is warning its employees that they have to act fast to meet Gov. Charlie Baker’s COVID vaccine mandate deadline that takes effect Oct. 17. The transportation agency says it’s already too late for unvaccinated workers to start the two-dose Pfizer or Moderna vaccine process, and they are urged to find a Johnson & Johnson shot.

“If you have not yet been vaccinated, the deadline to receive the first dose of either the Moderna or Pfizer vaccine, has passed,” MassDOT said in an email to employees.

“The J&J/Janssen vaccine is currently the best (and only) option to be in compliance by the October 17 deadline, if you have not already received a first dose of the Modern or Pfizer vaccine.”

Workers will be suspended for five days without pay if they are not fully vaccinated by the deadline. If they are still not vaccinated after that, a 10-day suspension without pay will follow.

“Failure to meet this requirement after the 10-day suspension will result in the termination of employment,” MassDOT said.

Employees have until Oct. 8 to seek a religious or medical exemption.

Baker issued the vaccine mandate in August for 44,000 executive department employees.

“The stark reality of employment with MassDOT after October 17 is that every employee must be vaccinated against the COVID-19 virus or receive an approved exemption,” the agency said. “We hope that each of you will make a well-informed choice and we hope that you will choose to stay with MassDOT.”

Sports Betting Goes Live in Another Border State  

State House News – In-person sports betting began Thursday in Connecticut.

As the Massachusetts Senate mulls over the legalization of sports betting again this session, the activity has now been approved in every state bordering Massachusetts besides Vermont. The House approved a sports betting bill this summer but the Senate, where the bill has not drawn outright opposition, has consistently shown less interest in the idea and has the House bill under the review of its Ways and Means Committee.

Connecticut’s rollout begins Thursday with in-person betting at temporary sportsbooks at Mohegan Sun and Foxwoods Resort Casino, both in the eastern part of the state and relatively accessible from Massachusetts by I-395 and I-95. Mohegan Sun said adults 21+ can begin placing bets after a 9:30 a.m. ribbon-cutting ceremony. Mobile and online wagering for the Nutmeg State remains a week away, according to The Day newspaper.

J&J Recipients Feel Left Out in Rollout of Booster Shots 

Boston Globe – When Elisa Heath became eligible to receive a COVID-19 vaccine in March, she didn’t care which one she got. She just wanted to get vaccinated.

So, when the Johnson & Johnson vaccine became available at a clinic near her house in Pawtucket, R.I., the 60-year-old fund-raiser quickly got in line with her husband. She liked that it was a “one and done” shot, unlike the two-shot vaccines from Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna. She even had her daughter and nephew rush over after the clinic offered extra doses to anyone 18 and older.

These days, however, Heath is feeling neglected. Millions of older and at-risk recipients of Pfizer’s vaccine in the United States have started getting booster shots since federal regulators cleared them last week amid concerns about waning immunity. Moderna has also applied for authorization of its booster.

But while J&J recently announced that a second shot substantially increased protection in a clinical trial, the company hasn’t discussed a potential timeline for a rollout, to the frustration of some of the nearly 15 million US recipients of the vaccine.

“I feel really left out and forgotten,” said Heath, principal gifts officer for Combined Jewish Philanthropies of Boston. “In the general press, there’s been very little if anything written about the J&J recipients.”

Group Adds Suits Statewide against School Masks, Claiming Involvement by Parents in Cambridge 

Cambridge Day – A Norfolk Superior Court judge has postponed a hearing in the anti-mask lawsuit filed against the state education department, Cambridge, the Cambridge schools and six other local school systems after the state sought to consolidate a growing number of similar suits.

There are now six suits in five counties seeking to invalidate mask mandates for schoolchildren. Five were filed by the same New Hampshire lawyer who brought the case against Cambridge, Robert Fojo, on Sept. 21 and Sept. 22.

The sixth lawsuit was filed in Hampden County Superior Court on Sept. 20. The state wants to combine all the litigation there, citing a legal rule that the earliest case should be selected for consolidations. All the suits make similar claims that the state and school districts overstepped their authority, masks don’t reduce Covid-19 transmission among public school students, children face low risk from Covid-19, wearing masks harms children and mandates interfere with parental rights to protect the health of their children.

A hearing had been scheduled for Wednesday in Norfolk Superior Court, where the Cambridge cases were filed, to consider a motion by the anti-mask activists for a preliminary injunction banning the mandates. It’s on hold while Hampden Superior Court Judge Mark Mason considers the state’s motion to consolidate the cases. A hearing on the motion is set for Oct. 5.

The lawsuit against Cambridge and its school district, plus two other suits, were brought by a nonprofit organization formed only last month, Children’s Health Rights of Massachusetts. Fojo, the attorney for Children’s Health Rights and plaintiffs in two other anti-mask cases, peppered courts in New Hampshire with lawsuits challenging mask mandates, a similar strategy to the one he is following in Massachusetts.

One judge criticized him for suing in multiple counties, asking why he had not filed one case in the state’s top court. In a phone interview, Fojo said cases couldn’t go before the higher court unless they were first filed in a lower court and he said the judge’s comment had been “misinterpreted.”  

From COVID Tests to Angry Parents, School Nurses Say It’s Hard to Keep Up  

WBUR – It’s tough to be a school nurse right now.

Concerns about COVID dominate their days. This year, all students are back in the classroom, so there’s almost no physical distancing. That’s even though the highly contagious delta variant continues to spread.  

Cathryn Hampson is the supervisor of health services for the North Middlesex Regional School District, which includes the towns of Townsend, Pepperell and Ashby and has about 3,000 students. Hampson is also the school nurse at a pre-school in Townsend.

Linda Cahill is the nursing supervisor for Brockton Public Schools, which has about 15,000 students in 23 schools.

Cahill and Hampson say they’re seeing more students test positive for COVID than they did last school year. That’s the case in many districts. The state says there’s also more testing going on than last school year.  

Delays Hinder State’s Pooled Testing Program for Schools 

Commonwealth Magazine – When the Amherst-Pelham regional school district instituted a COVID-19 vaccine mandate, the school committee gave staff an alternative: they could get tested regularly instead.

But the district was counting on using the state’s pooled testing program – which so far, has not materialized in Amherst.

Amherst-Pelham Superintendent Michael Morris said he developed a partnership with the University of Massachusetts to test unvaccinated staff members, but he had to scramble to get the program set up. And that testing program does not help students and vaccinated staff, who simply want the added layer of protection that weekly surveillance testing provides.

Although school started August 30, the pooled testing program promised by the state, which the Amherst district signed up for August 16, is still not up and running. “It’s a cause of a lot of stress and consternation for folks who want to participate in our community,” Morris said.

When Gov. Charlie Baker and state education officials announced that all schools had to return in person this year, one factor intended to make that easier and safer was the availability of pooled testing. The state-run program offers all school districts that request it access to weekly COVID-19 testing for students and staff.

In pooled testing, several samples are tested at one time, which makes the tests cheaper to administer. The goal is to detect cases quickly so infected people can be isolated before the virus spreads.

As Vaccination Deadlines Loom, Hospitals Brace to Lose Hundreds of Workers 

Boston Business Journal – Massachusetts hospitals are bracing to lose hundreds of employees as deadlines for employees to get a Covid vaccine mandates approach.

While vaccination rates at Massachusetts hospitals are high, thousands of workers have yet to meet the criteria ahead of deadlines, which range from Oct. 1 at some hospitals to Nov. 1 at others. Those who haven’t confirmed they are vaccinated could face termination.

Roughly 5,000 workers at Mass General Brigham have not submitted proof of vaccination ahead of what was set to be an Oct. 15 deadline, according to Rose Sheehan, chief human resources officer for Mass General Brigham. Those workers account for just 7% of the health system’s 80,000 workforce.

However, the organization on Wednesday gave workers an extra month, requiring only a first vaccine dose and proof of an appointment for a second by Oct. 15. The deadline for full vaccination is Nov. 12.

The non-vaccinated employees are sprinkled throughout the system and throughout departments, with the largest numbers located at the health system’s largest entity — Massachusetts General Hospital, Sheehan said.

Nurses Say Short Staffing, Pandemic Pressures Leading to Burnout 

Gazette Net  – When Cooley Dickinson Hospital nurse Monica Stillings first started as a floor nurse 16 years ago, staffing levels felt rational and appropriate.

But for more than a decade later, Stillings said she has seen Cooley Dickinson, which is part of the Mass General Brigham system, and other hospitals increasingly rely on a staffing model that leaves nurses overworked and unable to provide the kind of care patients deserve. And that was before the COVID-19 pandemic flooded health care facilities nationwide.

“We’ve been working on skeleton crews since the first economic crash back in 2008 and 2009,” Stillings said.

She said nurses have suffered mental trauma and physical injuries, including from an increase in violent patients. It has gotten so bad that Stillings said she’ll be leaving the nursing profession.

“I will never be a nurse ever again. Just emotionally, trauma-wise, I just can’t handle it,” she said.

Stillings was one of five Cooley Dickinson nurses who spoke to the Gazette about their frustrations with Cooley Dickinson and Massachusetts General Hospital amid the continued staffing crunch made worse by the pandemic. They said that amid the COVID crisis, the hospital hasn’t done enough to retain burned-out staff, such as offering pay retention bonuses or implementing staffing ratios, and that management is not supportive of nurses, who feel fearful of retaliation for speaking out.

Across the state and country, hospitals are straining under labor shortages and beds filled to capacity due to the coronavirus, medical care that patients deferred for all of last year and other causes.

The five Cooley Dickinson nurses who spoke to the Gazette stressed that staff-to-patient ratios have long been a concern for nurses, and that the further strain of the pandemic has caused patient care to suffer and burnout to sweep staff ranks.

RI Judge Strikes Down Challenge to State Vaccination Mandate on Religious Grounds 

Providence Journal – A federal judge on Thursday rejected health-care workers’ request for an order blocking the state COVID vaccination mandate from taking effect Friday because it doesn’t explicitly include an exemption for employees based on religious concerns.

“The Court finds that the plaintiffs have not demonstrated a likelihood of success on the merits of these claims,” U.S. District Court Judge Mary S. McElroy wrote Thursday in denying the health-care workers’ request for a temporary restraining order that would bar state health officials from enforcing the mandate, which could lead to the revocation or suspension of medical licenses for unvaccinated health-care professionals.

“As to the constitutional claims, courts have held for over a century that mandatory vaccination laws are a valid exercise of a state’s police powers, and such laws have withstood constitutional challenges,” McElroy continued, referring to a 1905 U.S. Supreme Court case that upheld states’ authority to enforce compulsory vaccines.

Report: Blacks, Latinos Hit Hard by Evictions 

Baystate Banner – A report released Tuesday by the housing activist group City Life/Vida Urbana (CLVU) found that evictions in Boston during the first year of the COVID-19 pandemic had an undue impact in communities of color.

Helen Matthews, communications director for CLVU, said at a virtual press conference Tuesday that evictions are a major challenge in Boston, especially considering the pandemic.

“Evictions are violent, devastating and dangerous in our communities, but nonetheless, well over 3,000 evictions have been filed in Boston during the pandemic and over 20,000 evictions have been filed in Massachusetts during the pandemic,” Matthews said.

The report, which was led by recent MIT graduate Ben Walker, found that about 70% of Boston evictions that occurred during the first year of the pandemic occurred in communities where Black and Brown residents constitute the majority of renters, despite those same communities containing 43% of the city’s rental housing.

The CLVU report also found that Black communities were hit especially hard compared to Boston’s white neighborhoods, with 51% of eviction filings in the city occurring in census tracts where the number of Black residents is in the top quarter of all tracts in Boston; these areas contain 27% of Boston’s rental housing.

Advocates for Entrepreneurs of Color Press Legislature for $1 billion in Stimulus Funds 

Boston Globe – A coalition representing entrepreneurs of color is pushing the Massachusetts Legislature for $1 billion in federal stimulus funds to help small business owners bounce back from the COVID-19 pandemic.

The Coalition for an Equitable Economy has sent a letter to the committees overseeing stimulus deliberations on Beacon Hill, asking for a $1.1 billion investment in small businesses across the state.

Nearly all of that money, $964 million, would come from the $5 billion pot of American Rescue Plan Act funds overseen by the Legislature. An additional $136 million would come from a separate small-business credit program, likely also funded by federal stimulus dollars.

“This is one of the only times in our lifetime that we will have this huge infusion of financial resources to create a new world,” said Segun Idowu, president of the Black Economic Council of Massachusetts and a member of the coalition.

“We’re telling everybody that if you want the business owners in your district to still be business owners next year, you have to put out money right now.”

The coalition’s proposal represents just the latest in a long line of requests for the $5 billion in federal money, a tally that far exceeds what’s available.

Vote Delayed, Democrats Struggle to Save Biden’s $3.5 Trillion Bill 

Boston Globe – Despite a long night of frantic negotiations, Democrats were unable to reach an immediate deal to salvage President Joe Biden’s $3.5 trillion government overhaul, forcing leaders to call off promised votes on a related public works bill.

Speaker Nancy Pelosi had pushed the House into an evening session and top White House advisers huddled for talks at the Capitol as the Democratic leaders worked late Thursday to negotiate a scaled-back plan that centrist holdouts would accept. Biden had cleared his schedule for calls with lawmakers but it appeared no deal was within reach, particularly with Democratic Sen. Joe Manchin.

Manchin refused to budge, the West Virginia centrist holding fast to his earlier declaration that he was willing to meet the president less than halfway — $1.5 trillion.

“I don’t see a deal tonight. I really don’t,” Manchin told reporters as he left the Capitol.

Massachusetts Schools Report 2,054 Students, 345 Staffers with COVID in Past Week

MassLive – The state for the first time on Thursday released data on the results of COVID testing in schools. Overall, there’s a positivity rate of 0.91% for pooled testing so far this school year.

“The pooled testing data in this report show low positivity rates, less than 1 percent, and instances of in-school transmission are rare,” DESE wrote in its report.

This week’s report shows similar case counts compared to last week’s report. From Sept. 16 to 22, there were 2,236 students and 318 staff members positive with COVID.

Of the cases detailed in Thursday’s report, public school districts reported the largest numbers, with 2,035 student infections and 324 infections reported among staff. Education collaboratives reported 9 student cases and 14 staff cases. Approved special education schools reported 10 student cases and 7 staff cases.

Springfield had the largest number of student cases with 74. From Sept. 20 to 26, the district administered 112 pooled tests, with one positive result in that time frame, according to DESE data.

Human Services Agencies Face Staffing Crisis, Delaying Services for Those in Need 

Boston Globe – Joanna Bunker has had an up-close view of the strain the pandemic is putting on people’s mental health. The clinical social worker saw clients over Zoom who were isolated and felt hopeless, many without support systems or the ability to get around on their own.

“It’s just a lot of suffering to witness and to have to hold together,” said Bunker, who specializes in eating disorders and trauma. “I felt like I was starting to drown.”

Bunker, 35, worked for a nonprofit in Marlborough serving mainly lower-income, high-risk people, as she’d done her entire career. But the difficulties of helping them through the pandemic, coupled with the growing pressure of living paycheck to paycheck, drove her to accept an offer in April to join a private practice, where she makes three times as much as she did before.

A steady stream of workers have left community-based human services jobs like Bunker’s during the pandemic, and many jobs are going unfilled, leading to a staffing shortage that has reached emergency levels, providers say. Some programs are facing vacancy rates as high as 60 percent.

At the same time, the need has increased, particularly in behavioral health, and the wait for services — ranging from addiction treatment to day programs for people with developmental disabilities, to youth and elderly support — is growing.

Nearly every sector in the state is experiencing labor shortages. But in these mainly nonprofit human services jobs, the effects are far-reaching. Workers dealing with COVID-induced stress are pulling double shifts to make up for staffing shortages. And with so many jobs oing unfilled, vulnerable populations aren’t always able to get the vital services they need.  

Diverse Public Boards are Better Public Boards 

Boston Globe – Women may “hold up half the sky,” as the old Chinese proverb goes, but here in Massachusetts, when it comes to sitting on the state’s most important public boards and commissions in numbers equal to men, they are conspicuously absent.

For politicians here who like to lecture corporate boards about their lack of diversity — and they wouldn’t be wrong about that — doing the right thing in the public sector can and should be much easier. And the government ought to set an example for the private sector, demonstrating that gender and racial equity makes for good governance.

Pending legislation is aimed at forcing Massachusetts public officials to do just that — to bring gender and racial equity to state boards and to at long last report publicly on the demographic makeup of those boards. It would be an essential first step in ensuring fairness in the hiring, policy, and decision-making of those boards.

“Massachusetts leads the nation in human talent, and our pipelines are replete with women and people of color ready to serve,” said a 2019 “Women’s Power Gap” study issued by the Eos Foundation.

“Yet this data shows we have a long way to go to reach gender parity and proportionate representation of people of color on our state boards and commissions, particularly among powerful leadership positions.”

Polito Pledges to Assist Smith & Wesson Workers 

WWLP – Top state leaders are reacting to Thursday’s announcement about Smith and Wesson’s headquarters moving out of state.

Lt. Governor Karyn Polito said the Baker administration never wants to see jobs lost in the state to other places. The focus will be on the people impacted by this decision.

“Making sure they have access to whatever training program is available and we have plenty of resources to help them to reskill, re-employ, get back on track to gain the income for themselves and their families,” said Lt. Gov. Karyn Polito.

Polito added that the commonwealth will continue its economic recovery in this pandemic.

As Massachusetts Envisions a Fossil Fuel-Free Future, Gas Companies Invest Billions in Pipelines 

Boston Globe – More than 21,000 miles of aging gas pipelines lie under the streets in Massachusetts, nearly enough to encircle the earth. When researchers began discovering about a decade ago that tens of thousands of leaks across that vast network discharged tons ofhazardous methane into the air, the Legislature went to work. A law was passed, and in short order, gas companies embarked on a massive, years-long upgrade.

Since then, the gas companies have slogged through a slow, expensive process of digging up pipes and replacing them with new ones meant to last more than half a century. Costs soared. And something else happened: The state passed a climate law that effectively called for the end of natural gas.

Now, a detailed analysis of the cost and effectiveness of the program, to be released Monday, is raising questions among some experts about whether the program should be modified or even scrapped, potentially allowing money to flow to other climate-related needs.

“The question people need to ask is: The world has changed; does this program really make sense any more given climate change, the fact that we’re moving toward a low-carbon economy, and that the Commonwealth has very aggressive climate mandates?” said Dorie Seavey, an economist who conducted the study on behalf of the advocacy group Gas Leaks Allies, a coalition of scientists, activists, and environmental organizations working to reduce methane emissions from natural gas.

Sun Life Signs $2.5 Billion Deal to Acquire DentaQuest

Boston Globe – Canadian insurance giant Sun Life Financial reached a deal on Sunday to buy Boston-based DentaQuest for $2.475 billion and fold the dental insurer into Sun Life’s US operations.

Dan Fishbein, president of Sun Life U.S., said DentaQuest’s owners, the nonprofit CareQuest Institute for Oral Health and private equity firm Centerbridge, decided to sell DentaQuest a few months ago. Sun Life made a play for DentaQuest to grow its dental insurance portfolio, particularly in government-funded programs, such as those subsidized through Medicaid and Medicare Advantage.

Sun Life offers dental insurance through employer-sponsored plans, but not publicly subsidized plans. DentaQuest has more than 33 million members across 36 states and projected 2021 revenue of $2.7 billion.

“We’re excited about becoming one of the top leaders nationally in dental,” Fishbein said. “DentaQuest has a real focus on underserved communities. That’s really what they’re all about. … We really like that they’ve been able to open up access to people who don’t normally have access. We’re excited to be a part of that.”

Tuesday September 28

• Joint Committee on Public Service-Civil Service, Pension Reform and Veterans Bills-10:00am-Virtual Hearing.
• Joint Committee on Labor and Workforce Development-10:30am-Workers’ Compensation-Virtual Hearing.
• Joint Committee on State Administration and Regulatory Oversight-Honorary Bills-10:30am-Virtual Hearing.
• Joint Committee on Health Care Financing-Mass Health, Eligibility, Rates-11:00am-Virtual Hearing.
• Joint Committee on Municipalities and Regional Government-Home Rules, Animals, Transportation, Personal Finance-12:00pm-Virtual Hearing.

Wednesday September 29

• Joint Committee on Children, Families and Persons with Disabilities-DTA/Food Insecurity-10:00am-Virtual Hearing.

Friday October 1 

• Joint Committee on Public Health-End of Life Options-9:00am-Virtual Hearing.
• Joint Committee on Ways and Means-APRA Funding-Education, Social Equity, Safety Net, and Famalies-11am-Virtual Hearing.

Monday October 4 

• Joint Committee on Mental Health, Substance Use and Recovery-Proposed Commissions, Funds, and Resolves to Address Parity & Equity for People Who Use Substances-1:00pm-Virtual Hearing.

Wednesday October 6 

• Joint Committee on Financial Services-App Based Drivers-11:00am-Virtual Hearing.
• Joint Committee on Ways and Means-ARPA Funding-11:00am-Virtual Hearing.

Legislature Passes Extension of COVID Emergency Sick Leave

The Massachusetts Legislature passed during informal session yesterday legislation that extends the Massachusetts COVID-19 Emergency Sick Leave Program.

Associated industries of Massachusetts has asked Governor Charlie Baker to veto the legislation.

The extension sent to the governor contains three new provisions:

• Extends the expiration date of the program until April 1, 2022, or until the $75 million allocated runs out. The expiration date was previously Oct 1, 2021. As of September 23, 2021, the fund had paid out $2.6 million – meaning there is $72.4 million remaining.
• Increases eligibility for family leave. An individual may now take leave to help a family member get vaccinated and recover from any illness or disability related to the immunization
• Allocates $500,000 from the sick leave fund to be spent on public awareness campaign behind the benefit – since no one is really using it.

The original leave program created 40 additional hours of paid leave in Massachusetts. The legislation includes an emergency preamble, which means it will go into effect immediately after the governor signs it, if he decides to do so.

AIM Signs Letter to Protect Tax Reform

AIM joined several manufacturing and business organizations on a letter urging Congress to vote against tax increases to the business community and proposed changes to the 2017 tax reform law. Here is the text of the letter:

Dear Speaker Pelosi, Majority Leader Schumer, Minority Leader McCarthy, and Minority Leader McConnell:

We are leaders in manufacturing, a sector critical to the U.S. economy and America’s ongoing recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic. The industry employs more than 12 million people, contributes more than $2.44 trillion to the U.S. economy annually, pays workers nearly 24% more than the average for all businesses, and has the largest economic impact of any major sector.

As part of the 98% of the industry comprised of small and medium-sized firms that form the backbone of communities around the country, we write to express our grave concerns with the significant and damaging tax increases currently being considered in Congress. Increasing taxes on manufacturers is a surefire way to harm the economy and hamper job creation.

The Tax Cuts and Jobs Act included a wide range of important reforms, including a lower corporate tax rate, a reduced tax burden on pass-through income, and a modern international tax system. Together, these changes helped drive historic growth in the manufacturing sector. Following tax reform’s passage in 2017, manufacturers kept their promises to create jobs, increase wages and benefits, and invest in their communities. Consider the following:

• In 2018, manufacturers added 263,000 new jobs—the best year for job creation in manufacturing in 21 years.
• Manufacturing wages increased by 3% in 2018, 2.8% in 2019, and 3% in 2020. These year-over-year increases were the fastest rates of annual growth since 2003.
• Manufacturing capital spending grew by 4.5% and 5.7% in 2018 and 2019, respectively.
• Overall, manufacturing production grew 2.7% in 2018, with December 2018 being the best month for manufacturing output since May 2008.

The tax increases under consideration would make it harder for manufacturers to continue this growth: higher individual and corporate tax rates would reduce capital that small manufacturers could reinvest in their firms; changes to the international tax system would negatively impact globally-engaged companies by undermining their ability to successfully compete in foreign markets and thus directly harming U.S. job creation and investment; limits on deductions (such as deductions for income earned by pass-through entities and interest on business loans) would make it more difficult to fund new equipment purchases; and proposals to tax the transfer of firms to the next generation of manufacturing leaders—such as repealing stepped-up basis, taxing unrealized capital gains at death, increasing capital gains taxes, and expanding the reach of the estate tax—would harm family-owned businesses.

These changes pose a significant threat to the U.S. economy and millions of manufacturing jobs. A recent study published by the National Association of Manufacturers found that increasing corporate and individual taxes, repealing the pass-through deduction, and making other tax changes would cost the U.S. 1 million jobs in just the first two years after enactment. A separate NAM analysis found that changes to the international tax system would result in 1 million jobs lost. Another study found that repealing stepped-up basis would cost America 80,000 jobs per year over the next decade.

Put simply, rolling back tax reform’s pro-growth provisions would undermine manufacturers and harm job creation. We respectfully encourage you to reverse course and refrain from increasing taxes on the creators and innovators who make things in America.

Kim Janey Endorses Michelle Wu for Boston Mayor

Boston Globe – In an unprecedented moment in Boston politics, Acting Mayor Kim Janey on Saturday endorsed City Councilor Michelle Wu for mayor during a jubilant gathering in Nubian Square, where the first woman and first Black person to lead the city shared the spotlight with a candidate who could become the first woman and first person of color to attain the top job through a win at the polls.

Janey’s support gives Wu, who is Asian American, the blessing of the candidate who had the best preliminary election showing in precincts with the highest concentration of Black voters, according to the MassINC Polling Group.

Wu was the top performer in the Sept. 14 preliminary election, collecting support through all of Boston’s neighborhoods, according to a Globe analysis of election data.

Her rival, City Councilor Annissa Essaibi George, finished second in the preliminary election, performing well in the whiter, more conservative neighborhoods that have long put candidates into office, but trailing in Black communities. While campaigning Saturday, Essaibi George put Janey’s endorsement aside. “I got work to do,” she said.

The general election is Nov. 2.

The announcement in front of the Faces of Dudley mural was festive even before proceedings got underway, as a supporter with a bullhorn urged the crowd to cheer for Janey as she pulled up in a city SUV, arriving at about the same time as Wu, who was on foot.

House Approves Vaccine Mandate for Members, Employees

Commonwealth Magazine – After an unusually testy and personal debate on the House floor, representatives on Thursday approved an order mandating vaccines for all House members, staff, and officers.

The vote was 131-28, almost entirely along party lines. It came over the vehement objection of House Republicans, some of whom opposed the vaccine mandate for reasons of personal responsibility, and others who said the order gave too much power to a House reopening working group. Speeches on the bill lasted nearly two hours.

No Democrats voted against the order, and only a single Republican, Rep. Sheila Harrington of Groton, voted for it.

Rep. William Galvin, a Canton Democrat who chairs the House Rules Committee, said vaccines are the most effective weapon against transmission of COVID-19 in a workplace that includes 160 elected members and 450 staff. “Vaccines are essential to fulfill our responsibility to care for our staff, each other and the public, and represent the quickest path to a full and safe reopening,” Galvin said.

Court Denies State Police Union’s Bid to Delay Vaccination Deadline

Boston Globe – A Suffolk Superior Court judge rejected the Massachusetts State Police union’s motion to delay Governor Charlie Baker’s COVID-19 vaccination requirement, which carries an Oct. 17 deadline, according to court documents.

The union had filed its lawsuit last week and sought to put a hold on the vaccination mandate to allow time for it to bargain and negotiate the terms of employment. The union claimed that troopers would undergo “irreparable harm” if the deadline were not pushed back.

Judge Jackie Cowin, however, ruled that the State Police Association of Massachusetts’ arguments “frame the public interest too narrowly, by focusing on its members to the exclusion of everyone else,” court records show.

“Specifically, the public interest is, unquestionably, best-served by stopping the spread of the virus, in order to protect people from becoming ill, ensure adequate supply of medical services, and curtail the emergence of new, deadlier variants of the virus,” the court’s order read, citing data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention that show the virus spreads more easily through unvaccinated individuals.

The order said that “while the Union has a significant interest in effecting its right to bargain the terms and conditions of its members’ employment … the Court concludes that this interest is outweighed by the Commonwealth’s more significant interest in protecting the health and safety of its workforces, those who come into contact with its workforce, and the public in general.”

Walensky Overrules Advisory Panel, Backs Boosters for At-Risk Workers 

Boston Globe – The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention on Thursday endorsed booster shots for millions of older or otherwise vulnerable Americans, opening a major new phase in the U.S vaccination drive against COVID-19.

CDC Director Dr. Rochelle Walensky signed off on a series of recommendations from a panel of advisers late Thursday.

The advisers said boosters should be offered to people 65 and older, nursing home residents and those ages 50 to 64 who have risky underlying health problems. The extra dose would be given once they are at least six months past their last Pfizer shot.

However, Walensky decided to make one recommendation that the panel had rejected.

The panel on Thursday voted against saying that people can get a booster if they are ages 18 to 64 years and are health-care workers or have another job that puts them at increased risk of being exposed to the virus.

But Walensky disagreed and put that recommendation back in, noting that such a move aligns with an FDA booster authorization decision earlier this week. The category she included covers people who live in institutional settings that increase their risk of exposure, such as prisons or homeless shelters, as well as health-care workers.

The panel had offered the option of a booster for those ages 18 to 49 who have chronic health problems and want one. But the advisers refused to go further and open boosters to otherwise healthy front-line health care workers who aren’t at risk of severe illness but want to avoid even a mild infection.

Riley Extends School Mask Mandate Through October

State House News – Masks will remain required in Massachusetts public schools until at least Nov. 1, the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education said in guidance issued to districts and published Monday.

The Board of Elementary and Secondary Education in August authorized Commissioner Jeff Riley to require masks for students age 5 and up and school staff through at least Oct. 1, and Riley on Monday extended the requirement through at least Nov. 1. The board in August also declared that “exigent circumstances” exist that hinder students’ ability to safely attend classes, a move that allows Riley to issue health and safety requirements for districts.

The mask plan Riley put forward in August allowed for middle and high schools where at least 80 percent of students and staff have been vaccinated against COVID-19 to be able to lift the mask requirement in October, for vaccinated individuals only.

Kids age 12 and under are still not eligible for the shots. Under the latest guidance, as of Oct. 15, in schools that submit to the state an attestation form demonstrating a vaccination rate of 80 percent or higher among students and staff, vaccinated individuals will no longer need to wear masks.

The department also posted additional details on calculating the 80 percent vaccination rate, which says, “Schools should determine a method to collect proof of COVID-19 vaccination for all eligible staff and students.” School districts last week reported 2,236 new COVID-19 cases among students and 318 in staff. The combined total of 2,554 during the week of Sept. 16-22 is up from the 1,420 logged over three days in the previous week’s report.

Report: SALT Change Compounds Surtax Impacts on High Earners

State House News – The House last week passed, despite the governor’s veto, a change in state tax law to allow the owners of partnerships and S corporations to avoid the federal limit on state and local tax deductions, but the Pioneer Institute said Monday the change will not be enough to avoid compounding effects if voters next year approve a surtax on household income above $1 million.

The 2017 federal tax law capped state and local tax (SALT) deductions at $10,000, increasing the liability on higher earners and property owners in Massachusetts and other states with relatively high taxes and property values. In a whitepaper published Monday, Pioneer said the cap “will greatly exacerbate the adverse effects” of a proposed 4 percent state surtax on household income greater than $1 million, a proposal the organization has long opposed.

“After the authors of the proposed graduated tax in Massachusetts submitted their proposal for legislative approval in 2017, the federal government placed a $10,000 limitation of deductibility of state and local taxes on federal tax returns. This unforeseen change in the federal tax code had the effect of turning what would have been a 58 percent increase in average state income tax payments among Massachusetts millionaires, from $160,786 to $254,355, into what is essentially a 147 percent increase when the federal SALT limitation is included in the calculation,” the Pioneer report concluded. “This substantial change should be taken into consideration by voters when they contemplate approving the surtax proposal.”

The state budget approved this summer included a provision to allow the Department of Revenue to implement an optional pass-through entity excise in the amount of personal income tax owed on a member’s flow-through income and a corresponding tax credit equal to 90 percent of the member’s portion of the excise. Gov. Charlie Baker vetoed the provision in favor of his own proposal to return 100 percent of the excise to the taxpayer, but the House last week overrode his veto (H 4009) and the Senate could follow suit.

But Pioneer said Monday that a workaround, with a credit at either 90 percent or 100 percent, would “not diminish the amount of surtax payments Massachusetts taxpayers will owe DOR if state voters approve the graduated income tax.”

“It appears that neither the [workaround] tax credit nor the taxpayer’s state tax liability are relevant to the proposed constitutional amendment because the additional 4 percent surtax is charged by calculating the total amount of annual taxable income, not the amount of taxes due on that income,” Pioneer said.

Roughly 55,500 Massachusetts personal income tax filers would benefit from a pass-through entity (PTE) tax workaround and could save up to an average of $20,158 in federal taxes annually, DOR estimated in a March report.

State Gives Update On COVID Booster Availability

Cape Cod.com – Governor Charlie Baker recently announced the process by which eligible Massachusetts residents may access Pfizer COVID-19 booster shots.

Pfizer COVID-19 booster shots are now available to individuals 65 years of age and older, individuals 18-64 years of age at risk for severe COVID-19 due to certain underlying medical conditions as defined by the CDC, and individuals 18-64 years of age who are at increased risk of COVID-19 due to occupational or institutional settings.

Eligible residents may receive their Pfizer booster shot six months after their second dose of the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine.

“The COVID-19 vaccines are safe and effective and getting vaccinated remains the best way to protect yourself and your loved ones,” said Health and Human Services Secretary Marylou Sudders.

“The Baker-Polito Administration has been working with pharmacies, local boards of health and other health care providers to ensure eligible residents will be able to access the Pfizer booster vaccines at hundreds of locations across the commonwealth. If you have questions about whether getting the booster is right for you, we encourage you to contact your healthcare provider,” she said.

Pfizer COVID-19 booster doses are being made available at over 460 locations, with some appointments already available for booking.

About 600,000 residents are eligible for the Pfizer COVID-19 booster shots under the current federal eligibility criteria.

 Mothers are Postponing the Return to Work. Amazon and Other Companies are Trying to Bring Them Back

Wall Street Journal – Working hasn’t worked well lately for many U.S. mothers.

About 3.5 million mothers living with school-age youngsters lost their jobs, took leave or left the labor market when COVID-19 hit last year, Census Bureau data shows. Now, increased COVID -19 cases are causing some schools in hundreds of districts to bring back virtual learning—and burden mothers again.

“Many women will delay their plans to re-enter the workforce even further,’’ says Amanda Augustine, a career coach and spokeswoman for TopResume, a resume-writing service. In a spring 2021 survey, TopResume found that 69% of 362 women employed pre-pandemic but currently caring full time for children under 18 plan to stay home for now.

Facing a brain drain and labor shortages, some companies are responding not just by hiring more women with children. They’re going to unusual lengths to assist mothers’ re-entry into the workforce, addressing their desire for flexibility and offering them more child-care support.

If employers change work cultures and practices to attract mothers and other people forced to give up work and assume caregiver roles during the pandemic, that “could be a real game-changer,’’ says Brigid Schulte, director of Better Life Lab, a work/family research group at the New America think tank. These potential future workers, she says, represent talent and experience “that companies can’t afford to toss aside.”

About 40% of employers beefed up child-care assistance during the pandemic—mostly through remote work and flexible schedules, U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation researchers found.

AI Use in Hiring Means Women with Employment Gaps Get Overlooked 

Boston Business Journal – AI was intended to make the recruiting process more efficient. Instead, it’s keeping millions of job seekers from being considered

At a time when many companies are in desperate need of workers, millions of applicants aren’t even being considered for jobs.

Why? The automated hiring programs that filter applications, rejecting those applicants early in the process based on employment gaps on resumes, or a missing experience. That’s a big problem for employers when there are more than 10 million jobs open in the U.S.

As AI has been introduced into the recruiting process in recent decades, software has taken over tasks like tracking applicants, scheduling interviews with candidates and handling background checks. Three-quarters of U.S. employers and 99% of Fortune 500 companies use automated hiring software, a recent report from Harvard Business School and Accenture noted.

Although these programs were designed to help, they might be doing more harm than good, especially

when workers are in high demand and overlooked job seekers are becoming discouraged.

Survey: Government Action Needed to Ease Health-Cost Hardships

State House News – More than half of Massachusetts adults who participated in a May survey said they’d experienced some sort of health-care cost hardship in the past year and almost three-quarters said they’re worried about their ability to afford care in the future.

The advocacy organization Health Care for All presented findings from the survey of about 1,150 Bay Staters aged 18 and older, which was conducted by Altarum Healthcare Value Hub, on Monday, using the figures to call for lawmakers to pass bills addressing health care and prescription drug costs.

Dr. Ronald Dunlap, past president of the Massachusetts Medical Society, and Juan Cofield, each voiced support for legislation (H 729, S 771) focusing on drug costs and price transparency.

“For the physician community, the high and continually rising cost of prescription drugs undermines our ability to provide the best clinical care possible and directly impacts the health of our patients,” Dunlap said.

“The disproportionate impact drug affordability has on communities of color and the related exacerbation of disparate health outcomes is unconscionable.”

Sen. John Keenan and Rep. Christine Barber also touted their bill (H 1247, S 782), dubbed the More Affordable Care Act, which proposes reforms to the state’s health insurance rate review process. The bill would eliminate co-pays for certain treatments for chronic conditions.

Altarum’s Amanda Hunt said the survey results show Massachusetts residents “are generally dissatisfied” with the health system, and that they “view government as the key stakeholder that needs to act to address health system problems.”

Blue Cross Will Reward Doctors who Close Gaps in Care for People of Color

Boston Globe – In a new initiative to tackle health inequities, Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts will begin paying doctors more money if they close longstanding and pernicious gaps in care for people of color.

The state’s largest private health insurer plans to reward physicians who improve medical care for patients who are Asian, Black, or Hispanic. The company’s approach is novel and employs the most powerful tool health insurers can wield — their dollars.

For years, Blue Cross and other insurers have tied doctors’ compensation to the quality of care they provide. But racial equity — the differences in how white patients and people of color are treated — was not a focus until now.

“Like many others, we had an awakening after the George Floyd murder and the COVID pandemic, and the way that that more deeply exposed racism and disparities in health care,” said Andrew Dreyfus, chief executive of Blue Cross. “We had to start by looking at the health of our own members, which is not something we had done in a systematic way before.”

COVID has disproportionately affected people of color, but disparities existed long before the pandemic. Blue Cross on Thursday released data about its members from 2019 that show Asian, Black, and Hispanic people received lower-quality care, according to several measures.

The data reveal that Asian, Black, and Hispanic patients with Blue Cross insurance were less likely than white patients to receive screenings for colorectal cancer, which was the second-leading cause of cancer deaths in the United States in 2019, according to the Centers for Disease Control. About 64 percent of Black patients had colonoscopies, for example, compared with 71 percent of white patients.

Among adolescents, 69 percent of Black and 70 percent of Hispanic patients went to their doctors for checkups, compared with 80 percent of white patients.

Vaccination Status Is the New Must-Have on Your Resume 

Wall Street Journal – Job seekers are considering a new addition to their résumés: COVID-19 vaccination status. 

As employers make vaccine rules for workers and some limit hiring to the vaccinated, people are starting to volunteer their vaccination status on job applications, in résumés and on their LinkedIn profiles. 

David Morgan, chief executive of Snorkel-Mart, an online snorkeling gear wholesaler and retailer, started requiring full vaccination for the company’s 20-plus employees in the spring. He says he favors candidates who are candid about their vaccine status on their résumés because it prevents surprises late in the hiring process.

“It saves us a lot of time and hassle to just clear it out in the résumé phase,” he said. “Candidates must be aware of the fact that the vaccination status holds the same importance as your personal profile nowadays, if not more.” 

In an August survey of 1,250 hiring managers, nearly 70% said they were more likely to hire somebody who indicates on their résumé that they have had the shot, according to ResumeBuilder.com, which commissioned the poll. A third of hiring managers surveyed said they were automatically eliminating résumés that don’t spell out vaccine status.

Employees and bosses across the country have been adapting to a patchwork of laws and guidelines around vaccination, testing and masking as workplaces reopen more widely. Earlier in September, the Biden administration said all employers with 100 or more workers will have to start requiring that employees be vaccinated or undergo at least weekly COVID -19 testing, creating new pressures for managers and questions for workers.

Harvard Business School Goes Back to Remote Classes for First-Year MBA Students after Eruption of COVID-19 ‘Cluster’

Universal Hub – It’s like March, 2020 again at the Harvard Business School, which has ordered a week-long return to remote-only education for first-year MBA students, because it seems too many future masters of the universe have been ignoring basic COVID-19 precautions – to the point where the business school made up two-thirds of new COVID-19 cases among Harvard students this month despite comprising only 9% of the total school population.

In one of a series of messages to students, the school says it hopes a week of remote teaching will let the business school put a damper on what is now an “active cluster” and keep it from getting worse:

Harvard University leaders, advised by city and state public health officials, now tell us that we must consider the MBA Program an active cluster and escalate our approach – hit a “circuit breaker” and get in front of the virus rather than react to it. … Feedback from the contact tracers who have worked with positive cases among our student population highlights that transmission is not occurring in our classroom or other academic settings on our campus. Nor is it occurring among individuals who are masked. Rather, it is occurring as a result of numerous unmasked, indoor activities – everything from sharing an Airbnb for the weekend, to dinner gatherings in an apartment, to larger parties. 

Harvard’s Covid-19 dashboard shows most of the 70 positive tests among Harvard students and staff between Sept. 19 and Sept. 24 were among graduate students. The site does not break out the numbers by school, however.

The dashboard says 95% of all students, and 96% of professors and staff, are fully vaccinated. Public-health officials have continued to urge people to socially distance and to wear masks indoors at parties and in such places as restaurants, because of the dramatically increased virulence of the delta variant.

DCU Center Not Requiring Proof of Vaccination for Most Events

Telegram – The DCU Center is not requiring proof of vaccination or a negative COVID-19 test for most of its events. But that policy could change.

Earlier this week, the TD Garden in Boston announced that it would require ticket-holders over age 12 to be vaccinated or tested with a negative result, while nearby concert venue the Palladium announced the same protocol last week.

The DCU Center is leaving it up to the promoters of acts and shows renting the premises to decide on the requirements, according to DCU Center General Manager Sandy Dunn.

For now, all DCU Center guests have to remain masked at all times unless actively eating or drinking. This rule is in line with the mandate recently imposed by the city.

Baker Addresses COVID-19 Concerns at Stops in Western Massachusetts

Western Mass News – Governor Charlie Baker made multiple stops in western Mass. Thursday.

After visiting the Big E, he went to a tree planting in Westfield.

While many people consider the pandemic to be mostly in the rearview mirror, Massachusetts has had more than 18,000 COVID-19 deaths since March of 2020.

We asked the governor about the new challenges ahead and some of the ongoing problems left in the virus’s wake.

A lot of discussions are taking place on the national stage over who gets a COVID booster shot and when.

The CDC decided Thursday to authorize Pfizer booster shots for adults 65 and older, as well as people in long-term care facilities. They voted separately in favor of boosters for those with underlying medical conditions that put them at severe risk for serious illness.

We asked the governor how this factors into the October 17 vaccine mandate for state employees.

“It’s probably going to be mostly for health-care workers, folks in long-term care and assisted living and congregate care, people who are immunocompromised and there will be some folks in public sector when we think of the traditional the public sector, first responders, those kind of folks, but I don’t anticipate that we’ll have any trouble meeting the need,” Baker said.

This comes as his secretary of health and human services, MaryLou Sudders, has been added to a lawsuit in federal court over the deadly COVID-19 outbreak at the Holyoke Soldiers’ Home.

The lawsuit filed on behalf of veterans who died in the 2020 outbreak accuses Sudders of turning a blind eye to the spreading virus that would kill more than 75 residents.

Sudders is the only defendant in that lawsuit who hasn’t resigned or been let go from their role.

Baker Thursday said he would not comment on pending litigation so, we asked Senator John Velis, who has been a big supporter of reforming the home, about holding officials accountable.

“There is that process going forward right now. We’ll wait and see what happens with the lawsuit, but my concern, my exclusive concern right now, is ensuring something like this never happens again,” Velis said.

Workers are Going Back to the Office, Just Not in the Manner They Expected

Boston Globe – The health-care industry has long struggled with burnout and workforce shortages — but the pandemic has both shone a light on the problem and worsened it, hospital leaders say.

And as exhausted employees leave the profession, the burdens on those left behind only increase, creating a downward cycle that hospitals are struggling to break, the presidents of three Boston hospital systems said in a session that aired Thursday during Day 2 of the inaugural Globe Summit, a virtual symposium focused on the region’s future.

“It is not new that there is burnout in health care,” said Dr. Kevin Tabb, president and CEO of Beth Israel Lahey Health. “But it has just really exploded and is now causing a crisis on top of the crisis.”

Even as their institutions fill up with patients, the hospital leaders are looking for ways to revive the joy in care-giving that sustained people in the early days of the pandemic and that have always been central to health care professions.

A recent national survey found disturbing news from the nursing workforce, Tabb said: Almost 90 percent of nurses said they were experiencing increased stress, anxiety, and depression, 20 percent plan to transfer to jobs that don’t involve patient care, and 10 percent plan to leave the profession altogether.

“That is really a crisis,” Tabb said.

Nursing Homes Ramp up Vaccinations Ahead of Mandates

Newburyport News – Nursing homes across Massachusetts are ramping up efforts to get their staff vaccinated for COVID-19 ahead of federal and state mandates.

Gov. Charlie Baker announced in August that the state will require staff at nursing homes, assisted living facilities and hospice programs to be fully vaccinated by Oct. 10 or face disciplinary action, including termination, unless they’ve been granted a medical or religious exemption.

Baker’s mandate covers at least 62 state-licensed rest homes, 85 hospice care programs and 268 assisted-living facilities, according to the administration.

Meanwhile, President Joe Biden has ordered sweeping new federal vaccine requirements for as many as 100 million Americans — private-sector employees as well as health care workers and federal contractors — in a major push to curb spread of the highly contagious delta variant.

His plan will also require vaccinations for about 17 million health care workers at hospitals and nursing homes that receive Medicare or Medicaid funding.

The latest data shows overall Massachusetts inching closer to meeting the mandates, with some of the highest nursing home staff vaccination rates in the country.

As of Sept. 20, an average of 89% of staff in skilled nursing facilities are fully vaccinated, according to the Executive Office of Health and Human Services. That’s a 3% increase from the previous week and 7% increase since last month, the agency said.

When Baker rolled out his mandate in August, nearly half of the state’s skilled nursing facilities had less than 75% of their staff fully vaccinated.

Massachusetts Locked Up People With Mental Illness For Decades. Now Advocates Want Their Stories Told

WBUR – For many years, people with disabilities and mental illness in Massachusetts were locked away in state institutions to be kept separate from the rest of society.

Now some advocates and families are pushing to create a commission to reckon with the way patients were treated and the abuses they endured.

“There is no formal statement of what the state schools and what the state hospitals were or why they came to be, what they were, how they closed,” said Alex Green, a Waltham resident and Harvard public policy lecturer who is spearheading efforts to establish the commission.

Green said he wants the unvarnished history to be told, as he walked the grounds of the long shuttered Metropolitan State Hospital where Belmont, Waltham and Lexington come together.

Closed in 1992, many of the buildings have either been torn down, or converted to housing or businesses. But the brick administration building, covered in graffiti and invasive vegetation, stands abandoned, a stark reminder of a system that at one time was made up of 27 state hospitals and state schools, where thousands were sent away, including many who complained about mistreatment over the years.

For Green, his quest is personal. He lives with mental illness. And had he been born a few decades earlier, Green believes he might have been sent to an institution himself.

Green says the surviving written records are likely scattered all over the state.

Baker Administration Announces $15 Million in Support for the Food Security Infrastructure Grant Program

Lynn Journal – Building on investments to address food insecurity among Massachusetts residents, the Baker-Polito Administration last week announced it has made available $15 million in funding through a second round of its Food Security Infrastructure Grant Program. The funding will enable the Administration to continue to implement the recommendations of the Food Security Task Force, which was convened last year by the Massachusetts COVID-19 Command Center in response to increased demands for food assistance.

“Addressing food security issues remains a high priority of our Administration to help ensure all residents have fresh, healthy produce readily available to them,” said Governor Charlie Baker. “By working with dedicated partners, we will continue to strengthen the food distribution supply chain and address more needs throughout the Commonwealth.”

“This round of grants from the Food Security Grant program will further expand on our efforts to provide greater access to locally harvested and produced food products,” said Lieutenant Governor Karyn Polito. “With higher numbers of people experiencing food insecurity, we continue to take significant strides in ensuring fresh, locally sourced food remains widely available to the residents of Massachusetts.”

Baker Clean Heat Commission Faces Time Squeeze

Commonwealth Magazine – A little more than a month ago, the Boston Globe reported that the Baker administration was woefully behind in one phase of its overall plan for addressing climate change. The plan called for converting 100,000 homes a year to heating and cooling with electricity instead of fossil fuels. In fact, the Globe reported, just 461 homes made the switch last year.

The story was a direct hit to the administration’s climate credibility, and raised questions about whether it was up to the challenge of reorienting the energy underpinnings of the state’s economy. Equally concerning, there was no one from the administration quoted in the story explaining why the program was lagging and what’s being done about it.

Then earlier this week, the administration leaked to the Globe information on an executive order the governor was signing creating a first-in-the-nation Commission on Clean Heat, whose job it will be to ramp up home conversions using emission caps and financial incentives – tools already deployed in the electricity sector and possibly soon in transportation.

“Recognizing the urgent challenge presented by climate change and the need to reduce emissions, our administration is convening this first-of-its-kind commission to help the Commonwealth meet our emissions reduction goals,” said Gov. Charlie Baker in the press release announcing the commission. “By soliciting the expertise of leaders with a variety of perspectives, including the affordable housing community, we can ensure that the strategies and policies we pursue to reduce emissions from heating fuels will be innovative, affordable, and equitable.”

Biden Administration Makes First Move to Regulate Greenhouse Gases

Boston Globe – The Biden administration on Thursday finalized its first major regulation to directly limit greenhouse gases, part of an effort to show American progress on global warming before a crucial climate summit in Glasgow, Scotland, in November.

The measure would curb the production and use of potent planet-warming chemicals called hydrofluorocarbons, or HFCs, which are used in air conditioners and refrigerators. Without the new regulation, President Biden would be in danger of arriving at the United Nations summit with few concrete emissions-reduction measures to back up his calls for global action against climate change.

Biden has vowed to cut United States emissions 50 to 52 percent below 2005 levels in the next decade. But legislation that includes policies to cut carbon dioxide emissions from fossil fuels, the most prevalent greenhouse gas and the most politically difficult to address, faces uncertain prospects in a sharply divided Congress.

“The outlook for meaningful broad-based climate legislation is not very good,” said Robert N. Stavins, an environmental economist at Harvard University. He said that makes regulatory actions to curb HFCs and methane, another potent greenhouse gas, “vastly more important.”

The new Environmental Protection Agency rule, which goes into effect next month, implements legislation that Congress approved under former president Donald Trump. Unlike efforts to curb fossil fuels, plans to reduce HFCs have won broad support from both Democrats and Republicans, as well as industry groups and environmental organizations.

Kerry Says Other Nations Must Do More to Address Climate Change

Boston Globe – With carbon emissions rising at a rate the United Nations secretary general recently called “catastrophic,” Special Presidential Envoy for Climate John Kerry said Thursday that he worries other countries won’t commit to sufficient steps to reduce their greenhouse gases at the upcoming international climate negotiations in Scotland.

“Most countries will raise ambition; regrettably, a good number probably won’t raise it enough,” he said in an interview at the inaugural Boston Globe Summit, a free virtual conference open to all through Friday. “So we’re going to have to keep pushing. That’s just part of the course of things, but we will have the highest level of ambition ever set forth, even though it is clearly not enough.”

At the UN General Assembly on Tuesday in New York, Secretary General António Guterres noted that existing emissions reduction commitments have the world on a “catastrophic pathway” to a hike of 2.7 degrees Celsius above preindustrial levels later this century. He urged countries to increase their commitments to reduce emissions so that they live up to their Paris Climate Accords goals to keep the planet from warming more than 1.5 degrees.

“We need decisive action by all countries, especially the G20, to go the extra mile and effectively contribute to emission reductions,” Guterres said.

New York Prepares for Health-Care Disruptions as Vaccine Mandate Takes Effect

Wall Street Journal – New York state’s health-care system is bracing for staff shortages this week as a vaccine mandate takes effect at midnight on Monday, presenting the largest test case so far of how similar requirements will play out across the country.

Government officials said they spent the last several days working to vaccinate workers while planning for potential disruptions. A hospital in Rochester postponed elective surgeries, while some nursing homes have paused new admissions.

“We’re anticipating a problem,” said Michael Balboni, executive director of the Greater New York Health Care Facilities Association, which represents nursing homes in and around New York City. “There are already many nursing homes that have not been taking new admissions over the last weeks, and looking at their staffing routines so they basically stretch.”

The state mandate requires that more than 665,000 workers in public and private hospitals and nursing homes receive their first vaccine dose by midnight Monday to continue working on Tuesday.

September 21

Vaccine Mandate for 18,000 Boston Workers Rolls Out Monday

Boston Herald – Roughly 18,000 city workers will have to submit proof of full vaccination against coronavirus or start weekly testing beginning Monday, according to a new city policy.

“Our purpose is to protect our employees and the public, and our work is rooted in public health guidance and based on data and science,” Acting Boston Mayor Kim Janey said in a statement.

The vaccine mandate will be rolled out in three phases. Employees who serve “high priority residents” including public school students, and work in city services like day care, the library and the Council on Aging must comply starting Monday.

Public-facing on-site city contractors and volunteers – including public safety, parks and parking – must comply by Oct. 4.

All other city employees, onsite contractors and volunteers must be in compliance by Oct. 18.

Any employee who cannot verify that she or he is fully vaccinated will be required to submit proof of a negative COVID-19 test result every seven days.

The city has been ramping up coronavirus measures since last month after spread of the more infectious and more deadly delta variant became evident in Boston.

Workers are Going Back to the Office, Just Not the Way They Expected

Boston Globe – Back-to-office plans are playing out much differently than anyone expected

Anticipation for a momentous post-Labor Day return has come and gone, but now a growing number of employers are repopulating their offices gradually and on a voluntary basis, rather than pinning all their hopes — and anxieties — onto one date.

That model is unfolding in business districts from downtown Boston to Kendall Square, where some employers are starting to see more workers return, even as the Delta variant has delayed formal office reopenings. Companies have a wide range of masking, testing, and vaccine requirements, and even for the employees choosing to work in-person, concerns about public transportation and unvaccinated children at home persist.

At the Broad Institute of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and Harvard, which had about 1,000 scientists working in-person over the last year, any employee can come back to the Cambridge office starting Oct. 12 on a schedule worked out with their manager.

“We finally said, there’s not going to be a magic day when the virus goes away,” said Frances Brooks Taplett, the institution’s chief people officer, who added that several previous return dates have been delayed.

“There’s something about getting over the hump, getting used to coming back, that we wanted to give people, before the time period stretched out so long that it became insurmountable.”

Pfizer Says its COVID-19 Vaccine is Effective in Children Ages 5 to 11

Boston Globe – The Pfizer-BioNTech coronavirus vaccine has been shown to be safe and highly effective in young children ages 5 to 11 years, the companies announced early Monday morning. The news should help ease months of anxiety among parents and teachers about when children, and their close contacts, might be shielded from the coronavirus.

The need is urgent: Children now account for more than 1 in 5 new cases, and the highly contagious delta variant has sent more children into hospitals and intensive care units in the past few weeks than at any other time in the pandemic. Massachusetts officials say there are 884,000 children under the age of 12 in the state, including 515,000 who are 5 to 11.

Pfizer and BioNTech plan to apply to the Food and Drug Administration by the end of the month for authorization to use the vaccine in these children. If the regulatory review goes as smoothly as it did for older children and adults, millions of elementary school students could be inoculated before Halloween.

Trial results for children younger than 5 are not expected till the fourth quarter of this year at the earliest, according to Dr. Bill Gruber, a senior vice president at Pfizer and a pediatrician.

For Young Adults, COVID-19 Has Been Disruptive — Yet Also a Chance to Reset

Boston Globe – Late one night in March 2020, Sanpha Samura lay in bed at his parents’ house in Mattapan, thinking. Colleges were scrambling to shift classes online in those early, frantic weeks of the pandemic. He had just transferred from Bunker Hill Community College to Northeastern University, where he was studying biology. His education had been a winding journey, and this was the last leg.

Yet his thoughts were not about pressing on but pausing. He felt isolated and out of place at his new school. Blocked from the computer lab for being late on fees, he’d been taking the bus to a friend’s in Hyde Park to print out homework.

Now, with the rise of COVID-19, classes were going virtual. Without a laptop or printer of his own, he wasn’t sure who he could turn to, or how he’d manage. He also thought about the student loans he owed, almost $20,000 already.

The debt, the stress ― it wasn’t worth it. The thought had nagged at him for a while, but in this moment, it crystallized: He didn’t have to stay. He could ditch all the anxiety. Opening his smartphone, he navigated to his NU student profile and withdrew from his classes.

‘Nobody Knows Where It Came From’: Former FDA Head Says ‘Arbitrary’ Six-Foot Social Distancing Highlights CDC’s ‘Lack Of Rigor’

Boston Globe – Dr. Scott Gottlieb, the former commissioner of the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), called the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s six-foot distancing recommendation during the pandemic “arbitrary” on Sunday.

“The six feet is a perfect example of sort of the lack of rigor around how CDC made recommendations.”

“Nobody knows where it came from. Most people assume that the six feet of distance — the recommendation for keeping six feet apart — comes out of some old studies related to flu where droplets don’t travel more than six feet,” the former commissioner explained.

“The initial recommendation that the CDC brought to the White House … was 10 feet. A political appointee in the White House said we can’t recommend 10 feet. Nobody can measure 10 feet. It’s inoperable. Society will shut down. So, the compromise was around six feet,” Gottlieb said.

How Should Schools Keep Students Safe this Year? Here’s What the Experts Recommend

Boston Globe – As millions of students returned this fall to classrooms nationwide — many vaccinated and many more not — public health and education leaders are using layered mitigation strategies in an effort to keep coronavirus cases low and in-person learning safe.

Nationwide, both health and school experts have emphasized that in-person learning should be a priority this year. And many agree that with little documented evidence of in-school transmission, families and district leaders should not be concerned about the safety of students in classrooms.

“We will never prevent COVID from coming into the school doors when COVID is present in the community. That is not the goal. The goal is not to prevent COVID from coming in. The goal is to prevent COVID from transmitting,” said Daniele Lantagne, a Tufts University professor who helped craft the child mask-wearing guidance for the World Health Organization.

“If you can do targeted interventions in specific areas to stop transmission, there’s no need to take a whole district to remote [learning].”

Massachusetts Might Create A Statewide ‘Vax ID’ System, Gov. Baker Says

WGBH – Massachusetts could implement a system to verify a person’s COVID-19 vaccination status, according to Gov. Charlie Baker. He said Thursday on GBH News’ Boston Public Radio that his administration is in touch with jurisdictions that have put their own “vax ID” in place.

“We’ve been talking to those folks and working through how that would work here in the Commonwealth,” Baker said.

“I certainly think it’s going to be an important thing for people to have,” Baker said in response to host Jim Braude’s question of whether it’s likely Massachusetts will have such a vaccination ID program at some point.

“Getting to the point where there’s a relatively simple process for people to credential the fact that they’ve been vaccinated will be important for a whole bunch of reasons,” Baker said.

While explaining that most Massachusetts vaccination status is technically, if not easily, accessible through a person’s vaccine provider, the governor mentioned “states and municipalities that have done something more universal than that.”

New York state has operated the “Excelsior Pass” since earlier this year to provide a digital proof of vaccination, or for recent test results.

Baker’s thinking has evolved since April, when he said it was too early to consider vaccine passports.

The governor was also asked about the possibility of Afghan refugees coming to live in Massachusetts after fleeing the Taliban. Baker said his administration will cooperate with federal resettlement programs to help out any refugees.

“There will be people who resettle in Massachusetts, and that’s something that, as I said before, we support and want to participate in.

Schools Report 1,420 Cases of COVID in Students, Staff as School Year Begins

MassLive – At the start of the new school year, districts across the state have reported 1,420 cases of COVID-19 among students and staff, according to state education officials.

On Thursday evening, the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education released its first COVID case report for the 2021-2022 school year, which represents cases reported to DESE from Sept. 13 to 15. Going forward, the report will cover a time frame of Thursday to Wednesday.

Initially, DESE did not plan to release such reports this school year. Earlier this month, DESE reversed that decision and districts were required to start reporting cases as of Sept. 13. Such reports were released through the 2020-2021 school year.

Of the 1,420 total cases reported so far, 1,230 were students and 190 were staff members, according to Thursday’s report. Districts have the majority of those cases, with 1,226 student infections and 181 infections reported among staff. Education collaboratives reported two student cases and three staff cases, and approved special education schools reported two student cases and six staff cases.

Still, the percentage of positive students and staffers is low.

With roughly 920,000 students and 140,000 staff members currently in public school buildings, the rate of coronavirus cases in schools stands at 0.13% among students and 0.14% among staffers, according to the report.

Evictions Happening Less Today than Pre-COVID

Commonwealth Magazine – When state and federal COVID-related moratoriums on evictions ended, advocates worried that there would be a tsunami of people losing their homes.

But state officials said Friday, an increase in rental assistance combined with programs geared at mediation have actually resulted in far fewer evictions than pre-pandemic.

“Filings are substantially down over what historic numbers would be,” said Housing Court Chief Justice Timothy Sullivan.

Trial Court Chief Justice Paula Carey called the collaboration between the Legislature, judicial branch, and executive branch “a true example of good government.”

During the COVID pandemic, as people throughout the state lost jobs and incomes, the state and federal governments imposed eviction moratoriums. The state moratorium expired in October 2020 and the federal mortorium was lifted in August due to a US Supreme Court decision.

In their place, state officials crafted their own eviction diversion initiative – a $171 million Baker administration initiative, which was boosted by $768 million in federal money for emergency rental assistance. The Legislature also passed a law requiring a judge to delay any eviction case where the tenant has a pending application for rental assistance.

Small Agency, Big Job: Biden Tasks OSHA with Vaccine Mandate

Boston Globe – The Occupational Safety and Health Administration doesn’t make many headlines. Charged with keeping America’s workplaces safe, it usually busies itself with tasks such as setting and enforcing standards for goggles, hardhats and ladders.

But President Joe Biden this month threw the tiny Labor Department agency into the raging national debate over federal COVID-19 vaccine mandates. The president directed OSHA to write a rule requiring employers with at least 100 workers to force employees to get vaccinated or produce weekly test results showing they are virus free.

The assignment is sure to test an understaffed agency that has struggled to defend its authority in court. And the legal challenges to Biden’s vaccine mandate will be unrelenting: Republican governors and others call it an egregious example of government overreach. South Carolina Gov. Henry McMaster vowed to fight the mandate “to the gates of hell.’’

David Brown takes over at MGH

Boston Globe – One Sunday during the first surge of COVID-19 in Boston, Dr. David F.M. Brown, exhausted, scared, and lonely, sat down at his computer and started typing.

Brown was chair of the emergency department at Massachusetts General Hospital, where doctors and nurses were scrambling to care for 200 COVID patients. He knew it would get worse.

“The days and weeks ahead will be difficult,” he wrote to his staff on April 5, 2020. “We will be severely tested in many ways.”

In another message several weeks later, he tried to rally his weary workers. “We can take heart in the firm assurance that collectively we are meeting the greatest challenge of our time,” he wrote.

Those e-mails to the 650 people who work in MGH’s emergency department became a weekly ritual, designed to inform and sustain front-line workers through their fear and grief. And they offer a window into how Brown may tackle his latest professional challenge: leading the world-renowned medical center into a new era of collaboration with its sister hospital, Brigham and Women’s, and the system that they anchor, Mass General Brigham.

Brown became president of MGH last week, taking the helm with recent and vivid memories of treating suffering patients and toiling beside other doctors and nurses through the unrelenting pressure of the pandemic.

During his many years in the emergency department, Brown became known for communicating important information, even when the news was unpleasant or complicated, and for making time for friends and colleagues despite a packed schedule.

“He has this ability when you’re talking with him [to make you feel] that you are the most important person to him at that point in time,” said Jonny Kim, an astronaut who trained as an emergency doctor with Brown until he joined NASA in 2017. “He gives you his full attention, and he makes you feel very special about the work you do and the person you are.”

US Unemployment Claims Rise after Hitting Pandemic Low

Boston Globe – The number of Americans seeking unemployment benefits moved up last week to 332,000 from a pandemic low, a sign that the spread of the Delta variant may have slightly increased layoffs.

Applications for jobless aid rose from 312,000 the week before, the Labor Department said Thursday. That was the lowest level since March 2020. Jobless claims, which generally track the pace of layoffs, have fallen steadily for two months as many employers, struggling to fill jobs, have held onto their workers.

Last week’s increase was small and may be temporary. The four-week average of jobless claims, which smooths out fluctuations in the weekly data, dropped for the fifth straight week to just below 336,000. That figure is also the lowest since the pandemic began.

Last week in Massachusetts, nearly 7,300 people filed new claims for unemployment benefits, up about 1,600 from the week prior.

Another 1,230 people filed claims under the Pandemic Unemployment Assistance program, which provides aid to those not eligible for traditional benefits, such as gig workers, down about 4,900 from the previous week. The PUA program ended on Sept. 4.

Michelle Wu Shies Away from Progressive Labor as Election Approaches

Boston Herald – Mayoral hopeful Michelle Wu is working to soften her “progressive” image as she battles it out to be the city’s next CEO with fellow city councilor Annissa Essaibi-George, who leans moderate.

“I will stand on the side of moving forward and ensuring that we are putting in place the changes and the policies to aim for our brightest future,” Wu said, during an appearance on WBZ’s “Keller at Large” on Sunday morning. “In city government, it’s about getting things done, not being judged on a scorecard of whether you said yes or no on a certain thing.”

Wu also shied away from using the hot-button phrase “defund the police” during Sunday’s interview.

“We need to see more resources in the combination of public safety and public health but we have to use our dollars wisely,” Wu said.

It’s a tactic the leftist could be using to woo conservative Boston voters, who largely stayed away from the ballot box during last week’s preliminary election in which Wu was the top vote-getter. Barely 108,000 voters turned up out of the city’s roughly 430,000 registered voters.

“The beauty of city government and what I love about being involved at this level closest to the people is that it cuts across any rigid type of ideological or political views,” Wu told Keller when he asked if her liberal label was accurate. “In city government, it’s about getting things done, not being judged on a scorecard of whether you said yes or no on certain things.”

“When you talk about climate change, I think people would associate that as being a more progressive issue, but the reality is that when we implement changes at the city level, it is not only the best for reducing emissions and making sure we are meeting our goals, it also saves money and therefore makes the most sense from a fiscal perspective,” said Wu.

As an example, Wu said she believes electric school buses would give out less pollution, have a longer life span, and could be used as mobile charging sources in cases of emergencies.

“Every time I hear someone describe our vision as pie in the sky, in fact, that is a badge of pride because we are fighting for what our communities need right now,” Wu said. “We can’t afford to just nibble around the edges of the status quo. We need to take the actions that will actually secure our neighborhoods, ensure that everyone has opportunity, and connect us to what’s possible in our future.”

State Spends Less than $25 Million of $4.8 Billion Budget with Black and Hispanic Companies

WGBH – State agencies spent $4.8 billion in 2020, but Black-owned businesses were awarded only $11 million in state contracts and Hispanic-owned businesses got only $12 million, according to a new state report obtained by GBH News.

The Supplier Diversity Office report said that state agencies exceeded their goal of doing 8% of their contracting with minority-owned enterprises. That conclusion relies on counting hundreds of millions of dollars the state spent with minority-led nonprofits, plus work that non-minority firms working for the state passed along to minority businesses. Without those categories, all minority-owned firms combined received about 2% of the state’s spending.

The new report — quietly posted to a state website in the past few days — says that, in fiscal year 2020, the state spent just over $300 million in direct contracts with minority-owned businesses (known as MBEs) but Black-owned firms got just $10.8 million worth of work; Hispanic-owned firms got $11.5 million; and Asian-owned firms got $71.1 million.

The vast majority of the state’s $301 million in direct “MBE spending” — $204 million — went to minority-led nonprofits such as Brockton Area Multi-Services, Inc., and Action for Boston Community Development, large social services organizations that provide a wide range of services from mental health care to housing assistance.

The state has reported minority business expenditures every year for decades, but this is the first year the spending has been broken out by race, following reporting by the GBH News Center for Investigative Reporting last year that the state was intentionally inflating its minority business spending numbers by including sums that were not contracts to minority firms.

Travis Watson, chairman of the Boston Employment Commission that watches over minority hiring on city jobs, said the lack of state contracts going to minority-owned businesses is contributing the racial wealth gap.

Massachusetts Court Case Could Provide Precedent for Vaccine Mandates

Boston Globe – During a smallpox epidemic more than 100 years ago, a Cambridge resident took issue with the local board of health’s requirement that all adults be vaccinated against the disease.

Transit Advocates Hope Stark Report on MBTA Delivers a Wake-Up Call

Boston Globe – Transit advocates called on state lawmakers Thursday to drastically boost funding for the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority following a new report that warned the agency is heading for fiscal disaster in the coming years.

A report from the business-backed Massachusetts Taxpayers Foundation found that the MBTA will be as much as $400 million short on its operating budget by mid-2023 and $13 billion short on its plans for maintenance and modernization over the next decade. Advocates and policy watchers say the findings should serve as a call to action.

“This is a fundamental, existential question that keeps having Band-Aids put on it year after year after year,” said Brian Kane, the executive director of the MBTA’ s Advisory Board.

Biden Pitching Partnership after Tough Stretch with Allies

Boston Globe – President Biden goes before the United Nations this week eager to make the case for the world to act with haste against the coronavirus, climate change, and human rights abuses. His pitch for greater global partnership comes at a moment when allies are becoming increasingly skeptical about how much US foreign policy really has changed since Donald Trump left the White House.

Biden plans to limit his time at the UN General Assembly due to coronavirus concerns. He is scheduled to meet with Secretary General Antonio Guterres on Monday and address the assembly on Tuesday before shifting the rest of the week’s diplomacy to virtual and Washington settings.

At a virtual COVID-19 summit he is hosting Wednesday, leaders will be urged to step up vaccine-sharing commitments, address oxygen shortages around the globe, and deal with other critical pandemic-related issues.

The president also has invited the prime ministers of Australia, India, and Japan, part of a Pacific alliance, to Washington and is expected to meet with British Prime Minister Boris Johnson at the White House.

Through it all, Biden will be the subject of a quiet assessment by allies: Has he lived up to his campaign promise to be a better partner than Trump?

Biden’s chief envoy to the United Nations, Ambassador Linda Thomas-Greenfield, offered a harmonious answer in advance of all the diplomacy: “We believe our priorities are not just American priorities, they are global priorities,” she said Friday.

But over the past several months, Biden has found himself at odds with allies on a number of high-profile issues.

There have been noted differences over the US withdrawal from Afghanistan, the pace of COVID-19 vaccine-sharing, and international travel restrictions, and the best way to respond to military and economic moves by China. A fierce French backlash erupted in recent days after the United States and Britain announced they would help equip Australia with nuclear-powered submarines.

Democrat Linked to Fossil Fuels will Craft the US Climate Plan

Boston Globe – Senator Joe Manchin, the powerful West Virginia Democrat who chairs the Senate energy panel and earned $500,000 last year from coal production, is preparing to remake President Biden’s climate legislation in a way that tosses a lifeline to the fossil fuel industry — despite urgent calls from scientists that countries need to quickly pivot away from coal, gas, and oil to avoid a climate catastrophe.

Manchin has already emerged as the crucial up-or-down vote in a sharply divided Senate when it comes to Biden’s push to pass a $3.5 trillion budget bill that could reshape the nation’s social welfare network. But Biden also wants the bill to include an aggressive climate policy that would compel utilities to stop burning fossil fuels and switch to wind, solar, or nuclear energy, sources that do not emit the greenhouse gases that are heating the planet.

As chair of the Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources, Manchin holds the pen and the gavel of the congressional panel, with the authority to shape Biden’s ambitions.

But Manchin is also closely associated with the fossil fuel industry. His beloved West Virginia is second in coal and seventh in natural gas production among the 50 states. In the current election cycle, Manchin has received more campaign donations from the oil, coal, and gas industries than any other senator, according to data compiled by OpenSecrets, a research organization that tracks political spending.

Healey Seeking Action on Environmental Justice

CapeCod.com – Attorney General Maura Healey recently joined a coalition of 20 attorneys general calling on Congress to respond to the climate crisis and advance environmental justice.

They want funding prioritized for programs which combat pollution, improve water and air quality, and promote clean energy in the upcoming budget reconciliation bill.

The letter sent to Congress by the coalition said the effects of the climate crisis have disproportionately burdened marginalized communities and advocated for remediation of the environmental injustices faced by immigrant communities, communities of color, and Tribal and indigenous communities.

“For decades, there’s been a lack of decisive national action on climate change and a failure to enact policies that protect our communities of color, immigrant communities, and families with low incomes from climate and other environmental harms, forcing them to breathe dirty air and drink dirty water,” Healey said.

“Congress must help us undo these longstanding injustices by including funding in the budget reconciliation bill that helps fight the climate crisis, transforms our economy with clean energy and jobs, and delivers solutions that promote environmental justice,” she said.

House Group Outlines State House Re-Opening Plan

State House News – A House working group is proposing a phased-in approach to resuming in-person business at the State House, and recommending that all House members and employees maintain full vaccination status against COVID-19 as a condition of physically working at the State House.

Under the plan, the reopening’s first phase would allow access for state representatives who wish to return for in-person voting, along with “core staff who must be physically in the building to conduct session and House business.” Representatives for months have been encouraged to participate in sessions remotely.

The second phase would broaden access to the State House to all remaining House staff and employees, “along with individuals who have a need to conduct business at the State House.”

Phase 3 would allow entry to the State House by members of the public, by appointment, for meetings and committee hearings. The State House would be fully open to all parties, for all activities, in Phase 4.

The working group also recommends extending the existing mask requirement for the House chamber to all House-controlled spaces, including offices and hearing rooms, and broadening it to include employees and personnel from external entities who have a need to conduct business at the State House, as well as members and staff.

“We also recommend, at this time, maintaining a virtual option for public hearings and we propose a model for resuming in-person access to public hearings that can be adapted to hearings of various sizes and allows for both in-person and remote participation in public hearings,” according to the working group.

“This model employs multiple interventions to reduce the risk of indoor airborne transmission, such as controlling the number of people allowed in hearing rooms, monitoring ventilation and air quality, requiring masks, setting up a pre-registration system on MyLegislature, and facilitating remote participation through hybrid hearings to reduce in-person crowding.

Bio Sector Seeks to Widen Talent Pipelines

State House News – As vaccine developers and other drugmakers angle to scale up with greater production and physical presence in Massachusetts, an industry organization this week is officially launching a program it hopes will jumpstart a talent pipeline and open new doors for workers.

On Thursday, the Massachusetts Biotechnology Council sister organization the Massachusetts Biotechnology Education Foundation will introduce the first two cohorts of people seeking an alternate path to careers in biomanufacturing and clinical trial research through the accelerated training offered by its new life sciences apprenticeship program.

The program has two tracks, which MassBioEd said were purposefully chosen in response to high employer demand — one for biomanufacturing technicians and one for clinical trial associates. The technicians “help produce and deliver biological products and therapies to patients” while the clinical trial associates work in pharmaceutical companies to “assist with clinical trials of novel drugs, devices, and therapies,” according to MassBioEd.

The biomanufacturing track partners with Alnylam Pharmaceuticals in Norton, Arranta Bio in Watertown, Bristol Myers Squibb in Devens, MassBiologics in Mattapan and Pfizer in Andover.

The clinical trial track partners with Agios Pharmaceuticals in Cambridge, Apellis Pharmaceuticals in Waltham, Blueprint Medicines in Cambridge, Covis Pharma in Waltham, Halloran Consulting in Boston, Jounce Therapeutics in Cambridge, Magenta Therapeutics in Cambridge, Praxis Precision Medicines in Cambridge, Replimune in Woburn and Surface Oncology in Cambridge.

The introductory period for the biomanufacturing track began in June and on-the-job training begins in early November. For clinical trial associates, the intro period began this month and jobsite training starts in early December, MassBioEd said.

Thursday’s virtual kickoff event will feature remarks from U.S. Labor Secretary Marty Walsh, U.S. Congresswoman Lori Trahan, state Labor and Workforce Development Secretary Rosalin Acosta, Mass. Life Sciences Center President Kenn Turner and MassBio President Kendalle Burlin O’Connell.

Massachusetts is already a hub of biopharma and biotech companies but MassBio said earlier this year that “Massachusetts must grow beyond R&D to develop leading-edge biomanufacturing capabilities” if it is to stay ahead of Pennsylvania and North Carolina as a leader of the life sciences industry.

MassBio said that employment in the biopharma sector “grew at a rate of 5.5% in 2020, reaching nearly 84,000 jobs and representing a 55% increase from 2008 – 2020.” And the life sciences industry is rapidly expanding its footprint in Massachusetts, with about 20 million square feet of new life sciences real estate in the pipeline by 2024, the organization said. It estimated that the new space alone will require as many as 40,000 new jobs.

This summer, executives from Moderna and Pfizer told Massachusetts lawmakers that it has become harder to recruit new skilled workers here at a time when both vaccine makers have plans to substantially ramp up production.

Based in Cambridge, Moderna produces some of its COVID-19 vaccine at its manufacturing technology center in Norwood and this May announced plans to more than double its square footage in part to accommodate a 50 percent increase in the production of the COVID-19 vaccine expected late this year or early in 2022.

“So I would say that one of our most important topics is continued access to capable and qualified individuals, both for [good manufacturing practice] production as well as for quality control,” Paul Granadillo, the company’s senior vice president of global supply chain, said.

The situation was similar for Pfizer, which manufactures the mRNA substance used in its COVID-19 vaccine at a facility in Andover. Jon Tucker, the site’s global supply leader, said establishing a talent pipeline through the MassBioEd apprenticeship program, along with more traditional recruitment methods, has been a key priority.

Role Of MCAS Exam Continues to Rile Education World

State House News – .By 2018, more than a decade after he was diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder, Ryan Boyd had passed nearly every single MCAS standardized exam he needed to get his diploma from Marlborough High School.

All that remained in his way was the math test. But in his final try during his senior year, Boyd fell two points short.

“This is the only reason why I was unable to obtain my diploma at my graduation in 2018,” Boyd told the Education Committee on Monday. “Do you know how heartbroken I was to learn that? I want to repeat again today for everyone in this room: the only reason I was prevented from getting that diploma in 2018 was because I failed my math MCAS by two points after I put in so much hard work and dedication into passing the test.”

More than 50,000 students have faced similar circumstances the last nearly 20 years, a point that a chorus of lawmakers and education reform advocates hammered on Monday as they called for the Legislature to eliminate the state’s MCAS graduation requirements or pause the tests altogether.

“Please do not ever let another child’s future be affected by two points,” Boyd, who said he ultimately received his diploma this spring after the school retroactively waived testing requirements, added.

Teacher unions and some education activists have long targeted the state’s MCAS system, complaining that setting the exams as a bar all students must clear forces teachers to narrow their focus on test preparation and creates unnecessary stress in the classroom.

A bill filed by Sen. Jo Comerford and Rep. James Hawkins (S 293 / H 612) would decouple MCAS from graduation and instead offer what Comerford called “multiple pathways” for students to prove they meet the benchmarks to complete high school, some of which would not require a standardized test.

The legislation would also pilot new ways of measuring district and teacher performance less reliant on MCAS scores and more influenced by community input in partnership with the Massachusetts Consortium for Innovative Education Assessment.

“I believe in accountability,” Comerford said Monday. “What I do not believe in is allowing a single test to determine whether or not a student receives a high school diploma, regardless of whether or not that student passes all of their requisite coursework.”

Lawmakers created the MCAS system in a 1993 education reform law aimed at improving accountability and school performance. The first tests were administered in 1998, and since the class of 2003, students have been required to achieve sufficient scores to graduate.

Waivers Sought for Jobless Workers who Were ‘Overpaid’ Benefits

Eagle Tribune – Lawmakers are hoping to buoy thousands of jobless workers who owe the state for “overpayment” of unemployment benefits during the pandemic.

A proposal seeks to increase the number of waivers granted by the Department of Unemployment Assistance to workers who owe hundreds of thousands of dollars in state and federal benefits they weren’t supposed to get.

Backers say loosening eligibility for the waivers will bring relief to unemployed workers who, in some cases, received and spent benefits they had no reason to question.

“These are people who accepted these benefits — which they’ve used to meet rent, food and other basic needs — and are now being told they have to pay the money back,” said state Rep. Tram Nguyen, D-Andover, a co-sponsor of the bill. “In some cases, these overpayments were not the fault of workers.”

The proposal, filed by Rep. Joan Meschino, D-Hull, would require a waiver for people whose income after taxes is 125% or less than the state’s poverty level; if funds were used for “ordinary living expenses”; or if the state made technical error leading to the overpayment, or if a notice of overpayment took too long to process.

“Under these circumstances, it shall be against equity and good conscience for the director to recover an overpayment, and the department shall grant a waiver,” the bill reads.

The plan also would require the state to review waivers that were previously denied for the expanded criteria. If the state collected overpayments from workers who are later granted a waiver, it would have 30 days to return those funds.

Benefit overpayments can occur for a variety of reasons. People may apply for benefits they believe they’re qualified for but are later deemed ineligible. Applicants may make good-faith mistakes while filling out forms.

In other cases, clerical errors were made in the state’s haste to approve claims.

As of September 2020, the state reported 78,337 cases of overpayments totaling $188,283,829. That’s about $2,400 per worker.

Overpayments were made to people getting traditional benefits as well as self-employed, gig economy workers and others getting weekly payments under a federal pandemic-era program.

To recoup the money, Massachusetts offers individuals the chance to repay a lump sum or deduct from weekly payments if they are still getting benefits. Money also may be recovered from tax refunds, or through the courts.

Beneficiaries who get notices of overpayment can appeal. The state charges 15% interest on overpayment tied to fraud in filling out forms, or “due to a misrepresentation or failure to disclose a material fact.”

It’s not clear how much the state has recouped so far, or how many beneficiaries have sought waivers.

Like most states, Massachusetts was hit with a deluge of jobless claims last year.

It paid out nearly $6 billion in benefits in 2020 as hundreds of thousands of workers were sidelined by government-imposed shutdowns meant to stop the spread of COVID-19. The claims forced Gov. Charlie Baker to borrow more than $2.2 billion from the federal government.

A pandemic relief law approved by Congress allows states to forgive overpayment if it’s determined the beneficiary wasn’t at fault or “if such repayment would be contrary to equity and good conscience.”

Massachusetts has similar rules on the books, though Nguyen said the process for getting a waiver hasn’t been well publicized.

A provision of the bill would require more public outreach to make beneficiaries aware that they may qualify for an exemption.

“There has really been no notice for folks, which is problematic,” she said. “We need to make sure that they have access to these waivers.”

September 14

Schedule

Tuesday September 14

• Joint Committee on Labor and Workforce Development-Independent Contractors-10:30am-Virtual Hearing.
• Joint Committee on State Administration and Regulatory Oversight-State Regulations-10:30am-Virtual Hearing.
• Joint Committee on Health Care Financing- Primary Care & Behavioral Health Care, Patient Care Coordination-11:00am-Virtual Hearing.
• Joint Committee on Municipalities and Regional Government- Home Rule Petitions, Municipal Infrastructure, Powers and Authority, Finance-11:00am-Virtural Hearing.
• Joint Committee on Economic Development and Emerging Technologies- Gaming & Economic Development-1:00pm-Virtual Hearing.
• Joint Committee on State Administration and Regulatory Oversight-Executive Session Matters-1:30pm-Virtual Hearing.

Wednesday September 15

• Joint Committee on the Judiciary-Civil Actions-10:00am-Virtual Hearing.
• Joint Committee on Children, Families and Persons with Disabilities-DCF/Adoption and Abuse-10:00am-Virtual Hearing.
• Joint Committee on Financial Services-Auto Insurance-10:00am-Virtual Hearing.
• Joint Committee on Housing-Public Housing-11:00am-Virtual Hearing.
• Joint Committee on Election Laws-Political Participation, Campaign Finance, and Related Matters-12:00pm-Virtual Hearing.
  

Friday September 17

• Unemployment Insurance Trust Fund Study Commission-Experience Table-1:00pm-Virtual Hearing.

Tuesday September 21

• Joint Committee on Ways and Means- American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) Spending on Health Care/Mental Health/Public Health-11:00am-Virtual Hearing.
• Future of Work Commission-11:00-In Person Hearing at MIT or Livestream.

Wednesday September 22

• Joint Committee on State Administration and Regulatory Oversight-Commissions-10:30am-Virtual Hearing.

Biden Announces Vaccine Mandates that Could Cover 100 Million Americans  

CNN – President Joe Biden on Thursday imposed stringent new vaccine rules on federal workers, large employers and health care staff in a sweeping attempt to contain the latest surge of Covid-19.  

The new requirements could apply to as many as 100 million Americans — close to two-thirds of the American workforce — and amount to Biden’s strongest push yet to require vaccines for much of the country.

“We’ve been patient, but our patience is wearing thin, and your refusal has cost all of us,” Biden said, his tone hardening toward Americans who still refuse to receive a vaccine despite ample evidence of their safety and full approval of one — the Pfizer-BioNTech Covid-19 vaccine — from the US Food and Drug Administration.  

He said vaccinated America was growing “frustrated” with the 80 million people who have not received shots and are fueling the spread of the virus. And he acknowledged the new steps would not provide a quick fix.  

“While America is in much better shape than it was seven months ago when I took office, I need to tell you a second fact: We’re in a tough stretch and it could last for awhile,” Biden said in an early evening speech from the White House.

At the center of Biden’s new plan is directing the Labor Department to require all businesses with 100 or more employees ensure their workers are either vaccinated or tested once a week, an expansive step the President took after consultation with administration health officials and lawyers. Companies could face thousands of dollars in fines per employee if they don’t comply.

Executive Order Imposes COVID-19 Vaccine Mandate on Federal Contractors  

National Law Review – In an attempt to contain the continuing COVID-19 pandemic, President Biden issued two Executive Orders on September 9 that mandate COVID-19 vaccines for federal government employees and employees of federal government contractors. Although key details of these vaccine mandates have yet to be defined, the new measures appear to build on the administration’s recent mandate for vaccination or testing of contractor employees who work on-site at federal locations.

As a result of these new mandates, federal government contractors will soon be presented with complex and risk-laden decisions as employees seek exemptions, to the extent available, from the vaccine mandate.  

The first executive order is applicable to federal government employees and requires the Safer Federal Workforce Task Force (Task Force) to issue guidance requiring a vaccine mandate for federal agency employees.  Federal agencies are then required to implement the Task Force’s guidance “with exceptions only as required by applicable law.”

The second executive order is applicable to federal government contractors and provides that new government contracts and contract-like instruments must include a clause requiring the contractor and “any subcontractors (at any tier)” to comply with “all guidance” issued by the Task Force.

Pursuant to the terms of the contractor Executive Order, the clause’s requirements are applicable to “any workplace locations (as specified by the Task Force Guidance) in which an individual is working on or in connection with a Federal Government contract or contract-like instrument.”

The Executive Order applicable to federal contractors provides that the Task Force will issue its guidance by September 24 and outline “definitions of relevant terms,” “explanations of protocols required of contractors and subcontractors,” and “any exceptions” to the vaccination mandate.

The vaccine mandate is applicable to any contract or contract-like instrument that is entered into, extended, renewed, or has an option exercised on or after October 15. However, the Executive Order is effective immediately and agencies are “strongly encouraged, to the extent permitted by law” to extend the vaccine mandate to existing contracts not otherwise subject to the Executive Order.

The Executive Order adopts the definition of “contract or contract-like instrument” from the Department of Labor’s minimum wage regulations, and thus presumably excludes procurement contracts excluded from the Davis-Bacon Act and service contracts excluded from the Service Contract Act.  The Executive Order explicitly excludes federal grants, contracts with Indian Tribes, employees who perform work outside of the United States, contracts equal or less than the simplified acquisition threshold (generally $250,000), and subcontracts solely for the provision of products.

The Executive Order is ambiguous about several important issues that will need to be fleshed out by the Task Force’s guidance.

First, in the context of the federal contractor minimum-wage requirement, employees who work only “in connection with” a contact are not covered unless more than 20% of their work time is spent performing contract-related services.  Will the same 20% threshold apply to the vaccine mandate?

Second, the Executive Order is phrased to apply to “any workplace locations” where contract work is performed, rather than to employees performing the work.  Arguably, the mandate may cover workers performing only commercial work if there is also government contract work performed at the employee’s “workplace location,” which is itself a potentially ambiguous term pending further guidance from the Task Force.

The Executive Order provides that the Task Force should permit only exceptions “required by applicable law.”  Presumably, this would include disability, religious, and pregnancy accommodations that are required by federal statutes.

To date, many employers implementing vaccine mandates have struggled with these accommodation requirements, which present complex and nuanced legal issues.  To the extent the Task Force’s guidance regarding exemptions is different than generallyapplicable federal law, it will only add to the complexity.

Moreover, state law may impose different or additional requirements, including laws in some states protecting workers against mandatory vaccine mandates, which may conflict with the mandate required by the Executive Order.  To the extent there is ambiguity as to which employees are actually covered by the Executive Order, the potentially conflicting obligations under the Executive Order and state laws may pose challenging dilemmas for employers.

Federal contractors should begin working with counsel now to prepare for the new mandate required by the executive orders, including implementing procedures to communicate with employees regarding the mandate, ascertain employees’ vaccination statuses, and process and address requests for accommodations.

Key Parts of Biden’s Plan to Confront Delta Variant Surge 

Boston Globe – President Joe Biden has unveiled a new “action plan” plan to confront the COVID-19 surge that’s being driven by the spread of the Delta variant.

It mandates vaccines for federal workers and contractors and certain health care workers, requires employees at companies with 100 or more workers to be vaccinated or tested weekly, lays the groundwork for a booster shot campaign and recommends that large venues require proof of vaccination or a negative COVID test. The plan also makes recommendations on keeping schools open. 

Key parts of the plan:

Vaccine mandates 

• All federal workers and contractors must get vaccinated, with limited exceptions.
• Private employers with 100 or more workers will have to require them to be vaccinated or tested weekly. Employers must provide paid time off for vaccination.
• About 17 million health care workers in hospitals, clinics and other facilities that accept Medicare and Medicaid payments must get vaccinated.— Some 300,000 employees of Head Start early childhood education and other federal education programs must get vaccinated.

Schools and events 

• Governors are urged to require vaccination for school district employees.
• The federal government will continue to follow through with money for widespread testing in schools.
• Stadiums, concert halls and other venues for large events are urged to require proof of vaccination or negative COVID test.

Boosters 

• Federal agencies will lay the groundwork for a smooth booster-shot campaign, starting the week of Sep. 20 — if the Food and Drug Administration authorizes or approves the boosters.

Masks and testing  

• Mask requirements will continue for interstate travel and in federal buildings. The Transportation Security Administration will double fines on airline, train and other travelers who refuse to mask up.
• The number of pharmacies offering free testing will be expanded to 10,000.
• Walmart, Amazon and Kroger will offer at-home COVID tests at cost, about a 35% savings for consumers.

COVID care 

• The Pentagon will double military medical teams helping local hospitals overwhelmed with virus patients.
• Federal agencies will boost shipments of a COVID-19 treatment known as monoclonal antibodies by 50%. Medical teams will be dispatched to help administer the treatments.

Economy 

• Top loan amounts for small businesses affected by the pandemic will be increased to $2 million from $500,000 currently.

Vaccine Mandates Test Biden Ties with Labor 

The Hill – President Biden’s strong ties to labor unions could be put to the test by his administration’s embrace of vaccine mandates.

Biden on Thursday unveiled a much more heavy-handed approach to combating COVID-19 compared to what the administration has favored in the past.

In a speech, he scolded vaccine-hesitant and vaccine-resistant people for rising numbers of infections and hospitalizations and proceeded to announce a series of vaccine mandates on health workers, federal employees and contractors, and even private companies.

If they don’t comply, they could face steep fines.

Labor unions are divided over the approach, as they seek to balance the need for workplace safety with addressing anti-vaccine sentimentamong some of their members.

Many unions have walked a fine line, encouraging members to get vaccinated without endorsing mandates.

But as private sector mandates have grown in popularity, unions have increasingly stressed the need for any potential measures to be collectively bargained before going into effect.

The response to federal mandates was no different.

Companies Confront Vaccine Question in Face of Biden Mandate 

Boston Business Journal – While several large employers in Massachusetts had already mandated Covid-19 vaccinations for their workers, many more are weighing their options following the Biden administration’s order Thursday that large employers must require the shots or test their workers weekly.

The federal government’s rule applies to all employers with 100 or more workers. In Massachusetts, life sciences companies, universities and even government agencies overseen by Republican Gov. Charlie Baker have already mandated vaccines. The Democratic president’s announcement is forcing everyone else to confront the matter.

One of the state’s largest employers, Stop & Shop Supermarket Co. LLC, requires its employees to wear a mask but has stopped short of issuing a vaccine mandate. The Quincy-based supermarket has 5,299 full-time workers and 14,558 part-time workers in Massachusetts.

“We have been monitoring the news released by President Biden’s administration yesterday and will be evaluating the implications for our business and associates,” a Stop & Shop spokesperson said in a statement to the Business Journal.

“We will work with both industry and government partners as this situation evolves. Stop & Shop is committed to continuing to help our associates and the communities we serve navigate the pandemic and doing our part to support health and safety during these difficult times.”

Hopkinton-based tech giant Dell Technologies, which has 6,400 employees in Massachusetts, is mulling over how to mandate a Covid-19 vaccine.

“We are currently evaluating requiring a Covid-19 vaccine for onsite employees and contractors, and how we would effectively roll it out across the company,” the company said in a statement.

“We’re working on an approach that prioritizes the health and safety of our employees and customers. We will continue to be transparent about these decisions and communicate next steps, timed to any news on site reopenings.”

Coronavirus Testing Demand Increases in the Face of the Delta Variant 

Boston Globe – Demand for coronavirus testing has increased significantly due to the ultra-contagious Delta variant, and the Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard is processing nearly 100,000 tests on some days, numbers that haven’t been seen since May.

The Broad Institute processed more than 89,000 coronavirus tests on Thursday, the highest tally of the week, and the most tests since May 11, when 97,000 were completed.

Demand for tests started to spike in early August, according to a Broad Institute real-time dashboard. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention had identified the Delta variant as predominant on Aug. 6, and it’s remained so since.

Daily tests in early July, when coronavirus rates were still relatively low, hovered between 10,000 and 25,000 per day.

The peak testing demand for the Broad Institute came during April of this year, when on the 6th of the month they processed 148,000 tests in one day.

The institute created a new automated system for COVID-19 tests, and works with hospitals, clinics, nursing homes, homeless shelters, and schools across the state to provide quick and accurate testing.

Turnaround time for results, even as demand had increased, has been 24 hours from the time the sample reaches the lab to the result, according to a spokeswoman.

The Broad Institute has processed more than 21 million coronavirus tests since the pandemic began. The cumulative test positive rate is 2%, while the latest seven-day rolling average is 1.2%.

A Massachusetts Court Case Could Provide Precedent for Biden’s Mandate

Boston Globe – During a smallpox epidemic more than 100 years ago, a Cambridge resident took issue with the local board of health’s requirement that all adults be vaccinated against the disease.

Henning Jacobson claimed he had a serious reaction to a vaccination as a child living in Sweden and did not want to be vaccinated. He faced the criminal penalty of a $5 fine for those who refused the vaccine and took his case to the US Supreme Court, arguing the vaccine requirement infringed on his rights under the due process clause of the 14th Amendment of the Constitution that says states cannot “deprive any person of life, liberty or property without due process of law.”

In 1905, the Supreme Court ruled 7-2 in Jacobson v. Massachusetts that public health measures, like vaccination, imposed by states are constitutional because, in essence, living in society comes with restrictions, including those pertaining to public health.

At the heart of the case is the intersection between public health and a person’s individual rights. The court ruled that while the state doesn’t have absolute power to limit individual rights, it can impose reasonable limits when it comes to public health.

Jobless Claims Edge Higher

The number of Massachusetts workers filing new claims for unemployment edged up last week, the executive office of Labor and Workforce Development said Thursday.

For the week ending Sept. 4, Massachusetts had 5,712 people file initial claims for unemployment insurance.

The larger increases were seen in: Construction, up 74 people; Manufacturing, up 42; Food and Accommodation, up 42; and Public Administration, up 36 people.

State numbers are not adjusted for seasonal changes in the economy as it shifts from summer to fall business patterns.

Nationally, seasonally adjusted data also released Thursday said the number of initial claims was 310,000, down 35,000 from the week before and a new low for the pandemic.

It’s the lowest number of new unemployment claims since March 14, 2020 when it was 256,000, the federal Labor Department, said.

State Health Council Approves Expanded Vaccine Requirement  

Massachusetts Lawyers Weekly – The Massachusetts Public Health Council on Sept. 8 approved a plan to require vaccination against COVID-19 for all employees at rest homes, assisted living residences, and hospice programs, along with workers who provide in-home direct care services.

The council unanimously approved the plan at a public meeting, with members calling it an important step to protect vulnerable age groups.

The plan expands on a previous order from Gov. Charlie Baker’s administration requiring vaccination for workers at skilled nursing facilities.

The expanded vaccine requirement was announced on Sept. 1 and applies to the state’s 62 freestanding rest homes and 268 assisted living residences, as well as 85 hospice programs and up to 100,000 home care workers. It also applies to contractors who work in those facilities.Under the plan, workers will be required to receive vaccinations by Oct. 31.

Exemptions will be granted for people with a medical condition that prevents them from receiving a vaccination or with a sincerely held religious belief.

The requirement was previously applauded by the Massachusetts Assisted Living Association, an industry group.

Remote Work Made Life Easier for Employees with Disabilities. Advocates Say the Option Should Stay 

Boston Globe – The pandemic upended corporate culture as workers traded office buildings for their kitchen tables. For most, the change was largely a matter of convenience. But for many people with disabilities, it was transformative ― getting to and from a workplace was the most arduous part of their day.

From the city to the suburbs and beyond, getting from one point to the other in a timely fashion has always been complicated for them. Some Boston workers live in rural towns far from public transit stations and are either unable to drive to work or need support to do so.

The Boston Center for Independent Living has worked closely with the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority to ensure accessible public transit, said executive director Bill Henning. But while most MBTA routes do include accommodations for disabilities, not all stations are wheelchair-friendly.

And people with vision problems may find it hard to navigate a bustling city, especially during peak commuting hours.

Andy Forman, senior disability advocate at BCIL, is legally blind. Prior to the pandemic, he said, commuting from Plymouth to Boston for work could take up to two hours each way. Because he cannot drive, a family member would drop him off at the Kingston commuter rail station.

Vaccine Boosters Not Widely Needed, Top FDA and WHO Scientists Say  

Yahoo News – COVID-19 vaccine booster shots are not needed for the general population, leading scientists including two departing senior U.S. Food and Drug Administration officials and several from the World Health Organization (WHO) said in an article published in a medical journal on Monday. 

The scientists said more evidence was needed to justify boosters. That view disagrees with U.S. government plans to begin offering another round of shots to many fully vaccinated Americans as soon as next week, contingent on approval from health regulators.

As COVID-19 cases caused by the Delta variant of the virus rise, President Joe Biden’s administration is concerned that infections among those already vaccinated are a sign that their protection is waning and has pushed boosters as a way to rebuild immunity. 

The WHO has argued that the vaccines are still needed for first doses around the globe. 

“Any decisions about the need for boosting or timing of boosting should be based on careful analyses of adequately controlled clinical or epidemiological data, or both, indicating a persistent and meaningful reduction in severe disease,” the scientists wrote in the Lancet medical journal.

The risk-benefit evaluation should consider the number of severe COVID-19 cases that boosting would be expected to prevent, and whether it is safe and effective against the current variants, they said. 

“Current evidence does not, therefore, appear to show a need for boosting in the general population, in which efficacy against severe disease remains high,” the scientists wrote.

Some countries have begun COVID-19 booster campaigns, including Israel, providing some of the data on which the Biden administration has made its case for additional shots. Boston Public Schools Superintendent Gets Full License Back  

Boston Herald – Every year, myriad school-age teens are delighted to finally get their licenses, and the freedom that comes with them. 

But no one in Boston Public Schools might be happier to get her license than the person in charge: Superintendent Brenda Cassellius, who will be able to keep doing her job after a bizarre turn of events left her without the full ability to run the district for a few weeks.

The school department announced Friday that the state told them that Cassellius had passed her licensure test last month, meaning she now is back fully licensed after a lapse. 

“I am pleased today to learn that I passed the licensure exam and have completed this last component of the state’s licensure requirements,” Cassellius said in a statement during the second day of school.

“I look forward to welcoming our Pre-Kindergarten and Kindergarten students back to school on Monday and remain committed to the important work ahead.”

The state license lookup confirms that she has her initial license, issued Friday.

Chaos ensued in the first week of August, when state Commissioner of Education Jeff Riley called Cassellius to inform her that her provisional license had expired. Cassellius then apologized to the school committee, blaming it on some unspecified “miscommunication,” even though the state says they had told the district this problem was looming. 

Cassellius continued to work on the expired license as she got ready to take the final test, though the district did start having a licensed second administrator sign off on documents. The state then gave Cassellius her license back on a temporary basis until the results of her test came back. 

Cassellius said in the Friday statement that the on-time arrival rate for buses increased to 81% after it was at 57% on the first day of school. That first-day low number — though higher than many past years — led to the administration taking flak from mayoral challengers, who gave Cassellius moderately low marks when asked to grade her performance in Thursday night’s debate. 

“These milestones are the result of dedication and collaboration and I want to thank the entire BPS community for their tireless work. As we greeted students and staff returning to school yesterday, I saw so much joy and happy reunions,” Cassellius said in the statement. 

Towns with High Infection Numbers have Fewer Young People Inoculated 

New York Times – Teen-agers in many of the cities and towns hardest hit by COVID-19 are getting vaccinated at alarmingly low rates, according to an analysis from a Harvard University researcher, raising concerns there could be a fresh surge in infections as schools open for in-person classes across Massachusetts. 

The analysis, which focused on 42 communities that have had some of the state’s highest infection rates through most of the pandemic, found that 37 of them recorded teen vaccination rates lower, and in some cases dramatically lower, than the state average for teens.

Just 38 percent of 12- to 15-year-olds in New Bedford had received their first COVID shot by Sept. 2, and the rate for those 16 to 19 wasn’t much better: just 44 percent. Holyoke and Springfield reported similarly low vaccination rates. In Boston, older teens are the main concern — fewer than half of 16- to 19-year-olds had gotten at least one shot. 

The lowest rates of all were among children 12 to 15 years old, still too young to make their own health care decisions. Just five of the 42 communities Harvard researcher Alan Geller focused on had vaccination rates for this age group that were above the state average of 68 percent.

“If we don’t get this right, how are we going to do it with the 5- to 11-year-olds when they are authorized for a vaccine?” said Geller, a senior lecturer at Harvard’s T.H. Chan School of Public Health and the author of the analysis.

“Unfortunately, this may be a barometer of where we will go” with the younger children. 

Baystate Health COVID Hospitalizations Triple; Patient Count Reaches 100 

Mass Live – The number of patients hospitalized at Baystate Health facilities for COVID-19 has tripled in a month, as infections are rising in the region.

There are currently 104 people being treated at Baystate hospitals in the region and 11 are currently in critical care, Baystate officials reported on Sunday. 

“We will continue to closely monitor our curves as the state eases restrictions and mass gatherings continue. Careful vigilance will also provide early clues to any potential recurrent surge of the regional pandemic,” the statement said.

On Aug. 15, Baystate Health reported 35 patients hospitalized with COVID-19, five of whom were being treated in the critical care unit. On July 12, Baystate officials reported just five people were being treated with COVID-19, two of whom were treated in the critical care unit. 

Administration Announces $303,000 Grant to Marion  

Wicked Local – The Baker Administration announced more than $6.7 million in Seaport Economic Council grants for 16 projects in 14 coastal communities, including $303,000 to Marion.

The awarded funds will help coastal communities advance projects that benefit commercial maritime industries, improve resident and visitor access to waterfront assets, mitigate the impacts of climate change, and advance future dredging. 

The grants were approved last week at a meeting of the Seaport Economic Council held at Massachusetts Maritime Academy and chaired by Lt. Governor Karyn Polito. 

Polito also conducted the swearing-in of Michael Collins, who will serve on the Council as the Northeast Region Coastal Community Representative, and Ashley Stolba, Undersecretary of Community Development, as the Council’s Vice Chair. 

“The commonwealth’s coastal communities greatly contribute to our statewide economy, and through the Seaport Economic Council we continue to invest in the infrastructure that boosts working waterfronts, protects natural assets, and improves access for residents and visitors,” said Governor Charlie Baker.

“With these grants and in partnership with these communities, we can continue to support key industries and the economic activity they generate.”

Trial Court Employees Say They’re Hitting a Glass Ceiling Due to Race 

MassLive – “People are scared to come forward,” said Case Specialist Sharon Rodriguez. “They are worried that they might lose their job if they do.”

Rodriguez sat and spoke of her experiences at the trial court in Springfield for over an hour highlighting that she is not the only one to have faced discrimination and a glass ceiling at the court building.

Four current and former employees of the state’s trial court system came forward with their own stories of discrimination in the workplace after reading a MassLive article on former probation officer Garry A. Porter Sr. claiming a workplace atmosphere of passive aggressive racism. 

Warren’s Red Line on Budget Talks: ‘We Must have a Child-Care Bill’  

WPRI – U.S. Sen. Elizabeth Warren said Wednesday she remains confident Democrats in Congress will soon reach agreement on a far-reaching budget bill despite significant disagreements, while making clear she has no higher priority than additional funding for child care. 

In a wide-ranging interview with 12 News at the University of Massachusetts Dartmouth ahead of a town hall Wednesday night, the second-term Massachusetts Democrat said there are a host of issues she wants to see tackled in the final budget reconciliation plan, including expanding Medicare and tackling climate change. But child care tops the list. 

“We must have a child-care bill,” Warren said. “And we must have a child-care bill so that parents have access, so that it is affordable, and so that it is high quality.” She added that one in four women who are currently out of the workforce say the reason is a lack of child care. 

Democratic leaders in the House and Senate are racing to complete negotiations over the $3.5 trillion budget plan put forward by President Biden by the end of this month. Party leaders are caught between progressives who say want the bill to be even bigger and moderates who have signaled they may not support anywhere near that much spending. 

“Look, that’s the whole point — we are negotiating, we are talking, people are pushing their issues,” Warren said. 

As for concerns about the cost of the plan, Warren said, “I believe we should pay for this.”

She offered three proposals that she said would provide enough funding to cover the $3.5 trillion tab: a wealth tax on the richest households; a new minimum corporate tax on profits over $100 million; and stepped-up enforcement resources for the IRS.

Vaccine Resisters Seeks Religious Exemptions. But What Counts as Religious? 

Boston Globe – When Crisann Holmes’ employer announced last month that it would require all employees to be vaccinated against COVID-19 by Nov. 1, she knew she had to find a way out. 

She signed a petition to ask the company to relax its mandate. She joined an informal protest, skipping work with other dissenting employees at the mental health care system where she has worked for two years. And she attempted a solution that many across the country are now exploring: a religious exemption. 

“My freedom and my children’s freedom and children’s children’s freedom are at stake,” said Holmes, who lives in Indiana.

In August, she submitted an exemption request she wrote herself, bolstered by her own Bible study and language from sources online. Some vaccines were developed using fetal cell lines from aborted fetuses, she wrote, citing a remote connection to a practice she finds abhorrent. She quoted a passage from the New Testament: “Let us purify ourselves from everything that contaminates body and spirit.” 

Major religious traditions, denominations and institutions are essentially unanimous in their support of the vaccines against COVID-19. But as more employers across the country begin requiring COVID vaccinations for workers, they are butting up against the nation’s sizable population of vaccine holdouts who nonetheless see their resistance in religious terms — or at least see an opportunity.

Vaccine-resistant workers are sharing tips online for requesting exemptions to the requirements on religious grounds; others are submitting letters from far-flung religious authorities who have advertised their willingness to help.

Mariano: House May Allocate Some ARPA Funds in Fall 

State House News – House Speaker Ronald Mariano said Monday that passing a bill to allocate some of the state’s American Rescue Plan Act funds before Thanksgiving is not “an unrealistic goal” and suggested that questions around ascertaining the COVID-19 vaccination status of representatives are among the obstacles remaining to a full reopening of the State House. 

“I don’t want to have a two-tiered system where I’m asking folks to come in and work beside people who will not declare whether or not they’ve been vaccinated,” he said in response to a question about reopening the building.

“We have people currently in the House of Representatives who are being treated, who are immune compromised. I’m not going to ask those people to sit next to people who won’t declare, and right now we’re investigating ways in which we can deal with that.” 

Mariano’s comments came after he met with Gov. Charlie Baker and Senate President Karen Spilka for their first in-person huddle since July 26. Baker said they discussed issues around COVID-19, the fall legislative agenda and the start of the new school year. 

Along with spending some of the ARPA money, Spilka listed redistricting, election reform and mental and behavioral health as items on her fall agenda. Mariano said his list contains “a number of different health care issues.”

The Legislature has a little over nine weeks before it breaks for its next recess ahead of the Thanksgiving holiday — legislative rules set Nov. 17 as the last day of formal lawmaking sessions until 2022.

House and Senate budget-writers have announced plans to hold at least three more hearings this fall on spending some of the $4.8 billion available in state ARPA funds, the next of which is scheduled for Sept. 21 and will focus on health care, mental health, substance use disorder, public health, and human services.

“We still have a couple hearings left, and we are waiting to hear from both folks in the administration and folks outside how best to use some of that money,” Mariano said, going on to describe passing a bill by Thanksgiving as not an “unreasonable goal.”

Discussing her plans for the fall legislative agenda, Spilka said she anticipates putting out a bill to “use some of the money, maybe not all.”

Business Groups Renew Call for Unemployment Relief

WWLP – After making a pitch to legislative leaders weeks ago, a coalition of business groups and chambers of commerce expanded their effort and wrote to all 200 lawmakers calling for Massachusetts to pursue additional unemployment insurance relief.

The collection of nearly 30 industry leaders and advocates on Thursday sent a letter to every lawmaker urging them to use federal American Rescue Plan Act dollars to replenish the unemployment insurance trust fund, offsetting the costs businesses will pay over 20 years to stabilize the system after enormous upheaval during the pandemic.

Authors sent House Speaker Ronald Mariano and Senate President Karen Spilka a letter on Aug. 18 urging action, then sent the same text to all lawmakers on Thursday.

They voiced support for Gov. Charlie Baker’s proposal to spend $1 billion from the state’s surplus tax collections on unemployment relief but said lawmakers should also tap into the massive pool of unspent federal aid to relieve businesses.

“If no relief money is committed for the UI Trust Fund, businesses in every corner of the Commonwealth will face UI tax increases with payments amortized over a 20-year span,” the business groups wrote. “Budding entrepreneurs sitting in a Massachusetts classroom dreaming of one day owning their own business will unreasonably be saddled with this debt. Businesses that hobbled through the pandemic and are still in the process of recovering will find higher UI taxes as a barrier to job creation and economic expansion.”

Retailers Association of Massachusetts President Jon Hurst, who signed the letter alongside the more than two dozen other industry leaders, also sent his own letter to Senate Ways and Means Committee Chair Michael Rodrigues, House Ways and Means Committee Chair Aaron Michlewitz, and House Committee on Federal Stimulus and Census Oversight Chair Daniel Hunt making a similar plea for a $2 billion payment toward the unemployment system.

“What employers hope to see now from the state is a sense of shared responsibility in attacking this deficit, with the state’s assistance in reducing the overall unemployment insurance debt,” Hurst wrote.

SEED Gets $1.14 Million Grant to Help Small Businesses in Southeastern Massachusetts 

Sun Chronicle – The South Eastern Economic Development (SEED) Corp. has been awarded a $1.14 million state grant aimed at lowering the barriers small businesses face in accessing essential start-up, expansion, and general working capital.

The grant is through the Mass Growth Capital Corp., which is awarding $14.7 million in matching funds to 15 non-profits that will administer the loan programs to reach small businesses in their communities.

“To address the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on the commonwealth’s small businesses and main streets, our administration put forward the largest relief program in the nation as part of our comprehensive plan for economic recovery,” said Gov. Charlie Baker.

“With this new round of funding for technical assistance, access to capital, and digital tools, we are strengthening our support for small businesses and taking another major step toward a return to normal.”

The grant will increase SEED’s total capital to $15 million for small loans up to $250,000 and enable it to continue meeting the financing needs of start-up and expanding small businesses in underserved markets, and economically distressed areas in Southeastern Massachusetts, said SEED Executive Director Susan Murray.

Boston Mayoral Candidates Hit the Campaign Trail ahead of Tuesday Election 

Boston Herald – A competitive field of candidates for Boston’s top office spread out through the city over the weekend to hustle up votes in the waning days before Tuesday’s preliminary election.

Acting Boston Mayor Kim Janey, City Councilors Annissa Essaibi-George, Andrea Campbell and Michelle Wu, and John Barros, the city’s former economic development chief, are stepping up appearances and ringing as many doorbells as possible in the run up to the vote when field will be narrowed to two.

Recent polls show a tight race among the historic group of candidates with Wu in the lead and Janey, Campbell and Essaibi-George  running neck-and-neck for second place. Barros trails in the polls.

Boston has always elected and been led by white men, something guaranteed to change with this mayoral election. Wu is a first-generation Taiwanese American. Janey and Campbell are both Black women. Essaibi-George is a first-generation Arab-Polish American. Barros is of Cape Verdean descent.

There’s plenty of crossover for the candidates — all progressive Democrats — when it comes to the issues and all are using the final days to connect with as many voters as possible. The two top candidates selected on Tuesday will face off on Nov. 2.

Campbell took the prize for most-visible candidate this weekend, making 26 appearances in total between Saturday and Sunday, according to her campaign schedule.

Campbell is enjoying a groundswell of support after a string of recent endorsements buoyed the District 4 city councilor into the group of top contenders. She trailed during much of the early campaign season. It’s momentum she said she’s hoping will propel her onto the November ballot.

“I’m the best candidate in this moment in time and not just because of my lived experience where I can relate to every inequity we are talking about in Boston,” Campbell said. “I am more than a story – I have a record of getting results.”

Essaibi-George has also seen a bump in the polls, which she said is proof her “message is resonating with voters.”

“Voters are really responding to my work, track record and commitment to working on so many of the big issues we face as a city,” the city councilor-at large told the Herald.

Proposed Massachusetts Law Classifying App-Based Drivers as Independent Contractors Clears First Step of Ballot Initiative Process 

JDSUPRA – On September 1, Massachusetts Attorney General Maura Healey approved two versions of a ballot initiative (version 1, version 2) concerning the relationship between app-based drivers (such as those who transport passengers or deliver food) and the companies with which they contract.

If passed, the ballot initiative will enact the Relationship Between Network Companies and App-Based Drivers Act (the “Act”) and classify such drivers as independent contractors, not employees. It will also require ride-sharing and food-delivery companies to provide them with certain benefits.

Like most companies, ride-sharing and food-delivery companies operating in Massachusetts must satisfy M.G.L. c. 149, § 148B’s “ABC test” to show that a worker is an independent contractor. The ABC test provides that workers are independent contractors only if their putative employer demonstrates that they are not subject to the company’s “control and direction,” perform work “outside the usual course” of the company’s business, and are “customarily engaged in an independently established trade, occupation, profession or business.”

Under the Act, however, app-based drivers would be independent contractors if they are not required to work on certain days, at specific times, or a set number of hours; are free to reject requests for rides or deliveries; and are not restricted from working in any other lawful line of work, including working for other app-based transportation and delivery companies (except while actively performing transportation or delivery services using a particular company’s app).

Opinion: Massachusetts Tax Credit for Film Will Bring Business To The Bay State 

WGBH (Opinon) – Spotted, speeding down the night streets of Cambridge: Okoye, the head of the Dora Malaje, the fierce all-woman security force of Wakanda.

That’s the fictional home of the Marvel Studios comic book superhero Black Panther, brought to life in the 2018 global movie blockbuster of the same name. The night filming a couple of weeks ago will be part of the 2022 sequel, “Black Panther 2: Wakanda Forever.”

Nobody knows how the filming in and around MIT, and in at least one other Boston location, figures into the closely guarded plot. But rabid fans are probably not wrong in speculating that it involves Shuri, the Black Panther’s sister, the brainy scientist who runs the country’s high-tech laboratory. It makes sense she might be checking in with a mentor at MIT or seeking consultation on her latest futuristic gadget.

Now I can imagine there are many of you not in the least interested in the Marvel Universe featuring superheroes like Black Panther and the dozen or so others like the Hulk, Black Widow and Captain America of the star-studded “Avengers: Endgame.”

But if that fictional universe doesn’t grab you, there is the universal appeal of fattening the state’s wallet.

Filming the new chapter of the Black Panther story in the Bay State is a “ka-ching!” moment supported by the now-permanent Massachusetts film tax credit. Governor Charlie Baker recently signed off on a legislative compromise in the 2022 budget that requires 75% of the production’s budget or filming days to be spent in the state. I’ve always been a fan of the film tax credit, which also benefits GBH, as a win-win for the state and the local film, TV and streaming industry.

The state’s history and architecture attract legions of tourists and are a perfect backdrop for productions. In the recently released movie, “Free Guy,” actor Ryan Reynolds finds himself living in a video game. Downtown Boston serves as the main setting, while many scenes were shot in nearby locations including Revere Beach and Worcester. Expect more tourists who, like me, love to visit sites where filming took place.

House Panels Begin Writing $3.5 Trillion Social Policy and Climate Bill 

New York Times – Five House committees on Thursday began formally drafting their pieces of Democrats’ far-reaching social policy and climate change bill that would spend as much as $3.5 trillion over the next decade — and raise as much in taxes and other revenue boosters — to reweave the social safety net and move the country away from fossil fuels.

The products of the drafting sessions, which could take several arduous days, are to be folded into a final bill later this fall that could be one of the most significant measures to reach the House floor in decades.

“This is our moment to lay a new foundation of opportunity for the American people,” said Representative Richard Neal of Massachusetts, the chairman of the House Ways and Means Committee, in opening remarks on Thursday.

“This is a historic moment to make investments that reflect what we’ve learned during the pandemic so that the American people will be healthier, and our economy will be more inclusive and resilient for generations to come.”

Democrats plan to push through the legislation using a process known as reconciliation, which shields fiscal measures from filibusters and allows them to pass with a simple majority if they adhere to strict rules. The maneuver leaves the party little room for defections given its slim majorities.

In Social Policy Bill, Businesses See a Lot to Like. They Oppose it.

Boston Globe – The far-reaching social policy bill under construction in Congress has much that corporate America has long sought from Washington.

Federal funding for family leave would ease the burden of businesses that currently pay for it while helping those that cannot afford it compete for workers. Child-care tax credits would get women back in the workforce. Income supports for young families could ease upward pressure on wages.

But the bill also contains plenty for corporate America to dislike — particularly the tax increases that would pay for it — and in the cold calculus of corporate lobbying, industries are working hard to bring the whole enterprise down.

“It’s not fair to say we like all the spending but don’t want to pay for it. There is some investment that is more valuable than others,” said Neil Bradley, executive vice president and chief policy officer for the US Chamber of Commerce. But, he added, “ultimately we’re making the case that, taken as a whole, this is economically devastating for the country and in particular members’ districts and states.” 

Businesses have long seen a role for the government in creating and sustaining the kind of trained, healthy workforce that can keep them competitive in a global economy.

Access to affordable child care and early-childhood education would help parents who stopped working during the coronavirus pandemic return to the labor force. Expanded higher education aid and worker retraining could create a more flexible labor pool, programs that business groups have supported for years.

Federally financed family and medical leave would help small businesses that cannot afford it compete for talent with larger businesses providing the benefit.

“What’s holding back growth? Labor force participation, which hasn’t recovered; nonaffordability of child care, which is going to take the biggest leap forward that we’ve ever had; paid leave for illness and family leave,” said Representative Donald Beyer Jr., a Virginia Democrat who owned and ran car dealerships before his political career.

“On the business side, I think it will make for a better workplace, an easier one with less tension.”

Downtown Businesses Cope with New Reality

Associated Press – Downtown businesses in the U.S. and abroad once took for granted that nearby offices would provide a steady clientele looking for breakfast, lunch, everyday goods and services and last-minute gifts. As the resilient coronavirus keeps offices closed and workers at home, some are adapting while others are trying to hang on.

Some businesses are already gone. The survivors have taken steps such as boosting online sales or changing their hours, staffing levels and what they offer customers. Others are relying more on residential traffic.

Many business owners had looked forward to a return toward normalcy this month as offices reopened. But now that many companies have postponed plans to bring workers back, due to surging COVID-19 cases, downtown businesses are reckoning with the fact that adjustments made on the fly may become permanent.

In downtown Detroit, Mike Frank’s cleaning business was running out of money and, it seemed, out of time.

September 8

Schedule

Wednesday September 8  

Joint Committee on Advanced Information Technology, The Internet and Cyber Security-Informal Hearing on Cyber Policy-1:00pm-Virtual Hearing.

 

Thursday September 9 

Joint Committee on Ways and Means- American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) Spending with Focus on Economic Development: Transportation/Arts & Tourism/Climate/Infrastructure-11:30 am-Virtual Hearing. 

Monday September 13  

Joint Committee on Education-Curriculum-11:00am-Virtual Hearing.

Joint Committee on Consumer Protection and Professional Licensure-Alcohol Expansion, Transportation, and Manufacturing-1:00pm-Virtual Hearing.

 

Tuesday September 14  

Joint Committee on Labor and Workforce Development-Independent Contractors-10:30am-Virtual Hearing. 

Joint Committee on State Administration and Regulatory Oversight-State Regulations-10:30am-Virtual Hearing. 

Joint Committee on Health Care Financing- Primary Care & Behavioral Health Care, Patient Care Coordination-11:00am-Virtual Hearing. 

Joint Committee on Municipalities and Regional Government- Home Rule Petitions, Municipal Infrastructure, Powers and Authority, Finance-11:00am-Virtual Hearing. 

 

Wednesday September 15  

Joint Committee on Children, Families and Persons with Disabilities-DCF/Adoption and Abuse-10:00am-Virtual Hearing. 

Joint Committee on Financial Services-Auto Insurance-10:00am-Virtual Hearing.

Joint Committee on Housing-Public Housing-11:00am-Virtual Hearing. 

 

Delta, Economic Disruptions Dent Business Confidence

 

Boston Globe – What a difference a month makes. 

In July, business confidence levels tracked by Associated Industries of Massachusetts reached a three-year high as employers hoped an end to the COVID-19 pandemic was just around the corner. 

Then came the Delta variant: COVID case counts shot up again, causing many companies to put off their return-to-office plans and implement new vaccination requirements for workers. 

That’s one big reason the AIM Business Confidence Index shed 3.6 points in August, its largest drop since March 2020, according to a report out Tuesday. The index fell to 62.0, keeping it squarely in positive territory — the breakpoint between an overall negative mood and an upbeat one is 50 — but the trajectory changed significantly, for the worse. (About 130 employers, ranging in size from one- and two-person firms to billion-dollar companies, responded to the latest poll.) 

“There’s no question that concern about COVID is giving employers pause,” said Chris Geehern, executive vice president at AIM. “The uncertainties swirling around employers have kind of slowed things down a bit.” 

The uncertainties extend beyond public health concerns. They also include significant supply chain disruptions and the struggle to hire enough workers. One respondent remarked that costs have shot up because parts need to be imported to the United States by plane, as it’s impossible to get supplies on a container ship. Another said they are not bidding on potentially lucrative contracts because they don’t have the staff necessary to fulfill them. 

And then there are the persistent headlines about office delays: Big Boston-area employers that have publicly announced they would keep most workers remote for longer than anticipated range from Google to John Hancock to Dell Technologies. 

The AIM report comes days after the National Federation of Independent Business reported poll results that showed half of small-business owners reported they had job openings they could not fill, a record high. The primary factor: Too few qualified applicants. 

Gig Workers Question Clears First Hurdle Before 2022 Ballot 

 

Boston Globe – A controversial ballot question that could reshape the gig economy moved one step closer to appearing before Massachusetts voters on the 2022 ballot. 

On Wednesday, Attorney General Maura Healey certified 17 ballot petitions as meeting constitutional muster, including questions on voter identification, happy hour, the legal status of app-based drivers, and more. 

That’s just the first hurdle of many: Proponents of each question still have to gather more than 80,000 signatures over the next few months, and, if the Legislature doesn’t take action on the petitions, more than 13,000 additional signatures in the spring. It’s a taxing, expensive process; many initiatives don’t make the ballot after missing one or more requirement. 

And there’s always the possibility that a lawsuit could keep a petition from reaching voters, especially for controversial measures like the gig workers question. 

Thirteen initiatives were nixed in Healey’s review, she announced, including several that had the backing of the Massachusetts Republican Party. One seeking “to preserve the lives of children born alive,” was rejected because, the agency said, “its provisions are so ambiguous that it is impossible to determine, or inform potential voters of, the proposed law’s meaning.” Healey’s office also rejected one the party claimed targeted “critical race theory,” in part because “it is inconsistent with the right to free speech.” 

Ballot petitions are reviewed under strict constitutional standards, the office said in a news release. They cannot infringe on protected constitutional rights and cannot pertain to subjects like religion or the power of the courts. 

Perhaps the most closely watched is the question on the legal classification of gig workers in Massachusetts. A coalition backed by tech companies such as Uber, Lyft, DoorDash, and Instacart seeks to keep classifying their drivers and deliverers as independent contractors, not employees, while offering them some new benefits. An opposing group, with support from large labor organizations, says those benefits are paltry compared with what drivers should already be getting under state law. 

 

Unemployment Benefits Expire for Millions Without Pushback From Biden 

 

New York Times – WASHINGTON — Expanded unemployment benefits that have kept millions of Americans afloat during the pandemic expired on Monday, setting up an abrupt cutoff of assistance to 7.5 million people as the Delta variant rattles the pandemic recovery. 

The end of the aid came without objection from President Biden and his top economic advisers, who have become caught in a political fight over the benefits and are now banking on other federal help and an autumn pickup in hiring to keep vulnerable families from foreclosure and food lines. 

The $1.9 trillion economic aid package Mr. Biden signed in March included extended and expanded benefits for unemployed workers, like a $300-per-week federal supplement to state jobless payments, additional weeks of assistance for the long-term unemployed and the extension of a special program to provide benefits to so-called gig workers who traditionally do not qualify for unemployment benefits.

 

The expiration date reached on Monday means that 7.5 million people will lose their benefits entirely and another three million will lose the $300 weekly supplement. 

Board Agrees to Early Education Mask Mandate

 

NBC Boston – Teachers, staff and children age 5 and older who are enrolled in state-licensed day care, after-school and out-of-school programs will be required to wear masks indoors starting after Labor Day. 

The policy, approved unanimously by the Massachusetts Board of Early Education and Care, is consistent with the back-to-school policy rolled out last week by the state. 

Children across Massachusetts are returning to in-person learning over the next couple of weeks. 

The policy applies to adults regardless of vaccination status and does not have an expiration date. It includes parents at pick-up and drop-off. The EEC policy bulletin notes that, by federal public health order, all children over the age of 2 and staff are required to wear masks on child care transportation. 

Children between the ages of 2 and 5 will be “strongly” encouraged to wear a mask indoors if they are able. No students would be required to wear a mask while eating or sleeping, and exemptions would be available for physical and behavioral health conditions that might make wearing a mask unsafe. 

Gov. Charlie Baker, who held a news conference shortly before the vote, said he agreed with the approach. “I think they’re viewing that at this point in time as an appropriate measure as, you know, school starts and as people start incorporating more of those early ed programs into their daily lives, I think it makes sense,” Baker said. 

The board also voted to give Early Education Commissioner Samantha Aigner-Treworgy the authority to relax some of the early education teacher credentialing policies to increase the pipelines of people willing to take jobs in day care and after-school programs. 

Massachusetts Preschools, Daycares Face ‘Frustrating’ Staff Shortages 
 
Boston Herald – Although childcare workers and experts have warned of a staffing shortage for years, the crisis is now being felt more acutely than ever before as the school year ramps up. 

“Pre-COVID, there was a waitlist for kids to come in and all of the classrooms were up and running,” said Jennifer Curtis, executive director of South Shore Stars, a non-profit organization that hosts early childhood and youth programs. 

Now, she said, “two of our early childhood programs… have classrooms that remain empty because we still have staffing needs.” 

According to a study released earlier this year by the Boston Opportunity Council, Boston saw an 11% drop in the number of seats available for children since the end of 2017, and had permanently lost 13% of its licensed childcare programs that were open pre-pandemic. 

 

One study from the Center for American Progress estimated that only 28% of infants and toddlers statewide could be served by licensed childcare providers pre-pandemic. 

Curtis said staff have turned over because they had to take care of their own families, were concerned about contracting COVID-19, or, reconciled whether they wanted to be in the workforce or whether they want to be at home. As a nonprofit organization, she’s not able to pay her workers as much as private or public centers can. 

“You’re teaching your little ones in a prime developmental phase that’s really going to make them successful for the rest of their educational career,” she said. “It’s very frustrating when the salaries aren’t where they should be so you can attract and maintain staff.” 

Researchers have known about the “expensive childcare, low worker wages” paradox for a while, according to Alicia Modestino, associate professor at Northeastern’s School of Public Policy and Urban Affairs and the Department of Economics. 

Taxpayers Keep Cash Rolling in on Beacon Hill 

 

State House News – As legislators sit on surpluses and federal aid tied to pandemic recovery, taxpayers last month delivered money to state government at an even more accelerated pace than last fiscal year when they contributed to a cash windfall on Beacon Hill. 

Department of Revenue officials late Friday afternoon reported that tax collections just two months into fiscal 2022 are up $639 million, or 15.6 percent higher than in the same two-month period of fiscal 2021. August collections of $2.49 billion were up by nearly 27 percent over August 2020. 

“August revenue included increases in all major tax types relative to August 2020 collections, including increases in withholding, regular sales, meals tax, and ‘all other tax,’ ” Revenue Commissioner Geoffrey Snyder said.

 

“The increase in withholding is likely related to improvement in labor market conditions. The increase in regular sales tax reflects continued strength in retail sales, and the increase in meals tax reflects the easing of COVID-19 restrictions. The increase in ‘all other tax’ is primarily attributable to estate tax, a category that tends to fluctuate, and room occupancy tax.”

 

Income and withholding tax collections, the two largest pots of revenue, were up 25 percent and 20.5 percent, respectively, above August 2020 totals. 

Snyder’s assessment of improving labor market conditions comes as employers scramble to fill open positions and as 300,000 state residents over the weekend lost federal enhanced unemployment benefits when COVID-19 programs ended on Saturday. 

Last month, after revenues beat expectations for fiscal 2021 by roughly $5 billion, Gov. Charlie Baker proposed legislation to spend almost $1.57 billion while substantially bolstering the state’s cash reserves and offsetting some of the long-term unemployment insurance cost increasing facing businesses. 

The Massachusetts Legislature last held formal sessions in late July. When formal sessions resume, lawmakers face decisions about how to allocate the fiscal 2021 surplus, ways to spend $4.8 billion in federal aid, as well as policy choices in the areas of sports betting, voting law reforms, and redistricting. 

 

Massachusetts Expands Vaccine Requirement to More Workers Caring for the Elderly 

 

Boston.com – After announcing plans to mandate the COVID-19 vaccine for skilled nursing home staff in Massachusetts last month, Gov. Charlie Baker’s administration is expanding the requirement to a range of workers who interact with the state’s oldest and most vulnerable residents. 

The Baker administration announced Wednesday that the state will require all staff at rest homes, assisted living residences, and hospice programs, as well as an estimated 100,000 home care workers, to get the COVID-19 vaccine by Oct. 31. 

 

If and when the plan is approved by the state’s Public Health Council, the mandate — implemented through state regulations — would cover 62 freestanding rest homes, 268 assisted living residences, and 85 hospice programs in Massachusetts, in addition to the thousands of home care workers. 

 

The requirement would also apply to contractors who regularly enter rest homes, assisted living residences, and hospice programs, in addition to direct employees. 

For home care workers, the mandate applies to individuals providing in-home, direct care who are employed by an agency that is contracted or subcontracted with the commonwealth, as well as independent, non-agency-based home care workers. 

The planned mandate does have exemptions for individuals with medical conditions that prevent them from getting the vaccine or objections to vaccination based on sincerely held religious beliefs. 

Baker’s office, which will also require the COVID-19 vaccine for tens of thousands of state government workers and contractors, says the expanded mandate Wednesday is part of the administration’s effort to protect older adults against COVID-19. 

 

Primary Care Field Faces High Burnout and Renewed Financial Struggles

 

WBUR – Primary care has been under stress for years. It’s a medical field with high demands and relatively low incomes, at least among doctors. 

When COVID-19 arrived, those practices took a huge hit. Despite measures to make up for lost revenue, many are still struggling. 

On a recent morning, Amy Jewitt, of Hadley, brought her 2-month-old baby, Summer, for a physical with physician assistant Sarah Vacca. 

“Let me see you on your belly,” Vacca says to Summer, setting her on the exam table, over a few light gurgles. “Any diaper rashes?” Vacca asks Jewitt. 

This is one of the only times Jewitt has come into the office since the pandemic began. Most of her appointments have been on video. “Just being in a space where a lot of sick people come is worrying,” Jewitt says, “especially with such a little one.” 

For the past year and a half, many patients have been avoiding the doctor’s office — in varying waves. 

“It was terrifying. I really thought I was going to lose my practice,” says Dr. Kate Atkinson, who runs primary care offices in Northampton and Amherst. 

Early in the pandemic, when patient visits dropped off dramatically, Atkinson’s income dried up. So, she laid off some staffers, starting with those who wanted to reduce hours, and quickly ramped up televisits. 

In March 2020, Gov. Charlie Baker ordered insurers to reimburse telehealth at the same rate as office visits and to waive those copays, “which for Massachusetts was a godsend,” explains Atkinson. “I mean, it really saved us. People actually wanted to keep their appointments.” 

Poll Shows Michelle Wu in a Commanding Position in the Boston Mayoral Race 

Boston Globe – As early voting swings into motion, a new poll shows City Councilor Michelle Wu of Roslindale with a commanding lead over her competitors, confirming the findings of other recent surveys that point to a battle brewing for second place in the preliminary contest for Boston mayor. 

With roughly a week to go before Tuesday’s preliminary election, Wu sits atop of the pack with 31 percent, outside the poll’s margin of error, according to the Suffolk University and Boston Globe poll of 500 likely voters. Wu’s standing is an improvement over where she was in June, when a Suffolk/Globe poll found her with support from 23 percent of likely voters. 

Three other contenders are bunched together in the race for second place — Kim Janey, who is the acting mayor, at 20 percent; and City Councilors Annissa Essaibi George at 19 percent and Andrea Campbell at 18 percent. John Barros, the city’s former chief of economic development, trails far behind at 3 percent. 

 

US Reaches 75% of Adults with at Least One Vaccine Dose 

 

Boston Globe – Three-quarters of U.S. adults have received at least one dose of a Covid-19 vaccine as of Tuesday, according to a White House official, setting a new milestone in the country’s fight against the pandemic. 

Data to be reported later in the day by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention will reflect the new threshold, the official said. The U.S. hit 70% of adults with at least one dose in early August, four weeks after President Joe Biden’s July 4th target for the achievement.  

 

Labor Shortage Leaves Union Workers Emboldened 
 

Associated Press – When negotiations failed to produce a new contract at a Volvo plant in Virginia this spring, its 2,900 workers went on strike. 

The company soon dangled what looked like a tempting offer — at least to the United Auto Workers local leaders who recommended it to their members: Pay raises. Signing bonuses. Lower-priced health care. 

Yet the workers overwhelmingly rejected the proposal. And then a second one, too. Finally, they approved a third offer that provided even higher raises, plus lump-sum bonuses. 

For the union, it was a breakthrough that wouldn’t likely have happened as recently as last year. That was before the pandemic spawned a worker shortage that’s left some of America’s long-beleaguered union members feeling more confident this Labor Day than they have in year.

 

With Help Wanted signs at factories and businesses spreading across the nation, in manufacturing and in service industries, union workers like those at the Volvo site are seizing the opportunity to try to recover some of the bargaining power — and financial security — they feel they lost in recent decades as unions shrank in size and influence.  

Are Voters Ready to give Democrats Total Control of Beacon Hill? 

 

Commonwealth Magazine – Over the last 30 years, voters in Massachusetts have been remarkably consistent, electing moderate Republicans as governor to serve as a counterbalance to the Democratic-controlled Legislature.  

The only exception to that trend was the election of Deval Patrick in 2006. He ran for an open seat when Mitt Romney chose not to seek reelection and ended up serving for two terms – defeating Kerry Healey to win a first term and Charlie Baker to win a second. Both Healey and Baker moved to the right in those campaigns and lost. Baker adopted a much more centrist campaign in 2014 and won; his mix of political pragmatism and fiscal incrementalism has made him one of the most popular governors in the nation. 

The race for governor in 2022 is still taking shape (Baker, for example, hasn’t said whether he will run again), but the early trendlines suggest Democrats believe a different dynamic is in play this time around. Rather than adopting centrist positions, the three announced Democratic candidates – Harvard professor Danielle Allen, Sen. Sonia Chang-Diaz of Jamaica Plain, and former state senator Ben Downing – are all campaigning on platforms that call for a much larger and expensive role for state government in daily life. 

Chang-Diaz on Tuesday came out in support of extending the K-12 public school system in both directions – adding publicly funded preschool programs for 3- and 4-year-olds and making public higher education free for all Massachusetts residents, with additional money to cover fees for living and textbook expenses for low-income students.  

The initiatives would be expensive, with costs running into the billions of dollars. Chang-Diaz told CommonWealth she believes voters want full-scale reform and not the more targeted, incremental changes favored by Baker. “This plan that we’re laying out is intended to be bold, transformative change on the scale of the problem working families and our economies are experiencing,” she said. 

Coronavirus May Never Go Away. But Perpetual Pandemic Could Still Fizzle Out 

 

WBUR – When the novel coronavirus burst into the world, and 2020 was still young and full of hope, many imagined the pandemic would last for just a few weeks of “lockdown.” Later it became: Okay, just one more year of this. 

Then the vaccines came out, and even health experts were finally starting to talk about population-level immunity, relaxing restrictions and living it up like it was ’19. Cases were dropping, at least in the United States, and it looked like the end times might soon be at an end. 

“For the first time, even as we were loosening restrictions, and the Red Sox came back and cases continued to drop, I was like, ‘This is categorically new epidemiology. This is vaccine,’ ” says Dr. Benjamin Linas, an epidemiologist at Boston University. “We had that moment of hope that perhaps we could generate complete herd immunity. I had adjusted to the idea of like, ‘This is awesome.’ ” 

Turns out things are not awesome. With the surge of delta variant infections around the world and the revelation that the strain can cause fully vaccinated people to experience infections and transmit the virus, Linas and other health scientists say it’s time to recalibrate our expectations once again. The coronavirus might very well be around forever, and Linas says it’s high time we accept that. 

“I don’t think we’re ever going to eradicate or even eliminate SARS-CoV-2 [or the novel coronavirus],” Linas says. 

At-Home COVID Tests Surge in Popularity

 

Commonwealth Magazine – The last couple of weeks, customers at Skenderian Apothecary in Cambridge have been asking for at-home COVID tests. But owner Joseph Skenderian hasn’t been able to stock them.  

“I can’t get a steady line,” Skenderian said. “When I go to order, I might get a couple, then they’re unavailable. They go very quickly.” 

As COVID-19 rates are rising again amid a surge in Delta variant cases, people are flocking to buy a relatively new product: at-home, rapid COVID tests. The high demand nationwide is creating a shortage of the products. And their availability also poses new questions about the accuracy of state-related COVID case counts, since if someone tests positive at home, their illness may never be reported to public health officials.   

Since November 2020, the US Food and Drug Administration has approved for emergency use several COVID tests where specimens can be collected at home.   

Some, like QuestDirect, mail consumers a kit. The consumer takes a nasal swab and mails the kit back. According to Quest, the test is processed in the lab just as if it were collected in a doctor’s office, and results are reported to public health authorities as required by law.  

 

But other tests can be done without a lab. Abbot BinaxNOW is a rapid test that is done at home and delivers results in 15 minutes. There is another rapid at-home test manufactured by Ellume, and one by Quidel called QuickVue. The tests are generally less reliable than the traditional PCR tests, but they still have relatively high accuracy and allow for faster results.

 

While PCR tests are often covered by insurance or government programs, the rapid tests cost money – between $24 and $39 for one or two tests, depending on the brand.   

Editorial: Andrea Campbell Should be Boston’s Next Mayor 

Boston Globe (Opinion) – Andrea Campbell wanted change, and she didn’t want to wait. So in 2015, the Roxbury-born education lawyer took the toughest path into Boston politics: She challenged, and then handily defeated, an entrenched 32-year incumbent for the City Council seat representing Mattapan, one of the city’s neediest neighborhoods. 

A restless impatience with the status quo and a willingness to charge headfirst into political risks to make life better for Bostonians have been the hallmarks of Campbell’s inspiring career. Last year, before anybody knew that Mayor Marty Walsh would be leaving City Hall, she announced she would take him on, frustrated by the slow pace of change in the public schools and police department on Walsh’s watch. 

In a recent meeting with the Globe editorial board, Campbell, 39 and a mother of two young boys, described the moment she decided to launch what would have been another uphill battle. She looked at her children, and asked herself, “Are you going to continue to stand on the sidelines?” 

“I said, I was done waiting.” 

Baker ‘Not Focused” on 2020 Campaign, but Not Ruling out Third Term 

Boston Herald – Gov. Charlie Baker brushed off concerns that former President Donald Trump could derail his re-election — should he choose to run for a third term, saying the 2022 campaign is “so far down the road” he’s not yet thinking about it yet. 

“There will be plenty of opportunities to talk about campaign 2022 if it becomes something that the lieutenant governor and I are part of, but I’m not focused on that stuff at this point at all,” Baker said in response to a question by WBZ’s Jon Keller asking him about Trump’s potential support for gubernatorial candidate and former state Rep. Geoff Diehl. 

Trump last month told MassGOP Chairman Jim Lyons that he’d be inclined to support Diehl, a loyal supporter of the former president, in a primary with Baker, the Herald first reported last month. 

There’s little love lost between the Massachusetts Republican governor and Trump, who frequently engaged in public mudslinging during the former president’s tenure in office. 

 

Property Owners Weigh Challenge to Boston’s Eviction Moratorium  

State House News – Landlords and real estate industry leaders criticized a new citywide eviction moratorium in Boston, contending that it would slow the region’s economic recovery from the pandemic amid rumblings that a potential legal challenge might soon take shape. 

The Small Property Owners Association, a landlord group that led the successful push for a ballot question banning rent control in 1994, said Wednesday that the new temporary ban Mayor Kim Janey announced a day earlier “will do little to solve the challenge of keeping tenants in their housing and will continue to unfairly burden rental housing providers.” 

“Small property owners are small business owners who still must pay expenses and property taxes while being denied the fundamental right to manage their own properties,” SPOA said in a statement. “Government should not foist the responsibility of housing non-paying tenants on (the) backs of rental housing providers — especially without offering any direct assistance or compensation.” 

Under the public health order issued Tuesday, which took effect immediately and cites the city’s ongoing public health emergency, property owners and landlords cannot “serve or cause the service of notice of levy upon an eviction, or otherwise enforce a residential eviction upon a resident of Boston.” Some cases where a court has found health and safety violations by a tenant are not covered by the moratorium. 

Janey linked the order and a separate $5 million foreclosure prevention fund she is establishing to a U.S. Supreme Court decision last week, which lifted the Centers for Disease Control’s federal eviction moratorium. 

“The loss of federal eviction protections and the ongoing pandemic has put our most vulnerable neighbors at risk of losing their homes,” Janey said. 

Greg Vasil, president and CEO of the Greater Boston Real Estate Board, told the News Service on Wednesday that the city-level policy “sends a message that you don’t have to pay rent because the mayor took care of you.” 

Vasil said he worries the moratorium will stymie efforts to connect Boston tenants behind on rent payments with the hundreds of millions of dollars that remain available through the Residential Assistance for Families in Transition program, or RAFT, and other forms of rent relief. 

“What this does is it incentivizes people not to engage with their landlord and not to apply for RAFT and not to do all the things we’ve been preaching for the past six months now that we have this money,” he said. “We’ve been through this, and it’s wrong. Now we have money, a lot of money we’ve been trying so hard to get out.” 

Amid calls from President Joe Biden for action to prevent evictions at the state and local levels, Gov. Charlie Baker and legislative leaders have opted not to revive a statewide eviction moratorium. Their focus has been on a diversion initiative launched last year to connect renters and landlords with aid dollars and legal resources. 

August 31

Schedule

Wednesday, September 1  

Joint Committee on Children, Families and Persons with Disabilities-DCF/Trauma-10am-Virtual Hearing.

Joint Committee on Public Service-Creditable Service and Buyback Bills-1:00pm-Virtual Hearing.

Tuesday September 14  

Joint Committee on Health Care Financing- Primary Care & Behavioral Health Care, Patient Care Coordination-11:00am-Virtual Hearing.

Wednesday September 15 

Joint Committee on Children, Families and Persons with Disabilities-DCF/Adoption and Abuse-10:00am-Virtual Hearing.

Joint Committee on Financial Services-Auto Insurance-10:00am-Virtual Hearing.

All but One Massachusetts County is at High Risk of COVID-19 Transmission 

Boston.com – Every Massachusetts county but one now has a high risk of COVID-19 transmission, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

On Sunday, the CDC posted updated transmission data showing that Franklin County is the only one with “substantial” transmission. The other 13 counties — Barnstable, Berkshire, Bristol, Dukes, Essex, Hampden, Hampshire, Middlesex, Nantucket, Norfolk, Plymouth, Suffolk, and Worcester — have a high rate of transmission. For weeks, the CDC has been classifying transmission in counties and states as low, moderate, substantial, or high.

This isn’t novel: almost every bordering county in each neighboring state has high transmission.

As of Aug. 29, Massachusetts had a high transmission rate overall, with a 7-day percent positivity of 3% to 4.9% and 146 cases per 100,000 in the last week. Right now, every single state is classified as having a high transmission rate.

The World Is Still Short of Everything. Get Used to It. 

New York Times – Like most people in the developed world, Kirsten Gjesdal had long taken for granted her ability to order whatever she needs and then watch the goods arrive, without any thought about the factories, container ships and trucks involved in delivery.

Not anymore.

At her kitchen supply store in Brookings, S.D., Ms. Gjesdal has given up stocking place mats, having wearied of telling customers that she can only guess when more will come. She recently received a pot lid she had purchased eight months earlier. She has grown accustomed to paying surcharges to cover the soaring shipping costs of the goods she buys. She has already placed orders for Christmas items like wreaths and baking pans.

“It’s nuts,” she said. “It’s definitely not getting back to normal.”

The challenges confronting Ms. Gjesdal’s shop, Carrot Seed Kitchen, are a testament to the breadth and persistence of the chaos roiling the global economy, as manufacturers and the shipping industry contend with an unrelenting pandemic.

Delays, product shortages and rising costs continue to bedevil businesses large and small. And consumers are confronted with an experience once rare in modern times: no stock available, and no idea when it will come in.

Governor Baker: Low Positivity Rate Proof Vaccines are Working

Boston.com – With high testing rates, low percent positivity, and robust vaccination rates, Gov. Charlie Baker says Massachusetts is leading the country in protecting residents against COVID-19.

In a Sunday Twitter thread, Baker pointed to several data points as proof that the state is doing well.

“Massachusetts tests more than any other state but our positivity rate is the lowest in the nation,” he said. “More of our population is vaccinated than almost any other state. With more of our residents protected, fewer are getting very sick than almost anywhere else.”

According to Baker, Massachusetts is leading the nation in COVID-19 testing, with 17.608 tests per 100,000 administered in the last month.

Governor Defends School Mask Policies

Boston.com – Governor Charlie Baker is defending his quick policy change on a statewide school mask mandate and suggesting a return to remote learning is highly unlikely.

In a Sunday interview, WBZ’s Jon Keller asked Baker about his two-day policy change on masking in schools: from saying local governments should craft policies on Aug. 18 to his education commissioner recommending a statewide mask mandate for schools on Aug. 20.

“Things change primarily because the circumstances and the facts on the ground change,” Baker said.

“We heard a lot from our colleagues in local government who felt that it was very important for them — and therefore for us and the constituents we both serve — that we start the school year with a consistent standard across the board.”

The state’s new policy implements a broad mask mandate through Oct. 3, after which schools with an 80% vaccination rate can allow vaccinated individuals not to wear masks. Since children under 12-years-old aren’t yet eligible for the vaccine, they will still be required to wear masks. For each scenario, standard exceptions apply, such as certain medical diagnoses.

“It’s our hope and our expectation…that we’ll be able to use many of the vaccine clinics we’ve established with local school districts to give schools the ability to get to the 80%…vaccinated so they’ll be able to make their own decision moving forward,” Baker said

Unclear Whether VaxMillions Increased Vaccinations 

Commonwealth – State officials are trying to spin the VaxMillions Giveaway as a success, but it’s hard to say whether the lottery game actually did what it was intended to do – prod more people to get vaccinated.

The Baker administration points out that between the time the game was announced on June 15 through the final day of registration on August 19 more than 318,000 residents received a first dose of the vaccine, and more than 440,000 residents became fully vaccinated.

But what impact the lottery game, whose $10 million cost was paid for using federal COVID funds, had on individual vaccination decisions is unclear. Of course, people got inoculated during that time period, but we don’t know if the game impacted the decision to get vaccinated to any significant degree.

VaxMillions shut down on Thursday after the latest winners were announced. Cynthia Thirath of Leominster won the $1 million prize for fully vaccinated people 18 and over. Gretchen Selva of Conway won the $300,000 scholarship available to fully vaccinated individuals between 12 and 17.

Both Thirath and Selva were vaccinated prior to the lottery game being unveiled, so the game itself had no impact on their decisions. The same was true of the previous eight winners.

Gov. Charlie Baker issued a statement on Thursday praising the lottery game. Treasurer Deborah Goldberg, who chairs the Massachusetts State Lottery Commission, was even more emphatic. “This did in fact encourage thousands who were not yet vaccinated, and at the end of the day that is a win/win for everyone,” she said.

Return of College Students Brings Uncertainty because of Delta Variant

Boston Globe – For a brief moment early this summer, as vaccination rates rose, it seemed as though the fall season on college campuses might bring a blissful rush of normalcy. Teeming dorms, packed lectures, bustling dining halls, raucous parties.

Now, as students return, the reality is a more subdued version of that dream. Most institutions will have full dorms, side-by-side desks, and in-person activities, but they’ll also require masks, regular testing, and proof of vaccination for students and staff.

And a sense of foreboding looms: The Delta variant is extremely contagious, and no one knows what the colder months will bring. Many professors, especially those with unvaccinated children, fear for their safety and that of their families.

“We are not as far as we hoped we would be as a nation in battling the pandemic, and so campuses have to respond,” said Laurie Leshin, president of Worcester Polytechnic Institute who last year led a consortium of institutions that banded together to tackle the pandemic. She continues to meet with a group of private college presidents every two weeks to compare notes on how they are handling this new phase.

In response to the highly transmissible variant, many institutions recently reinstated an indoor mask mandate, including in dormitories. Most will continue weekly testing for students, faculty, and staff, and nearly all schools in the region have made vaccines mandatory for everyone on campus. But none of this is any guarantee of a smooth school year, epidemiologists warn.

Gubernatorial Rivals Take Aim at Baker over COVID-19 

Boston Globe – All three Democratic gubernatorial candidates are pushing Governor Charlie Baker to enact stronger COVID-19 restrictions, a signal that the highly transmissible Delta variant has emerged not just as a public health threat but as a potentially dominant issue in the 2022 governor’s race.

The calls for Baker to take more aggressive steps foreshadow the central role that virus response could play in the still-uncertain gubernatorial contest. The popular second-term Republican has yet to say whether he will seek a third term as governor, but political rivals on the left and right are taking aim at his administration’s COVID-19 response, charging that he’s done either too little or too much — and hoping their criticisms dent his enviable approval ratings.

Two Democratic candidates, Harvard professor Danielle Allen and state Senator Sonia Chang-Díaz, released proposals this month outlining more aggressive steps to combat the uptick in COVID-19 cases. Ben Downing, a former state senator who is also running, has been vocal over the past few months on COVID-19 protocols, too, including calling for Baker to declare a new state of emergency to address the Delta variant.

“The governor has been too reactive to the virus and to its many ripple effects,” Downing told the Globe on Friday. “It’s going to require a variety of proactive steps to not only beat back the virus but to start to return to something that looks like normal in our day to day lives. I think on the whole the governor hasn’t shown the urgency.”

All three Democrats say Baker should require public school educators to be vaccinated. But administration officials said Baker has already imposed a vaccine mandate on all the public employees under his purview and has encouraged all other employers to adopt similar requirements.

On the Republican side, conservative former lawmaker and gubernatorial candidate Geoff Diehl has slammed Baker for going too far in his response to the growing threat, arguing that a vaccine mandate for state workers that Baker enacted Aug. 19 encroaches on their civil liberties.

EU Recommends Halting Nonessential Travel From the U.S. Over Covid-19 

Wall Street Journal – The European Union recommended halting nonessential travel from the U.S. because of the rise of Covid-19 cases, diplomats said Monday, ending a summer-vacation reprieve for American tourists.

The decision came amid the growing spread of the Delta variant in the U.S., where vaccination rates have also now fallen behind the average rates of shots in EU countries.

The EU travel list, which is reviewed every two weeks, isn’t binding on member states, but it has generally set the pattern for who can visit the bloc. The EU decided in June to add the U.S. to its safe list.

Still, member states retain control over all the rules for tourist travel, such as whether to impose quarantines on unvaccinated travelers and which certificates to accept as proof of having received a vaccine.

Announcing the decision, the EU stressed the decision doesn’t take away “the possibility for member states to lift the temporary restriction on nonessential travel…for fully vaccinated travelers.”

Most Children With Severe Post-Covid-19 Condition in Fine Health Year Later, U.K. Study Finds

Wall Street Journal – Most children admitted to intensive care with a serious inflammatory complication after getting COVID-19 didn’t have serious lingering issues a year later, according to a study of data collected from hospitals across the U.K.

As the highly contagious Delta variant sweeps across the world, doctors say they are worried about its effect on children, especially those who are unvaccinated. In some parts of the U.S., more children have been hospitalized for COVID-19 treatment recently than at any time during the pandemic since U.S. authorities began tracking the data last year.

The U.K. study tracked the health of children with multisystem inflammatory syndrome, or MIS-C, a rare condition that can occur in children several weeks after COVID -19 infection. It can involve many different organ systems and lead to issues with the heart, including aneurysms in the coronary arteries, arrhythmias and problems with heart function.

Without the proper diagnosis and management, which often involves the use of intravenous immune globulin or corticosteroids, MIS-C can lead to organ damage or even death. More than 4,400 cases of MIS-C were reported among children in the U.S. during the pandemic as of the end of July, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Most children seemed to recover from MIS-C without any serious long-term problems, according to researchers in the U.K. who collected data on 68 patients under the age of 18 admitted to intensive-care units with MIS-C before May 10, 2020.

Court Tosses Mandatory Vaccine Lawsuit Filed against UMass by Quincy Woman 

Patriot Ledger – A federal judge on Friday dismissed a lawsuit brought by a Quincy woman challenging a requirement that students at the University of Massachusetts campuses in Boston and Lowell be fully vaccinated against the coronavirus in order to return to campus.

Cora Cluett, a senior student from Quincy, and UMass-Lowell junior Hunter Harris, of Medway, sued in July, asking the judge to find the vaccination mandates to be unconstitutional. UMass-Boston denied Cluett’s request for a religious exemption, which would have allowed her to attend class without being vaccinated.

U.S. District Judge Denise Casper said the schools have a strong interest in reducing the spread of the disease. She found that, despite the students’ assertion that the policy is “arbitrary or not based in science,” the schools “based the decision upon both medical and scientific evidence and research and guidance and thus is at least rationally related to these legitimate interests.”

The judge also noted that students who refuse to get vaccinated may still take online classes or defer their enrollment for one semester. But even if the policy meant they would be deprived of a UMass education, their argument still fails, she said.

“Moreover, the balance of equities tips in Defendants’ favor given the strong public interest here that they are promoting – preventing further spread of COVID-19 on campus, a virus which has infected and taken the lives of thousands of Massachusetts residents,” she wrote.

Cluett’s lawsuit says she asked the school to exempt her from the vaccine requirement because of her religious beliefs. In her request, she identified as Roman Catholic and provided no evidence or information that vaccines were against her religion.   

Amid Pandemic, A Startup Surge in Massachusetts. 

Boston Globe – The coronavirus pandemic has likely sparked a surge in entrepreneurship in Massachusetts, reversing a years-long stagnation in the growth of new businesses in the Commonwealth.  

Aspiring entrepreneurs filed paperwork to start 74,662 businesses in Massachusetts over the last year, according to recent data from the Census Bureau, a 33 percent increase from the year before, and the highest volume of applications since the Census began tracking it in 2004. (The latest numbers are from Internal Revenue Service data from July 2020 to July 2021.)  

“I am not surprised,” Jim Rooney, president of the Greater Boston Chamber of Commerce, said in a statement about new-business growth. “Economic downturns have created similar patterns in the past as people laid-off from companies during COVID decide to start their own business.”

Mask Mandate Reaches into Early Education 

Consistent with the new mask-wearing rules in public schools, the Baker administration on Tuesday will seek permission to impose a mask mandate for all staff and children age 5 and older enrolled in state-licensed pre-kindergarten, after-school and other early education programs.

The policy would look similar to what Education Commissioner Jeff Riley rolled out last week for students, faculty and staff in K-12 public schools, which requires that anyone over the age of 5 must wear a mask regardless of vaccination status through at least Oct. 1.

The Board of Early Education and Care will hold a special meeting Tuesday morning to consider the request to give Commissioner Samantha Aigner-Treworgy the authority to implement the new masking policy in early education centers.

Aigner-Treworgy will also ask the board for the authority to modify educator qualifications and professional development requirements, and take other administrative measures that will make it easier to hire teachers and respond to a workforce shortage that is limiting families’ access to early education options, officials said.

“EEC is committed to addressing barriers to help child care programs increase their workforce and help more families get back to work by accessing child care that works for them,” Aigner-Treworgy said in a statement. “We fully recognize the critical importance of doing all we can to help mitigate the impact of the pandemic on child care and on the health and safety of families.”

Community Colleges Retain Online Learning

Boston Globe – As the five colleges of Hampshire County revert back to full in-person instruction, the area’s community colleges are moving in another direction. Both Holyoke Community College and Greenfield Community College are still offering more online or hybrid courses than in-person ones for the upcoming semester.

For GCC, just over half of their classes will be online this fall semester. In 2019, only 12% of course selections were listed as online courses.

At HCC, only about 30% of classes will be fully in-person this semester. In 2019, more than two-thirds of the college’s classes were face-to-face. The college is also offering some “blended face-to-face” courses which have some on-campus aspects, like a lab. Those courses account for about 10% of the total courses offered.

According to the colleges, their decisions to keep online learning as a big part of the schools was a reflection of two things: student demand and COVID-19 safety.

Chet Jordan, the dean of social sciences, professional studies & workforce development at GCC, has noticed that there is a similar demand for both in-person and online courses, matching the school’s nearly 50-50 spread.

“They’re shaking out pretty evenly,” Jordan said.

Mark Hudgik, the director of admissions at HCC, said that he also had heard feedback from students that went both ways.

“We were hearing from a number of students who said, you know, I really want to go to college, but I don’t want to do it online,” Hudgik said.

Massachusetts General Hospital names David Brown to be new president 

Boston Globe – Mass General Brigham has promoted a veteran department chief to run Massachusetts General Hospital, the state’s most prestigious medical institution.

Dr. David F. M. Brown will be president of the hospital and executive vice president at the Mass General Brigham system beginning Sept. 8. He is chair of the department of emergency medicine at MGH, a role he has held since 2013.

Brown, 58, is a familiar name at MGH, where efforts to make the hospital work better as part of a unified health care system have run into resistance. As an insider, he may be better positioned to ease tensions.

Brown has worked at the hospital for 32 years, starting as an intern, and called himself an MGH “lifer.”

“MGH is in my DNA, and I have love, respect, and affection for it,” he said in an interview. “At the same time, I have a clear-eyed understanding and full-throated support of our MGB vision to become a fully integrated health care system in service of our patients.”

Brown will succeed Dr. Peter L. Slavin, who has led the hospital for 18 years and announced in April that he would step down, saying a new leader should work to integrate MGH with its parent company, Mass General Brigham.

Formerly known as Partners HealthCare, Mass General Brigham is the state’s biggest hospital system.

Dr. Anne Klibanski, chief executive of Mass General Brigham, said she selected Brown from a large and diverse field of candidates and called him the best person to lead MGH during this “critical point in the history and evolution of Mass General Brigham.”

“David has been in our system for a long time. He understands the culture. He understands what makes these institutions special,” Klibanski told the Globe. “But he also embraces the strategic vision of where we need to go in the future.”

Curb Boston’s Biggest Source of Greenhouse Gas Emissions

The Boston Globe (Opinion) – The biggest source of greenhouse gas emissions in Boston is not the cars on our congested streets. It’s the buildings that hover over them.

About 70 percent of the city’s emissions come from homes and offices and hospitals. Buildings use huge amounts of heating oil and natural gas and electricity to warm living rooms, cool our lobbies, and keep our hallways well-lit.

So, if Boston is to meet its goal of carbon neutrality by 2050 — that is, if the city is to release only as much carbon as the environment can safely absorb — it has to get serious about reducing emissions from buildings. And that means approving a measure championed by City Council President Matt O’Malley that would require building owners to ratchet down emissions or face fines.

“For years we said, ‘We’re going to lower our greenhouse gas emissions by 50 percent by 2030 and 100 percent by 2050,’ and we’d all shake hands and take a picture and feel good about ourselves,” O’Malley says. “But we never actually put the roadmap in place on how to get there — that is, until now.”

O’Malley’s legislation builds on a 2013 measure called the Building Energy Reporting and Disclosure Ordinance, or BERDO, which requires large commercial and residential buildings to report on their energy and water use. The new measure, known as BERDO 2.0, moves beyond mere reporting — laying out incremental, five-year targets for cutting back on emissions, with an end of goal of net-zero emissions by 2050. The ordinance would apply to commercial buildings that are 20,000 square feet or larger and residential buildings with at least 15 units.

State Grants Seed Local Projects to Enhance Forestry, Economy

Berkshire Eagle – A series of grants announced this past week will fund a number of local nature-based projects, including a new trail in New Ashford, more money for the Greylock Glen project in Adams, design money for an adventure trail in North Adams, and tree plantings at the town common in Williamstown.

The Baker administration announced the $313,500 in grant money to 10 municipalities and two regional economic development organizations to support forest stewardship and conservation and nature-based tourism in the Mohawk Trail Woodlands Partnership region, which includes most of Northwestern Massachusetts.

The partnership enables the conservation of forests and sustainable management to aid in economic development in rural areas along the Vermont and New York borders.

“The Mohawk Trail Woodlands Partnership region has amazing natural resources and opportunities for outdoor recreation and nature-based tourism, and our Administration is pleased to work with the rural communities of the region to support economic development that conserves land and enhances resilience to climate change,” Gov. Charlie Baker said in a release.

“Enhancing partnerships with local communities and organizations is one of the most effective approaches we have to support the stewardship of our unique natural resources here in the Commonwealth.”

Among the local municipalities receiving grants are Adams, with a $20,000 grant to help in the process of selecting a food vendor, education vendor and outdoor recreation vendor for Greylock Glen.

In New Ashford, another $20,000 will aid in the design and construction of a hiking trail around Beaver Pond on the slopes of Mount Greylock.

August 24

FDA Gives Full Approval to Pfizer COVID-19 Vaccine 

Boston Globe – The US Food and Drug Administration granted full approval to Pfizer’s COVID-19 vaccine for people 16 and older on Monday, a landmark decision that could boost public confidence in the shots and pave the way for more vaccine mandates by employers, colleges, and other organizations.

By licensing the vaccine made by Pfizer and its German partner BioNTech, the FDA gave the two-shot regimen its strongest possible endorsement for safety and efficacy. More than 204 million Pfizer doses already have been administered in the US ― and hundreds of millions more overseas ― since regulators authorized its emergency use in December.

Pfizer’s vaccine, which will be marketed as Comirnaty, was the first of three vaccines cleared by the FDA for emergency use and is the first to be fully approved. Monday’s decision was expected and came as the highly contagious Delta variant is causing COVID-19 cases and hospitalizations to surge in parts of the country, particularly in states with low vaccination rates.

“The public can be very confident that this vaccine meets the high standards for safety, effectiveness and manufacturing quality the FDA requires of an approved product,” acting FDA Commissioner Janet Woodcock said in a statement. “Today’s milestone puts us one step closer to altering the course of this pandemic in the US.”

Cambridge-based Moderna has also applied for full approval of its two-shot vaccine, which was authorized for emergency use on Dec. 18, a week after Pfizer’s. Johnson & Johnson, whose one-shot vaccine was cleared for emergency use on Feb. 27, plans to seek full approval later this year, according to a company spokeswoman.

Federal Unemployment Benefits to End Labor Day

Boston Herald – Federal unemployment benefits that have buoyed jobless workers throughout the pandemic officially expire on Labor Day, leaving thousands in Massachusetts jobless and millions across the nation without a key safety net as the delta variant rages.

 About 7.5 million will be abruptly cut off from benefits completely, while another 4.5 million more will be receiving smaller weekly unemployment checks, according to federal estimates.

Unless Congress moves to extend federal benefits, they will stop for gig workers, contract workers, the long-term unemployed and others typically ineligible for state benefits. A $300 weekly benefit boost for those receiving benefits will also end.

It’s hard to say what the consequences of cutting off the boost to unemployment benefits will be. About half the country — 26 mostly Republican states in total — halted the federal benefits early in May and June. But a recent study from payroll company UKG showed the policy has not been effective in getting people back to work.

 The delta variant does not appear to be slowing the economy regardless.

 The July federal jobs report showed employers added a robust 943,000 jobs. The unemployment rate sank from 5.9% to 5.4%.

 Last week’s report from the Labor Department showed that jobless claims fell to 375,000 from 387,000 the previous week — declining for a third straight week. The number of applications has fallen steadily since peaking at more than 900,000 in early January as the economy has increasingly reopened in the aftermath of the pandemic recession.

 But claim numbers inched up in Massachusetts where about 7,310 people filed for unemployment benefits in the state, up about 770 from the week prior, according to estimated tallies from the Department of Unemployment Assistance.

July Jobless Rate Stays at 4.9 Percent 

State House News – Massachusetts employers added jobs at a robust pace in July, while the statewide unemployment rate held flat at 4.9 percent for the second month in a row, labor officials announced Friday.

In Shift, Baker Administration Moves to Impose K-12 School Mask Mandate

Boston.com – After resisting calls for a K-12 school mask mandate for weeks, Gov. Charlie Baker’s administration is changing course.

In a press release Friday, state Education Commissioner Jeff Riley said he will ask the Massachusetts Board of Elementary and Secondary Education for the authority to mandate masks for all public K-12 students, educators, and staff through at least Oct. 1.

After Oct. 1, middle schools and high schools would be allowed to lift the mask mandate for vaccinated students and staff only if at least 80 percent of students and staff in the respective school building are vaccinated.

The new policy would also indefinitely require all unvaccinated individuals ages 5 and over to wear masks, including children younger than 12 who remain ineligible for the vaccine (the state’s current guidelines only “strongly recommend” that schools require students up to sixth grade wear masks).

“With cases rising, this mask mandate will provide one more measure to support the health and safety of our students and staff this fall,” Riley said.

Officials said that Riley has asked the board to meet on Tuesday to vote to give him the authority to institute the mandate, which would include exceptions for students who cannot wear a mask due to medical conditions or behavioral needs.

“While Massachusetts leads the nation in vaccination rates, we are seeing a recent rise in COVID-19 cases because we still need more people to get vaccinated,” Baker said in a statement. “This step will increase vaccinations among our students and school staff and ensure that we have a safe school reopening.”

Here’s What We Know (and Don’t Know) about Schools Re-Opening 

Boston Globe – With just weeks before Massachusetts students return to classrooms, school administrators, teachers, and parents alike are trying to decide how to keep themselves and their children safe, especially as the Delta variant continues its rapid spread.

Governor Charlie Baker and state education leaders have taken a localized approach, releasing statewide mask-wearing guidance for schools but emphasizing that individual districts should determine what COVID-19 protocols are best for their communities. The state announced in May that all of its coronavirus health and safety requirements would be lifted for the 2021-22 academic year.

“Giving locals the opportunity to own the decisions they make is a big and important issue,” Baker told reporters while visiting Peabody High School on Monday.

“And if you look at what’s playing out in other states right now, where state government has taken away the authority for locals to make their own decisions, that’s not the right way to play this game. It’s just not.”

Baker has steadfastly defended that position, even as he faces pressure from state teachers’ unions to mandate masks in buildings and consider other coronavirus-related protocols. The board of directors of the Massachusetts Teachers Association, the largest educators union in the state, voted earlier this month to push state leaders to enact a universal mask-wearing mandate in schools and this week to support a vaccine mandate for staff and eligible students.

Largest Teachers’ Union Calls for Vaccine Mandate for Teachers and Eligible Students  

With the start of the new school year on the horizon, the leadership of the largest teachers’ union in Massachusetts voted Monday night to support a vaccine mandate for school employees and eligible students statewide.

The motion, approved by the Massachusetts Teachers Association’s board of directors by a 46 to 4 vote, states the group supports required vaccinations or regular COVID-19 testing for those who are not vaccinated. Districts should negotiate the specifics of vaccine requirements with their local teachers’ unions, the group said.

“We must do everything in our power to protect students, educators, public health, and all of our communities — including communities of color, which, because of structural racism, have been hit the hardest by the coronavirus pandemic,” union President Merrie Najimy said in a statement Tuesday.

Child-Care Providers are Facing a Staffing Crisis, Forcing Some to Close with Little Notice

Boston Globe – Desperate to hire child-care workers during the pandemic, Nurtury Early Education has raised its hourly rate, hired a recruiter, and offered $1,000 signing bonuses — $500 up front and $500 after six months on the job.

It hasn’t been enough. Its pool of candidates has become so thin that Nurtury, the oldest child-care agency in New England, is closing one of its five centers in Greater Boston. Teachers and children from the South End location are moving into the remaining facilities, where nine classrooms sit dark and empty from the upheaval of the past 17 months.

“This is not a financial crisis. This is not an enrollment crisis. This is a staffing crisis,” said Laura Perille, Nurtury’s chief executive. “There are simply not enough available workers to maintain our classrooms.”

Moderna Mandates Vaccines for Workers, Reversing its Policy 

Boston Business Journal – Moderna Inc. has shifted gears on its own company vaccine policy, mandating COVID-19 vaccines for all U.S. workers starting Oct. 1.

As recently as this week, the company — famously a developer of one of three COVID-19 vaccines given emergency use authorization by the FDA — had not implemented a vaccine mandate or indicated that it might head in that direction. Spokesperson Ray Jordan told the Business Journal on Monday that Moderna had “thorough safety, masking, testing protocols in place.”

The shift, announced Friday, is reflective of a rapidly changing landscape among employer vaccine requirements. Life-science company leaders in particular had largely shrugged off the idea of a mandate until recently, citing the high vaccination rates of their own workforces.

But in the absence of leadership from the public sector as the Delta variant spurs another rise in COVID-19 cases, executives have changed their tune, viewing vaccine requirements as a question of moral leadership more than pragmatism.

Moderna is the last of the three COVID-19 vaccine makers to announce a mandate. Johnson & Johnson in August started requiring all of its U.S.-based employees and contractors to be fully vaccinated by Oct. 4. Pfizer Inc., which is based in New York but has a sizable presence in Cambridge, announced earlier this month that U.S. workers would need to either get vaccinated or submit to weekly testing.

“The safety and well-being of the Moderna community continues to be a top priority as we work to help end the Covid-19 pandemic with our mRNA vaccine,” Moderna CEO Stéphane Bancel said in a statement shared with the Business Journal. “This new requirement reflects our commitment to the health of our team, their families and society, as we know Covid-19 vaccines can help prevent severe disease, hospitalizations and death.”

Abolish the Religious Vaccine Exemption

Commonwealth (Opinion) – The following pieces was written by Shela Sridhar, Zoe Tseng, Meredith Haley, Hemal Sampat, and Elisa Choi on behalf of on behalf of the Massachusetts chapter of the American College of Physicians

Vaccines save lives.

Never has this been more evident than in the last year. Since the spring of 2020, the COVID-19 pandemic has claimed more than 15,000 lives in Massachusetts alone and is a leading cause of death in the United States.

With the rollout of the COVID-19 vaccines in Massachusetts, we have seen our rates of COVID-19-related hospitalizations and deaths drop dramatically. Preventing future outbreaks and pandemics is critical to protecting the health and economic well-being of our state. This is why it is crucial that we pass H. 2411, an Act Relative to Vaccines and Preventing Future Disease Outbreaks, which eliminates the non-medical (religious) exemption for vaccine requirements for schools.

Vaccines have helped to nearly eliminate some of the most dangerous childhood illnesses.

In 1954, almost all children had measles before the age of 15 and there were close to 6,000 deaths yearly from this infectious disease.  The measles vaccine was approved in the United States in 1968, and after a nationwide effort, by 2000, measles was declared eliminated in this nation.

However, as the anti-vaccination movement gained traction in the last two decades through sustained misinformation, including inaccurate claims of links between the measles, mumps, rubella (MMR) vaccine, and autism, as well as celebrity activism, the US has seen childhood vaccination rates drop and vaccine-preventable diseases rise. During this time, there has been a rise in the number of religious exemptions to vaccination claimed, without any concurrent change in religious demographics.

We see the deadly consequences in our daily work as physicians. We saw a healthy 17-year-old girl go into cardiac arrest because she developed myocarditis, an inflammation of the heart muscle. Tests indicated that her infection was due to influenza A, a vaccine-preventable infection. The virus acted so rapidly that, within a week, her heart had failed. She survived, but she needed a heart transplant and now, at age 20, she takes two handfuls of medications every single day to stay alive.

We saw a 70-year-old man end up in a nursing home because of Haemophilus influenzae meningitis. He had had a bone marrow transplant to treat multiple myeloma, a type of blood cancer, which left him with a weak immune system. A visit with his unvaccinated grandchild exposed him to this disease, and he ended up in the hospital. He suffered seizures as a complication of this illness and now requires long-term care. His grandchild’s parents had not vaccinated him, and he suffered because of their decision.

We saw an unvaccinated 4-year-old come into the emergency room with fever, cough, and a few spots on his belly. His family thought at first that it was a cold, but then he fell unconscious. The diagnosis: meningitis from varicella, the chickenpox virus. The preschool-age child spent two weeks in the ICU, with a tube in his windpipe and a ventilator breathing for him.

These stories are not unique. Almost every physician has a similar story of someone whose illness could easily have been prevented by a vaccine. In addition to these lives lost, billions of dollars in health care costs are lost every year–and this loss of life and these health care expenditures are entirely preventable.

Massachusetts requires vaccinations for school, with only medical and religious exemptions, and has higher rates of vaccination than much of the country. Even here, though, we still have a problem. In some parts of the Commonwealth, up to 14 percent of students are unvaccinated or under-vaccinated. Moreover, more than 75 percent of the exemptions claimed are religious exemptions.

While freedom of religion is one of the core freedoms of our nation, evidence strongly suggests that those claiming a religious belief exemption for vaccines are doing so disingenuously. A major study in 2019 found that states with both personal belief and religious belief exemptions had only one-fourth as many religious belief exemptions claimed as those that had a religious belief exemption only.

Vermont was the first state to repeal the personal belief exemption to vaccines and in the subsequent years, the number of religious belief exemptions claimed increased from 0.5 percent to 3.7 percent. This trend was also reflected in testimony from many parents in opposition to H.2411 on July 12 in front of the Joint Committee on Public Health; the parents decried the elimination of the religious belief exemption as denying them the option to decline vaccination for their child for personal reasons.

Furthermore, no major religion has a specific prohibition against vaccination. While some have expressed concerns based on certain ingredients used in vaccines (e.g., concerns about the use of porcine gelatin in some vaccines), vaccination is still recommended. Even faiths whose members frequently decline vaccination (e.g., Church of Christ, Dutch Reformed Congregations) have no strict rules against vaccinations.

Thus, it is imperative that we pass H.2411 and close this dangerous loophole that parents are using to keep their kids unvaccinated. We must protect the most vulnerable among us and those who have true medical exemptions to vaccines. This bill is an important step to achieving a fully vaccinated community. Parents and children have a right to an education where they know they are protected from infectious diseases. While Massachusetts would  not be the first, we can be a national leader in smart vaccine policies that protect our children and vulnerable communities.

Union Demands may Re-Shape Baker’s COVID Vaccine Mandate 

Boston Globe – When Governor Charlie Baker on Thursday announced that 42,000 state workers would be required to get COVID-19 vaccines, their union leaders reacted with strong but widely divergent opinions.

Human service workers enthusiastically embraced the new rule. Correctional officers and others threatened legal action to block it.

But ultimately, the battle over vaccine mandates will be waged at the bargaining table, with unions on both sides of the divide seeking similar provisions.

As a result, Baker’s mandate, called one of the toughest in the nation, will probably undergo some modification, said Daniel S. Bowling III, a longtime labor lawyer and scholar who teaches at Duke Law School.

Baker’s statement Thursday indicated that his administration intends to work out the details with the unions.

“I imagine we’re going to see some fireworks at the bargaining table,” Bowling said, predicting that some unions may end up in arbitration or federal court.

In both the public and private sectors, Bowling said, employers have the right to impose health and safety rules, which might include vaccine requirements. But even so, he said, they must negotiate the specifics of how the rule will be carried out, such as the options for those who refuse vaccination and the process by which they would be terminated, if it comes to that.

Even the aspect of Baker’s rule that makes it more aggressive than those of other states — that it doesn’t allow people to choose regular testing instead of vaccination — could potentially be bargained away, Bowling said.

Some unions hinted that was their intention. The State Police Association of Massachusetts said in a statement that it expects Baker to “identify meaningful alternatives for those with concerns about receiving a vaccine.”

Council 93 of the American Federation of State, County & Municipal Employees called for regular testing as an alternative to vaccination, and said in a statement that if that doesn’t happen “we will be reviewing all of our options under the law.”

Forecasters Offer Grim Fall Outlook on COVID-19

Boston Globe – Another season lost to pandemic may lie ahead.

Two separate disease forecasting teams are predicting that COVID-19 deaths will rise in Massachusetts and across the country for weeks to come, as the grim flood of new infections and steady rise in hospitalizations that began around July 4 continues.

Meanwhile, a third forecasting team has acknowledged that the ongoing surge is even stronger than they predicted only a few weeks ago based on early July data because they had underestimated the contagiousness of the Delta strain of the virus.

But the extremity of the COVID surge’s high-water mark, and how quickly Massachusetts turns the tide, depends on choices about wearing masks and getting vaccinated that can mean the difference between life and death, several disease trackers said.

One respected disease modeler from the University of Washington said that simply adopting universal mask mandates now could avoid roughly 1,300 deaths in Massachusetts by Dec. 1 and 50,000 deaths nationwide.

“I am concerned. Delta is causing a lot of increases in cases and in our hospitals,” said Ali Mokdad, a professor who has projected COVID cases, hospitalizations, and deaths throughout the pandemic at the Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation at the University of Washington.

“We have underestimated this virus and celebrated prematurely,” he said.

These harsh predictions come as Massachusetts and the nation grapple with whether to adopt new restrictions in hopes of slowing COVID’s renewed spread. This week, Governor Charlie Baker enacted one of the nation’s strictest vaccination requirements for state employees, while Acting Mayor Kim Janey on Friday announced a mask mandate for indoor public places in Boston, a measure that takes effect at 8 a.m. on Aug. 27 as the city continues to battle the virus.

How to Calculate Delta-Variant Risks for Children This Fall  

Wall Street Journal – With the Delta variant of Covid-19 infecting more children, many parents are worried about how to keep their unvaccinated young kids safe as schools reopen and extracurricular activities resume.

The best protection against Delta, doctors and public health officials say, is vaccination. But that doesn’t directly help children under 12, who are ineligible for the shots. So parents must weigh the risks and benefits of fall activities, from in-person school to sports, play dates and birthday parties.

Most parents by now know the basics: Masks reduce transmission and outdoors is safer than indoors.

Beyond that, doctors suggest some principles to guide decision-making this fall. Give priority to your most important activities, they say, and skip others. Within your selected activities, look for ways to lessen risk.

“Almost nothing at this point is zero-risk,” says Leana Wen, an emergency physician and public health professor at George Washington University in Washington, D.C.

“Do those activities and reduce risk in those activities, and then try to cut out the other activities that are higher-risk and lower-value.”

Risk accumulates with each activity, she notes. Don’t assume that if you are engaging in one higher-risk activity that you might as well do others.

Delta Variant Upends US Labor Chief’s Plans for Swift Jobs Comeback 

Boston Globe – U.S. Labor Secretary Marty Walsh had high hopes for September: Receding COVID-19 risk, easing restrictions and steadily improving jobs numbers. But the delta variant’s aggressive path has shaken his expectations for a rapidly recovering labor market.

The resurgence of coronavirus cases has already pushed back a return to the office for many Americans and slowed down consumer activity. Walsh’s own department is delaying a partial return until at least October.

“I was hoping that we could have a nice recovery here in the month of September,” Walsh, 54, said in a wide-ranging Zoom interview with Bloomberg News Thursday from his home in Dorchester, Boston.

“We’ve had some good job growth here in the last six months,” and “I get worried that this is going to slow some of that.”

Walsh said the Delta variant could upend his expectation that July payrolls — with the most positions added in nearly a year — would be a prelude to future months. He now says he’s concerned about the resurgence of cases dragging on the workforce and economic growth.

The U.S. labor market is still in the midst of clawing back from the crisis, with about 5.7 million fewer jobs than before the pandemic.

MassCOSH Leads Call for Revision of Workplace Safety Standards

Berkshire Eagle – The state Department of Labor Standards stopped enforcing COVID-19 safety standards when the state of emergency expired in June.

Yet, the delta variant has led COVID-19 transmission in the state to surge once more. Public health and labor leaders say the lack of enforcement leaves workers without a key line of defense against working conditions that may increase their exposure to the virus. Many people continue to work in settings that expose them to coworkers or customers who are not vaccinated.

“Workers have no recourse and no one to turn to if they feel unsafe in their workplace and they feel their employer is putting them at risk,” said Jodi Sugerman-Brozan, executive director of the Massachusetts Coalition for Occupational Safety and Health, , adding that some workers fear spreading the virus to others they live with. “There may be guidelines, but with no enforcement they are left with no support.”

MassCOSH says the administration of Gov. Charlie Baker should revise the standards, which include distancing and masking protocols, to align with current science rather than repeal them outright. The state’s approach, Sugerman-Brozan said, displays “a continued denial of the role that workplace exposure is playing in spreading a deadly virus.”\

MassCOSH has estimated that “hundreds, if not thousands,” of workers have died of COVID-19 related to workplace infection, and more than 11,000 filed claims for missing five or more days of work for what they believed to be a work-related infection.

Amazon Wants to Get Even Bigger in Boston. The Five Would-Be Mayors are Wary 

Boston Globe – Amazon is knocking on Boston’s door. But will the next mayor let the massive retailer in?

For at least the last couple of years, the e-commerce giant has wanted to build a distribution center in Boston. So far, its efforts have fizzled amid concerns about traffic and lower-wage, non-union jobs. But Amazon’s not giving up and has recently hired two top Walsh administration officials to help with its expansion efforts. Whoever wins the mayor’s race in November will need to grapple with Amazon before long.

None of the five major candidates say they would shut the company out entirely, but all expressed wariness about a new distribution facility — particularly about wages and working conditions.

This shouldn’t come as a surprise: In December, the four candidates who sit on the City Council all endorsed a petition urging the tech giant to confer with local labor leaders about its warehouse plans in Boston and ensure its drivers are employees, not independent contractors.

But Amazon’s presence in Boston runs far deeper than one warehouse. Amazon employs nearly 4,000 well-paid workers in Fort Point and Kendall Square, many of them working on the company’s tech offerings such as Alexa and Amazon Web Services, with plans to add at least 3,000 more over the next few years. Likely thousands more Boston residents work as drivers and warehouse workers around the region. The blue vans that crisscross the city are a visual reminder of Amazon’s popularity with consumers — and its impact on struggling brick-and-mortar retailers.

Another COVID School Year 

Boston Globe – The end of August is a bittersweet time if you have school-age kids. The luckiest of us try to soak up every last one of those gorgeous, waning summer days, feeling some combination of nostalgia and, it must be said, relief: We love our kids, truly, but how many more barneys over screen time can we have?

Having a new school year in sight brings dread, and excitement. We make all kinds of promises and resolutions — Healthier lunches! More study! Less procrastination! Better sleep! — we will never, ever keep. Still, it feels good to pretend, if only for a few weeks.

Or, it did.

We’re going into our third COVID-plagued school year. And what should be a triumphant return to normal — carried on the wings of the miraculous vaccines — is, yet again, an exercise in fear and diminished expectations. Especially for parents with kids too young to get the shot.

That gorgeous vaccine should have protected more of us from the virus, but refusers and the demonic Delta variant conspired to make that impossible. Remember how hopeful spring felt, when legions were lining up for vaccines, and the end seemed within reach?

May’s dashed hopes had an inescapable and way-too-on-the-nose metaphor in the stinking weather that followed: Rare perfect beach days crowded out by stifling heat or soggy chill. And, as of this writing, Hurricane Henri, because of course.

So here comes another broken autumn. Not as broken as last year’s, certainly, but no one’s dream. Our vaccination rates are very good compared to other states, which means fewer COVID hospitalizations and deaths. But cases, including those infections breaking through the vaccines, are ticking up. Which makes gathering in classrooms and other crowded settings risky. Which means normal is still a ways off.

Massachusetts Resumes Reporting Racial COVID-19 Hospitalization Data

Boston.com – Following pushback from local Democrats and a rebound in COVID-19 rates, Gov. Charlie Baker’s administration resumed reporting demographic data on hospitalizations due to the virus in Massachusetts this week.

For the first time since late June, the state Department of Public Health’s data dashboard included information Thursday on COVID-19 patients broken down by their age, race, and gender, after Baker suggested earlier in the week that they would bring back the more detailed data due to the rise in hospitalizations.

Rep. Ayanna Pressley said she was “relieved” by the change, which she and Sen. Elizabeth Warren had called for in mid-July, amid concerns that the decision to stop reporting demographic data would hurt efforts to address the pandemic’s already disproportionate impact on communities of color.

“The Baker administration should never have stopped collecting and reporting demographic data on COVID hospitalizations, so I’m relieved to see that the Governor heeded our calls and changed course,” Pressley told Boston.com in a statement Friday afternoon.

Baker Proposes $1B to Defray Unemployment Costs for Businesses 

Boston Business Journal – As part of a supplemental budget, Gov. Charlie Baker proposed putting $1 billion toward the state fund for unemployment insurance claims to help defray billions of dollars in costs set to accrue to Massachusetts businesses.

Baker unveiled a $1.6 billion supplemental budget for fiscal year 2021, saying in a letter to lawmakers that the state’s unprecedented $5 billion budgetary surplus justifies the package. Through the proposal, the governor is also mounting another attempt to implement a state-level charitable tax deduction.

For months, Massachusetts businesses have called for government aid for the unemployment insurance trust fund, which has paid out record-shattering claims during the pandemic. Baker signed legislation in April that authorizes the state to borrow up to $7 billion to keep the fund solvent.

“This transfer will reduce the need to borrow funds for COVID-era claims, and thereby reduce the need for future employer assessments,” Baker wrote in the letter.

Biden Ramps up Virus Strategy for Nursing Homes and Schools

Boston Globe – The Biden administration moved on multiple fronts last week to fight back against the surging delta variant, strongly recommending booster shots for most vaccinated American adults and using federal leverage to force nursing homes to vaccinate their staffs.

In remarks from the East Room of the White House, President Joe Biden also directed his education secretary to “use all of his authority, and legal action if appropriate,” to deter states from banning universal masking in classrooms. That move is destined to escalate a fight with some Republican governors who are blocking local school districts from requiring masks to protect against the virus.

The shifts in strategy reflect the administration’s growing concern that the highly contagious delta variant is erasing its hard-fought progress against the pandemic and thrusting the nation back to the more precarious point it was at earlier in the year.

Thus far, Biden has been reluctant to use the federal government’s power to withhold funding as a means of fighting the pandemic. But that changed Wednesday, when he said his administration would make employee vaccination a condition for nursing homes to receive Medicare and Medicaid funding. Officials said the decision would affect more than 15,000 nursing homes that employ 1.3 million workers.

“The threat of the delta virus remains real, but we are prepared, we have the tools, we can do this,” Biden said in the East Room, adding, “This is no time to let our guard down.”

He accused politicians who were banning local school districts from requiring masks in the classroom of setting a “dangerous tone,” adding, “We’re not going to sit by as governors try to block and intimidate educators from protecting our children.”

The administration is sending letters to eight states — Arizona, Florida, Iowa, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas and Utah — challenging their efforts to ban universal masking in schools.

On Gig Economy Ballot Question, Both Sides are Brawl-In

Commonwealth – There will be plenty of time for battling over the substance of the looming ballot question on gig workers. For now, the two sides are getting warmed up by hurling charges and countercharges at each other over process issues and legalisms, an early sign of just how intense the fight is likely to get.

Looking to replicate a ballot question victory in California last November, bankrolled with more than $200 million, gig economy companies led by Uber, Lyft, DoorDash, and Instacart have set their sights on Massachusetts, where they hope to pass a similar question that would legally define gig workers as independent contractors, not traditional employees. A coalition of labor groups has formed to fight the question.

What’s clear already is that this will be a no-holds-barred brawl.

Earlier this month, opponents of the ballot effort fired off a complaint to the state Office of Campaign and Political Finance charging that backers violated campaign finance rules by raising and spending money on their effort before formally establishing and registering a campaign committee with the state. Backers said the complaint leveled “false claims” based on “willful misunderstanding of Massachusetts campaign finance laws.”

On Tuesday, supporters of the ballot question (dubbed the Coalition for Independent Work, not to be the confused with the opposing group, the Coalition to Protect Workers’ Rights) filed a complaint with the state campaign finance office lobbing the same charge back at opponents — of raising and spending money before filing initial paperwork with the state.

The skirmishes have the feel of the old Mad magazine feature “Spy vs. Spy,” in which dueling operatives engaged in a back and forth of comical moves trying to trip each other up.

In their latest move, opponents are now hoping to kill the whole thing right out of the gate: They’ve asked Attorney General Maura Healey to rule that the question is not eligible to appear on next year’s statewide ballot because it violates a provision of the state constitution that bans questions with elements that are not sufficiently related to each other. They say a provision of the ballot question that would protect tech companies from liability exposure is too unrelated to its main focus on worker classification.

Proponents say the complaint doesn’t “hold up to scrutiny.”

Three years ago, the Supreme Judicial Court knocked a proposed new tax on high-earners off the ballot because the justices said it failed the “relatedness” requirement.

California Gig Law Ruled Unconstitutional

Los Angeles Times – California’s giant ride-hailing and delivery companies suffered a setback Friday as a state Superior Court judge invalidated a 2020 ballot proposition that allowed Uber, Lyft, DoorDash, Instacart and other app-based businesses to classify their workers as independent contractors.

In a lawsuit brought by the Service Employees International Union and several drivers, Alameda County Superior Court Judge Frank Roesch ruled that Proposition 22 is unconstitutional and unenforceable.

That’s in part because the law, Roesch wrote, infringes on the power of the Legislature explicitly granted by the state Constitution to regulate compensation for workers’ injuries.

“If the people wish to use their initiative power to restrict or qualify a ‘plenary’ and ‘unlimited’ power granted to the Legislature, they must first do so by initiative constitutional amendment, not by initiative statute,” the judge wrote.  

Baker Promises ‘Aggressive’ Booster Vaccine Rollout 

Patriot Ledger – The federal government plans to begin making COVID-19 booster shots available next month to adults who have already received both doses of a Moderna or Pfizer vaccine, an announcement Gov. Charlie Baker indicated came without advance guidance for states.

Baker said plans for a booster program did not come up in a regular Tuesday call between governors and Biden administration officials “on all things vaccines and all things COVID.”

“First time I heard about it was when I got home last night and saw the news,” he said during a GBH Radio interview. “So, I have no guidance, all right, even though we spent an hour on the phone yesterday with all of the people who probably knew something about what this is all about, which really bums me out.”

Baker described himself as an “enthusiastic supporter of a booster program” and said that once Massachusetts has more information about timing and other details, the state will “move very aggressively to make sure that those who are eligible to get boosters get them.”

“I think it’s really important that we do it, especially based on some of the studies that have come out of other countries that are farther ahead of us with respect to vaccines,” he said.

Massachusetts Should be Converting 100,000 Homes a Year to Electric Heat. The Actual Number: 461

Boston Globe – When Massachusetts officials look into the not-so-distant future of 2030, they see 1 million homes across the state comfortably heated and cooled by sleek, efficient heat pumps, their old oil- and gas-burning systems — and the climate-warming emissions they spewed — relegated to the scrap heap.

But they are woefully behind pace to reach that lofty goal, and the more time that passes without an urgent response, the further out of reach it gets.

According to the state’s own plan, Massachusetts should be converting 100,000 homes a year from fossil fuels to electricity for heating and cooling. The reality is much different: Just 461 homes made the switch last year, according to data reviewed by the Globe.

“We are nine years from 2030, and we have barely begun to scratch the surface in terms of what we’re doing and where we need to be going,” said Eugenia Gibbons, Massachusetts climate policy director for Healthcare Without Harm. “We need to be doing more, faster. The world is burning — I don’t know how else to say it.”

Nearly one third of Massachusetts’ emissions come from its more than 2 million buildings. The state says eliminating those emissions by shifting to electrical sources — and replacing fossil fuel energy generation with renewable sources, such as wind, hydro-power, and solar — is critical to achieving net zero emissions in time to do the most good. Between 2021 and 2030, the state estimates, about 1 million residential heating systems will come to the end of their service lives — each a fossil fuel system that could be replaced by one using electricity.

Bill Filed to Establish State Climatologist Office to Track Climate Change

Boston Globe – A Democratic state representative from Bedford is pushing for Massachusetts to create a state climatologist post to track the effects of climate change on the Commonwealth and to work with various agencies and environmental experts on crafting responses to the increasingly dire crisis.

Representative Kenneth I. Gordon filed a bill July 29 to establish a state climatologist, records show. The bill was referred days later to the Joint Committee on Environment, Natural Resources, and Agriculture. It remains pending.

According to the language of the bill, the office of the state climatologist would be housed within the University of Massachusetts system.

The office, the bill says, would be tasked with gathering and analyzing” data on climate conditions in” Massachusetts. It would also conduct research on “the climate in the commonwealth” and seek “opportunities for sponsored research concerning climate issues” in the state, the bill says.

Among the bill’s boosters is Charles Orloff, executive director of the Blue Hill Observatory and Science Center.

State Sets Emissions-Reduction Goal for Energy-Efficiency Plan 

Business West – The Baker-Polito administration recently announced it has established an ambitious greenhouse-gas (GHG) emissions-reduction goal for the next three-year Mass Save Energy Efficiency Plan. The goals, established as part of comprehensive climate legislation signed into law by Gov. Charlie Baker in March, are intended to help the commonwealth meet its ambitious goal to reduce GHG emissions 50% below 1990 levels by 2030.

The GHG reduction goal for the three-year energy-efficiency plan, established in a letter issued by Energy and Environmental Affairs Secretary Kathleen Theoharides to Mass Save program administrators, builds upon the framework established in the administration’s 2050 Decarbonization Roadmap and 2030 Interim Clean Energy and Climate Plan.

The goal requires the commonwealth’s utility companies to pursue an ambitious emissions-reduction goal through Mass Save in a cost-effective and equitable manner while creating jobs and opportunities for economic development throughout Massachusetts.

“Massachusetts continues to lead the nation in ambitious clean-energy and energy-efficiency policies with programs like Mass Save, helping residents save money on their energy bills while making substantial progress on our climate goals,” Baker said. “The goals we are setting today will help spark innovative efficiency solutions and lead to significant reductions in harmful greenhouse-gas emissions to combat the effects of climate change.”

“In establishing this emissions-reduction goal, our administration is laying the groundwork for significant investments in energy-efficient infrastructure and job creation across the Commonwealth,” Lt. Gov. Karyn Polito said. “These investments will reduce air pollution in our cities and towns, create new economic opportunities, and lower energy costs for our residents and businesses across the state.”

The GHG reduction goal for the 2022-24 Joint Statewide Energy Efficiency Plan for electric utility companies requires the reduction of 504,955 metric tons of carbon dioxide equivalent (CO2e) emissions, while the emissions reduction for gas-utility companies requires the reduction of 335,588 metric tons of CO2e.

August 17

This Week: 

No hearings scheduled this week

AIM and Massachusetts Non-Profit Network Statement Regarding Unemployment Insurance Payment Extension for Non-Profit Employers

To: Hon. Rosalin Acosta, Secretary of Labor and Workforce Development

On behalf of our memberships, the Massachusetts Nonprofit Network (MNN) and the Associated Industries of Massachusetts (AIM) write to thank you for your work to steer the Massachusetts economy and labor force through the COVID-19 pandemic, and to request further support for our vulnerable non-profit employers who face a looming unemployment insurance (UI) payment deadline at the end of August 2021. As state leadership continues to work towards the best use of one-time federal relief from the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) – and as concerns about emerging variants, vaccination rates, and shifting workplace models remain a priority for employers – we ask that you provide reimbursing non-profit employers another deadline extension for their pandemic-era UI bills until December 31, 2021.

As you know, non-profits, municipalities, and Tribal entities that self-insure in Massachusetts were relieved of 50% of their UI costs with federal support. ARPA expanded this relief to 75% from April 1 to September 6, 2021. Despite the federal relief and the generous state-level payment deadline extensions that have been provided thus far, the costs many non-profit organizations face remain insurmountable and will continue to result in vital resources being directed away from communities in need.

Self-insured non-profits could not have budgeted for an event as devasting as COVID-19 nor the magnitude of their employees simultaneously filing for UI. In a statewide survey of the ongoing impacts of COVID-19 on Massachusetts non-profits conducted earlier this year, MNN found that one year since the onset of the pandemic:

• More than 90% of respondents report experiencing medium to high severity of ongoing impacts to programs, services, and operations.
• Declining revenue streams were reported as the biggest pandemic-related challenge non-profits are currently facing. More than 60% of respondents report revenue loss, with an average revenue loss of 34%.
• More than 50% of respondents report that they have six months or less in cash on hand.

Reimbursing non-profits in Massachusetts now owe a lump-sum payment, reflecting all COVID-19 related layoffs from March 2020 onwards, at the end of this month. Alleviating the unemployment burden felt by vulnerable employers providing necessary resources to Massachusetts residents is a wise and practical action to benefit communities, employers, and business alike, especially while the state continues to explore best avenues for ARPA funds.

We thank you for your time and attention to this important budgeting concern for struggling local nonprofits and urge you to extend the deadline to December 31, 2021. Should you have any questions or concerns of if you would like to discuss any of these concerns in person, please contact us at jklocke@massnonprofit.net  or jregan@aimnet.org.

Most Recent COVID Numbers for Massachusetts

Boston Globe

Baker Has No Plans to Change Mask Guidance

Boston Globe – Governor Charlie Baker said Monday that he has no plans to alter the statewide mask guidance, as K-12 students prepare to return to classrooms this fall amid the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.

“I’m not considering changing the mask guidance … at this time,” Baker said during an unrelated briefing in Peabody.

He said state officials pay close attention to data surrounding case counts, hospitalizations, and deaths from the virus in shaping policy on pandemic response. The hospitalization rate in Massachusetts, where vaccination rates are comparatively high, remains below the rest of the country, Baker said.

“I hope and pray that many other states move as aggressively as the people in Massachusetts have moved to get a vaccine,” Baker said. “Vaccinations are the pathway out of this pandemic, period. … We’re going to run hundreds of vaccination clinics in conjunction with our colleagues in the K-12 world between now and the start of school. We expect that will continue to boost our numbers among the kids between the ages of 12 and 19, where again we are a national leader.”

He said there’s also a strategy in place for elementary school grades, where kids aren’t yet eligible to get vaccinated.

“We’ve made a very strong recommendation to our colleagues in K-6 education, that because there is not a vaccine currently available for that population … that those kids we believe should be masked up until they have the opportunity to get vaccinated,” Baker said. “And our recommendation for the kids in middle and high school, is that if you’re not vaccinated, you should wear a mask. If you are vaccinated, you don’t need to.”

Late last month, the state released recommendations that unvaccinated students, teachers, and other school staff members should wear masks indoors, despite federal recommendations that everyone wear masks regardless of vaccination status.

Despite pressure from teachers unions to create a stronger mask requirement, Baker has for many weeks emphasized that school districts should determine which COVID-19 protocols work best for them and adopt them as needed.

The state has not explicitly recommended that districts adopt other COVID-19 protocols, such as social distancing, this fall.

Baker said Monday that officials have also made clear that people with certain medical conditions should don face coverings.

“If you are with people who are susceptible to COVID indoors, especially, you should wear a mask,” Baker said. “And we’re certainly going to work with our colleagues in the federal government to make sure we do all we can, as the rules become more available and clearer with respect to … boosters for immunocompromised individuals, that we do all we can to make sure those folks have access to vaccine boosters as well. But at this point in time, we don’t have a plan to change our guidance.”

Federal ARPA Money for Counties Soon Available to Municipalities

State House News – Most municipalities in Massachusetts will soon get another infusion of federal money when the Baker administration reallocates nearly $1 billion to the cities and towns that make up the state’s nine “inactive” counties.

The American Rescue Plan Act provided $1.3 billion in direct aid to Massachusetts’ 14 counties, with $946 million earmarked for nine counties that the U.S. Treasury calls “not units of general local government.”

So instead, the 254 municipalities of Berkshire, Essex, Franklin, Hampden, Hampshire, Middlesex, Nantucket, Suffolk and Worcester counties will share that money. The state began sending the money out to cities and towns on a per capita basis Monday and local governments can expect to have the funds in hand in two to three business days, the administration’s special director of federal funds, Heath Fahle, said a memo to municipal leaders last week.

As with other Coronavirus Local Fiscal Recovery Fund aid, cities and towns get half of their allotment now and the remaining half in a year. Just more than $393 million is already available from the U.S. Treasury to the Bay State’s five functional and eligible counties.

Norfolk County is awarded $137.3 million, Bristol County gets $109.8 million, Plymouth County is due $101.2 million, Barnstable County is allocated $41.4 million and Dukes County’s share is almost $3.4 million.

“The Commonwealth has no ability to alter these allocations. Municipalities within the jurisdiction of the counties listed below should contact county officials for more information,” Fahle wrote in the memo, referring to the five counties that get their CLFRF money directly from the U.S. Treasury.

Baker Administration Hits Milestone of Awarding More Than $100 Million in Skills Capital Grants to High Schools, Colleges and Educational Institutions

The Baker Administration today announced $9.7 million in grants from the Skills Capital Grant Program to 47 educational organizations across the Commonwealth to update equipment and expand student enrollment in programs that provide career education. The awards announced today mark $102 million in total funding provided to high schools, colleges and other educational organizations since the program’s inception in 2015.

Governor Charlie Baker, Lt. Governor Karyn Polito, Labor and Workforce Development Secretary Rosalin Acosta and Education Secretary James Peyser visited Peabody Veterans Memorial High School to announce the awards and to tour the high school’s electrical engineering and culinary arts classrooms, which received a $175,000 award last year.

The Skills Capital Grant Program was originally launched in 2015 with the goal of replacing outdated equipment and technology, mainly at vocational technical high schools and community colleges. Since then, the program has evolved into a crucial component of local workforce training efforts by expanding the number of young people and adults trained and experienced with the newest technologies used by local employers. Approximately 40,000 students across the Commonwealth have directly benefitted from these grants.

“The Skills Capital Grants have helped give thousands of young people opportunities in high-demand jobs, and the grants have had a tremendous impact on students, schools and local businesses,” said Governor Charlie Baker. “These significant investments made over the past six years in this program with our partners in the Legislature will help train students to adapt to the changing needs of our economy.”

“Massachusetts, like the rest of the country, will face workforce challenges in the next few years, but we are poised to handle them better because of programs like the Skills Capital Grants,” said Lt. Governor Karyn Polito. “The grants enable schools, colleges and other educational institutions to revamp how students learn and gain crucial experience that serves them and employers well.”

Since 2015, 387 grants totaling more than $102 million have been awarded to 187 different schools and educational institutions across the Commonwealth, with many organizations receiving multiple grants over the years. The state’s investment also helped institutions leverage the grants to gain an additional $25 million in local matching funds.

The competitive grants are awarded to educational institutions that demonstrate partnerships with local businesses, as well as align curriculum and credentials with industry demand to maximize hiring opportunities in each region of the state. The 2018 Economic Development Bill, filed by the Governor and passed by the Legislature, established an additional $75 million in Skills Capital Grant funding over five years.

About two-thirds of the investments made with the grants are directly aligned to reduce skills gaps in high priority industry sectors, including health care, manufacturing, IT and skilled trades. A percentage of the funding, about 5 percent, has been invested in multi-year strategic projects in manufacturing, healthcare and energy training programs which are projected to have significant regional impact.

“As we continue to address economic disparities across the Commonwealth and provide solutions to employment gaps in high-demand industries, the Skills Capital Grants play a significant role in training students of all ages for successful long-lasting careers,” said Executive Office of Labor and Workforce Development Secretary Rosalin Acosta. “The impact of these grant funds on students, educational institutions, and local business partners is incredibly positive and moves us toward a more equitable economy.”

Approximately 68 percent of the funds have been awarded to traditional high schools and vocational technical schools, 24 percent going to colleges, and another 8 percent to community-based organizations. A focus of the more recent grant awards has been the launch and expansion of the Governor’s Career Technical Initiative, which supports vocational-technical schools in expanding their impact by operating programs in the afternoons for local high school students and in the evenings for workers and adult learners.

“These unprecedented and sustained investments to expand training capacity in high-demand industries, and upgrades to the quality of equipment, ensure that our students – both young people and adults – graduate with knowledge and skills that are of immediate value to them as they launch careers and to employers who need skilled workers in today’s rapidly changing economy,” said Education Secretary James Peyser.

“Training a skilled workforce is critical to the Commonwealth’s economic recovery, and the Skills Capital Grants have been a vital component of our efforts to strengthen the talent pipelines for key industries,” said Housing and Economic Development Secretary Mike Kennealy.

“As we continue emerging from the economic damage inflicted by the pandemic, funding this program at this milestone level will significantly increase access to employment opportunities in every region of Massachusetts and accelerate progress toward recovery.”

In January 2020, the Administration began awarding larger multi-year grants, allowing educational institutions to apply for either one or two years of funding. In this round of grants, Massachusetts Bay Community College received a two-year grant totaling $750,000 to purchase new equipment to support students in the nursing and allied health programs. Entities which receive two-year awards require a local matching contribution of $1 to every $3 of state funding.

The Skills Capital Grants are awarded by Governor Baker’s Workforce Skills Cabinet, which was created in 2015 to bring together the Secretariats of Education, Labor and Workforce Development, and Housing and Economic Development to align education, economic development, and workforce policies in order to strategize around how to meet employers’ demand for skilled workers in every region of the Commonwealth.

For a full list of this rounds’ recipients please see here.

Coronavirus in Boston-area Wastewater is on the Rise Again

Boston Globe – In worrisome news for residents on edge about the contagious Delta variant, the amount of coronavirus in Boston area wastewater is on the rise again, a possible signal of case increases ahead.

Levels of coronavirus in the wastewater coming from the northern section of the Massachusetts Water Resources Authority, which includes Boston, are now similar to those in late January. Levels from the southern section have reached levels similar to April. The numbers reflect tests taken as recently as Friday.

The pilot program tests for SARS-CoV-2 RNA copies per milliliter of wastewater at the MWRA’s Deer Island treatment plant. Officials think the tests can serve as an early warning system for surges in cases. Cambridge-based Biobot Analytics, which conducts the tests, says it has found that the amount of virus in the waste water is correlated with newly diagnosed coronavirus cases four to 10 days later.

Dr. Paul Sax, clinical director of the Division of Infectious Diseases at Brigham and Womens Hospital, said Sunday in a tweet about the MWRA data, “Not liking this trajectory (which often predicts what’s coming in weeks ahead) one bit. But better to be prepared than live in ignorance.”

The Delta variant is raising case, hospitalization, and death counts nationwide, especially in areas with higher community spread and lower vaccination rates, according to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Massachusetts is a national leader in vaccinations that are highly effective against severe disease and death. Officials and experts are hoping that the vaccinations will blunt the variant’s impact here, with higher case counts not resulting in the same amount of hospitalizations and deaths as in previous phases of the pandemic.

“If you get people vaccinated, there will be people who will test positive but they’re not going to get as sick as they would if they weren’t vaccinated,” Governor Charlie Baker said last week.

Baker said Monday that the state is doing far better in terms of coronavirus metrics than many other states and lauded Massachusetts residents for getting their shots.

“The fact that so many people in Massachusetts have been vaccinated – and that is a real tribute to the enthusiasm that the people of this Commonwealth showed to getting vaccinated – has put us in a dramatically different place than many other states across this country,” he said. “I hope and pray that many other states move as aggressively as the people in Massachusetts have moved to get vaccinated. Vaccinations are the pathway out of this pandemic. Period,” he said.

US Considers COVID Vaccine Boosters for Elderly People as Early as Fall

WASHINGTON (AP) — Warning of tough days ahead with surging COVID-19 infections, the director of the National Institutes of Health said Sunday the U.S. could decide in the next couple weeks whether to offer coronavirus booster shots to more Americans this fall.

Dr. Francis Collins also pleaded anew for unvaccinated Americans to get their shots, calling them “sitting ducks” for a delta variant that is ravaging the country and showing little sign of letting up.

“This is going very steeply upward with no signs of having peaked out,” he said.

Federal health officials have been actively looking at whether extra shots for the vaccinated may be needed as early as this fall, reviewing case numbers in the U.S. “almost daily” as well as the situation in other countries such as Israel, where preliminary studies suggest the vaccine’s protection against serious illness dropped among those vaccinated in January.

Israel has been offering a coronavirus booster to people over 60 who have already been vaccinated.

No U.S. decision has been made because cases here so far still indicate that people remain highly protected from COVID-19, including the delta variant, after receiving the two-dose Pfizer or Moderna regimen or the one-shot Johnson & Johnson vaccine

But U.S. health officials made clear Sunday they are preparing for the possibility that the time for boosters may come sooner than later.

Pelosi Takes Step to Quell Moderates’ Budget Rebellion

WASHINGTON (AP) — House Speaker Nancy Pelosi has proposed a procedural vote this month that would set up future passage of two economic measures crucial to President Joe Biden’s domestic agenda, a move Democratic leaders hope will win must-have votes from unhappy party moderates.

In a letter Sunday to Democratic lawmakers, Pelosi, D-Calif., suggested that the House will take a single vote that would clear an initial hurdle for both a budget resolution and a separate infrastructure bill. The budget blueprint would open the gate for Congress to later consider a separate, $3.5 trillion, 10-year bill for health, education and environment programs.

Nine centrist Democrats said Friday they would oppose the budget resolution until the House first approves a $1 trillion package of road, railway and other infrastructure projects. In the face of solid Republican opposition, Democrats can lose no more than three defectors to pass legislation through the closely split chamber. The infrastructure measure, which the Senate approved last week with bipartisan support, is the top priority for moderates, who want to bank a quick win by sending it to Biden for his signature. Democrats are calling the House back from summer recess on Aug. 23.

By forcing the House to vote on moving both measures an initial step forward together, Democratic leaders hope moderates will be forced to abandon their threat — at least for now — and join the rest of the party in edging its economic and social agenda toward eventual passage.

Delta Variant Leaving Mark on Business

The Wall Street Journal – Repercussions from the Delta variant of Covid-19 are starting to ripple across companies, raising staffing costs in senior housing, disrupting production of potato chips and leading some companies to rein in profit projections.

Still unclear: whether the highly contagious strain of the virus will be a momentary stumble in an improving global economy—one that businesses and consumers are now better equipped to handle—or something more serious.

In recent weeks, Kellogg Co. said Delta’s spread in Malaysia slowed production of Pringles there. Online travel company Booking Holdings Inc. said overall bookings declined as Delta took root in July. U.S. healthcare companies say elective medical procedures are slowing once again in some places.

And, as more employers postpone their return to offices, the outlook is darkening for such disparate companies as a 25-person Houston cable installer and a company with a $1.3 billion market-capitalization that sells paper goods and cleaning supplies.

“We were on a good trajectory, and then the Delta variant showed up and we’ve taken a step back as a result of that,” Donnie King, chief executive of meat processor Tyson Foods Inc., told investors last week. The company, which said early this month that it would require workers to be vaccinated, has seen efficiency drop as absenteeism rises, Mr. King added. “Essentially, it takes us six days to get five days worth of work.”

The setbacks come after a spring and summer that seemed to promise a rapid, uninterrupted recovery with wider vaccinations. Then at the end of July, as reports of the Delta variant spread, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reversed earlier guidance and recommended that vaccinated Americans wear masks indoors where Covid rates are high. Consumers began pulling back.

Traffic at grocery stores, gas stations, gyms, restaurants and retail stores fell starting in late July, after surpassing 2019 levels earlier in the summer, according to mobility metrics from data firm SafeGraph. Weekly domestic flights declined last week, for the second time since mid-April. The median number of trips Americans took at least 10 minutes from home also declined in July, data from the Bureau of Transportation Statistics show. Workplace visits leveled off last week after mostly rising for months, according to data from Brivo, which tracks the number of times people use credentials to gain access to commercial buildings.

Small-business confidence fell in August to its lowest level since March, with 39% of owners expecting U.S. economic conditions to improve over the next year, down from half in July and two-thirds in March, according to a survey of more than 560 small businesses for The Wall Street Journal by Vistage Worldwide Inc.

For Quality Cable Installers LLC, which employs about 25 people running networking and audiovisual lines in office suites, return-to-office delays portend a few more lean months.

The Houston company stayed busy at first during the pandemic, as customers continued existing projects. Work ground to a halt early this year, as companies held off on office-space changes, owner Tarin Williger said.

About three months ago, as many companies began mapping out a return to their offices for September, they started discussing plans to move, expand or remodel—all of which can require new cable runs. Now, many of those plans are on hold again.

“What we really need is people to go back to work to get business,” Ms. Williger said.

A survey of consumer sentiment by the University of Michigan, released on Friday, fell 13.5% in the first half of August from July, one of the sharpest declines since the index began tracking on a monthly basis in 1978.

The stock market, while up nearly 20% for the year overall, is sending uncertain signals. This summer, stocks seen as benefiting most from a recovery fell more than broader economic indicators would have warranted, in part on uncertainty over federal spending plans, said Keith Parker, head of U.S. and global equity strategy at UBS. Those declines have largely leveled off, but haven’t reversed.

There are signs that Delta’s economic impact could remain limited. The number of Americans who aren’t working for fear of getting or spreading the coronavirus has continued to decline, to 2.5 million adults in late July and early August from 2.8 million a month earlier and 5.5 million in January, a U.S. Census survey found. New unemployment claims have remained roughly level since May, and robust job growth and falling unemployment in July suggest the labor market remained strong just ahead of the latest pandemic wave.

Companies have continued to conserve cash, a factor that helped many big businesses weather 2020. Households, too, have more of a cushion, built up as many paid down debt or amassed savings during the pandemic, with help from federal stimulus spending and lower travel and dining spending. As of June, American households had saved $2.5 trillion more than might have been expected absent a pandemic, consulting firm Oxford Economics estimated.

And consumers appear eager to spend, including on categories hit hard by Covid-19, such as vacation travel, restaurants and bars—though they may wait out the current spike in infections, UBS’s Mr. Parker said. Those spending plans are reassuring, he added.

“It signals that consumers, after a year-and-a-half of living with Covid cases spiking and coming down, seem willing to spend and maybe look past this recent wave,” Mr. Parker said.

Travel and hospitality are among the industries most affected by the Delta variant. Spending on air travel and cruises has dropped sharply since early July, after recovering steadily throughout the spring and early summer, according to credit- and debit-card data tracked by Earnest Research.

Spending on hotels has largely held up so far. But trade shows are getting canceled. And the number of diners seated at restaurants tracked by online reservation platform OpenTable was 9% below 2019 levels for the week ended Thursday, after surpassing 2019 levels in late June. New Orleans, Houston, Atlanta and other Southern cities have been among the hardest hit. Borrowing costs for travel and leisure companies are rising.

For Erin Francis-Cummings, whose 10-person market-research firm in San Francisco primarily advises tourism bureaus, the slowdown is unsettling.

The company launched a weekly “travel sentiment” newsletter in March 2020 after losing 70% of its contracts. The newsletter, intended for those in the tourism business, assesses how inclined people are to travel.

This summer, as travel began to pick up, she cut back to biweekly editions, and some customers dropped their subscriptions, figuring the worst was over.

“We thought we were recovering,” Ms. Francis-Cummings said. Her measure of travel sentiment has fallen for a month now, with business and international travel lagging more than leisure travel.

“If the travel industry isn’t healthy, as much as I can do, my business is just not going to be as healthy,” she said.

Frank Del Rio, CEO of Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings Ltd. , said the company saw a modest decline in new net booking in July, as concerns about the Delta variant mounted, compared with June. But the company said its safety policies, including requiring cruise passengers to be vaccinated, along with strong bookings, would help see it through. He predicted the Delta variant’s impact would prove transitory.

“It’s going to run through the course of the population very, very quickly,” Mr. Del Rio told investors on Aug. 6. “We don’t think it will have lasting effects.”

Walt Disney Co. , in reporting fiscal third-quarter results on Thursday, acknowledged the uncertainty spawned by the Delta variant, but reported a strong rebound in visitors and bookings for its theme parks, including its Walt Disney World Resort in Florida. Disney executives also said future reservations exceeded third-quarter attendance, signaling Delta hadn’t dented demand.

Healthcare companies are monitoring the pace of elective medical procedures, which tend to be more profitable but also more readily canceled or postponed when infections rise. Becton Dickinson and Co., which makes medical supplies from syringes to infusion pumps, told investors on Aug. 5 that its own outlook, for 16.5% revenue growth for the year ending Sept. 30, assumes no broad restrictions on elective procedures from the pandemic.

“However, in the last several weeks, we are seeing some impact from the Covid Delta variant on elective surgeries in certain U.S. states,” Chief Financial Officer Christopher Reidy told investors.

The spread of the Delta strain has raised staffing costs for tenants of Sabra Healthcare REIT Inc., a real-estate investment trust that leases facilities to nursing homes and senior housing operators. So far, its customers haven’t seen significant illness as a result of the Delta variant, executives said, attributing that to high vaccination rates among facility patients and residents, as well as protocols such as requiring staff and residents to wear masks.

At the same time, where tenants have required that staff be vaccinated, costs are rising as they add temporary and then permanent staff to replace those who refuse, Sabra Chief Investment Officer Talya Neco-Hacohen said on an early August call with investors.

Packaging and paper-products seller Veritiv Corp. warned that as more companies extend remote work, it could hurt results for its unit selling towels, tissues and break-room supplies to facilities in North America. The business generates about 15% of revenues for Veritiv, which has a market capitalization of about $1.3 billion.

A spokeswoman said the company’s main packaging business has performed well through the pandemic, and sales of hand sanitizer, protective equipment and similar products have helped offset declines in its facilities unit.

In the U.S., Delta is so far slowing activity by discouraging consumers and businesses from traveling or gathering, economists and executives say. Widespread government-mandated shutdowns appear unlikely, although some jurisdictions—including Louisiana, seven San Francisco Bay Area counties and Los Angeles, which have all instituted indoor mask mandates—are imposing restrictions, short of closures. Disney World now requires customers to wear masks indoors, as does Apple in most of its stores.

A handful of studies have used cellphone location data to show that Americans last year began staying away from businesses before government-mandated shutdown orders required it. During subsequent outbreaks, fear also appeared to be a major driver of consumer behavior, according Austan Goolsbee, a former Obama administration economist who wrote one of the studies with economist Chad Syverson. Both work at the University of Chicago.

“With the lower death rates, hopefully a resurgence of the virus now would freak people out less, but people shouldn’t kid themselves,” Mr. Goolsbee said. “If the surge in hospitalizations continues and the virus begins to rage out of control again, the recovery will be in danger.”

He added: “It wouldn’t have to collapse like in the spring of 2020. It could just stall out the recovery like what happened in November and December last year.”

Compromise  on Infrastructure Bill is a Path Forward for Congress and America

Boston Globe (Opinion) – The coronavirus pandemic has directed a spotlight across the full scope of America’s depleted infrastructure. To keep the country competitive, the United States will need to make major investments in both hard assets (i.e. transportation and broadband) and softer infrastructure, including paid medical and family leave and child care.

But while the Biden administration and both houses of Congress are working to address this challenge, disagreements about what should be in the final package have become increasingly heated. At issue now is whether hyper-partisanship will derail the entire effort.

Having spent my career in public policymaking and board governance, I have learned a few things about getting to consensus to make consequential change.

There’s no substitute for getting opposing sides to sit down and work through controversies face-to-face, as happened in the case of the bipartisan effort that recently passed the Senate. It allows people with divergent points of view to bring their ideas and concerns to the table, and find common ground. However, if the nature of the change is too much to be pursued all at once, it’s best to step back and agree to manageable chunks.

I would probably have prioritized child-care subsidies. Parents without good daycare options can’t go to work, and that has profound implications both for the broader economy and for that individual family’s budget. Yet there’s nothing in the bipartisan infrastructure package now before the House to address this challenge. The question then is whether advocates like me who support other proposals to boost growth and prosperity should support this bill. My answer is an unequivocal yes.

Those of us concerned about economic growth and inequality cannot afford to let the perfect be the enemy of the good. While this bill might not include every wise proposal — Senate Democrats shifted child care to their $3.5 trillion budget bill where it’s believed to have a greater chance of passing — the infrastructure bill boasts a raft of constructive provisions. Recent studies, for example, have pointed to evidence that lead pipes play an outsized role in upending a child’s academic and subsequent professional achievements. This bill would eliminate lead pipes throughout the country. And if the alternative to passing this bipartisan bill is to pass nothing —and an honest look at Washington gridlock over the last two decades suggests that’s probable — Congress should take the bird in hand.

While the news coverage centers squarely on the political dimensions of this debate — who is leaning for and against final passage — the real story is in the underlying text. Take, for example, the question of broadband funding. Nearly 140,000 Massachusetts residents don’t have access, this bill would allocate $100 million toward connecting them. More than that, 19 percent of Massachusetts families would be eligible for a broadband subsidy. Given the realities of the last 18 months when COVID-19 required students learn from home, it’s vitally important to ensure every young person can see and interact with their teacher from afar. And that’s just one of many substantive examples.

In an era where our elected officials are so divided — at a moment when so many of us have been drawn into the temptation to view politics as a battle between us and them — we can’t lose sight of the fact that ideas that survive compromise between people with different points of view have staying power. The fact that this roster of ideas — provisions to address deteriorating roads and bridges, railways, transit systems, power grids, water pipes and, of course, telecommunication wires — has earned the support of leaders with very different governing philosophies suggests that they are well considered.

If Washington rejects this bill — if those who support more of different provisions succeed in derailing this effort — Congress may not have another opportunity to make any of these crucial investments. But if it moves forward on this agreement and builds momentum, members may create momentum to tackle future challenges in a bipartisan way — including a more expansive child care subsidy.

Within an institution as persistently gridlocked as Congress has recently proven to be, we cannot let an opportunity for rare progress slip through our fingers. No matter what any individual public official might want included in the bill, those empowered to cast ballots on Capitol Hill should support final passage.

Americans Looking for Straight Talk on Booster Shots

Boston Globe (Opinion) – Some 3 percent of Americans are expected to get the good news any moment now that they will be eligible for a COVID-19 booster shot — a second chance to resume something like a normal life in this “new normal” governed by pandemic variants and surges.

Millions of people with compromised immune systems are — and should be — the first to get in line for an added dose of protection against a disease that has kept immunologists around the world awake at night tracking and trying to combat it mutations.

“I’m overjoyed at the news,” said Suffolk University’s senior vice president for external affairs, John Nucci, the recipient of a kidney transplant in 2018. “But this has been a difficult and frustrating wait. My sense is that doctors were perfectly willing to offer a booster to their patients and have been as frustrated as the rest of us waiting for them.”

But what about the rest of the population?

They too are looking for clarity from government health officials about whether they need boosters and how they can get them — and, absent that clarity, some are lying and cheating their way up to the pharmacy counter, desperate to protect themselves by acquiring that third shot any way they can.

Dr. Anthony Fauci, chief medical adviser to the Biden administration, in announcing Thursday that a booster shot was “imminent” for the immunocompromised, said of boosters for the rest of the population, “It is likely that that will happen at some time in the future.”

But he also told “CBS Morning News,” “We’re already starting to see indications of some diminution” in the durability of the vaccines. (The studies thus far show that this is with respect to getting infected, but they do not necessarily show diminished protection against severe illness.)

That’s the sort of vague and slightly scary message that has driven people to cross a state line or shade the truth in their quest for a third shot.

That and the fact the United States is already behind the curve in announcing plans for booster shots. Germany and Britain announced timetables beginning in September, though not for their entire populations. Israel’s campaign to administer booster shots in the face of its latest Delta variant surge is already well underway.

Those decisions elsewhere in the world have convinced people that a third shot would at least meet the “do no harm” standard in medicine. But what it doesn’t mean is that it would be the best use of the country’s, or the world’s, vaccine supplies. Many public health experts believe that preventing new variants from emerging by vaccinating more people abroad, and trying to overcome vaccine hesitancy among the unvaccinated, are more important priorities than giving a third shot to people already largely protected from serious illness by the vaccines.

But for many people, the specter of waning protection and the confusing message from government officials are enough cause. “People are trying to get that third shot by hook or by crook,” Peter Grinspoon, an internist at Massachusetts General Hospital, told the Globe. Patients and friends haven’t been shy about asking for help he is not yet able to offer.

The easiest answer to that problem will be when the Food and Drug Administration gives its full approval to the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine, which is currently being administered under an emergency use authorization. Full approval is expected within weeks — and that in turn will allow physicians to offer booster shots to anyone they deem in need of one.

But as Nucci noted in an interview, “Approving a booster is just the beginning. We have to make sure that people will actually get the shot.”

If boosters are a good idea — and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is knee-deep in the process of confirming that — then the problem will once again be reaching people who can benefit from the shot and doing that in an orderly fashion.

That means reaching well beyond those in the thrall of — as Eric Topol, director of the Scripps Research Translational Institute, called it — “booster-mania.” Those folks will surely continue their quest for a third jab no matter what. In fact, according to an internal CDC document reported on by ABC News, more than 1 million Americans have already managed to get that third shot.

At some point, the nation’s health care chiefs will want Americans to step up for that booster, just as they are begging the unvaccinated to get vaccinated. But when Fauci talks about the diminishing durability of vaccines and in the next breath insists “apart from the immunocompromised we don’t see a need [for boosters] at this time,” that indeed muddles the message.

Americans just want a little straight talk — and a lot more clarity on how they can protect themselves and their families in these increasingly uncertain times.

State Street Corp. Will Vacate New York City Offices

Wall Street Journal – Financial giant State Street Corp. is vacating its two New York City office locations.

Executives at the Boston firm told New York staffers they won’t be returning to its Midtown Manhattan offices, according to people familiar with the matter. It expects to sublease the two offices near Rockefeller Center to other companies.

Many of State Street’s New York employees have worked remotely since the pandemic’s early days. The financial firm, like others, sent staffers to work from home when infections started surging across the country. Later, U.S. employees who needed an office could go into work if they followed safety protocols. The firm’s New York offices remained sparsely occupied.

In May, State Street told New York staffers to prepare for the closure of their offices. More than 500 employees across the firm’s custody bank and money-management businesses will be affected, some of the people said.

State Street is giving New York-based employees the option to work in other offices in New Jersey and Stamford, Conn. But the firm isn’t directing New York-based staffers to spend time in those offices, letting different groups across State Street determine the mix of in-person and remote work that suits them. State Street also secured some co-working space in Manhattan for those who want to use it.

A firm spokesman said State Street changed its real-estate strategy in New York to accommodate a hybrid workforce.

“We have taken a diligent look at our real-estate footprint in NYC,” spokesman Edward Patterson said. He added that the firm is “ensuring that our realty needs are in line with where our employees will be working.”

State Street’s pivot is part of a broader re-evaluation of New York City offices by financial firms.

Firms across business lines are questioning whether New York City’s costs, taxes and uncertain recovery from the pandemic make it worthwhile to maintain the same Manhattan office presence as before. In finance, some banks and other firms have ordered workers back to the office, while others have been slower to return to New York’s towers.

Goldman Sachs Group Inc., while maintaining its New York office, is planning to expand head count in West Palm Beach, Fla., by as much as several hundred in the near future, said a person familiar with the matter. Paul Singer’s hedge fund Elliott Investment Management LP moved its headquarters from New York to Florida at the start of 2021.

At stake is the office culture of financial firms and vitality of the nation’s financial capital.

“It’s certainly a wake-up call that we cannot take for granted New York’s position as the financial capital,” said Kathryn Wylde, chief executive of business group Partnership for New York City. “During the pandemic, people have learned they can work profitably from anywhere—and that’s a competitive threat to the concentration of talent in New York.”

Adding to the New York dilemma, the spread of the Delta variant of the coronavirus has created logistical headaches for firms that need to make employees feel comfortable commuting and working in close quarters. Asset-management giant BlackRock Inc. recently delayed the formal date workers have to return to its New York headquarters by about a month, to October.

Even before the pandemic, some asset-management firms had been moving into smaller, lower-wage cities. Intense competition over the past decade forced many to take steps to reduce costs and protect profit margins.

AllianceBernstein Holding LP in 2018 decided to shift its headquarters from New York to Nashville, Tenn. The money manager cited lower state, city and property taxes as among reasons for the move. It plans to relocate 1,250 jobs to Nashville by 2024, and is 70% of the way toward that goal, a spokeswoman said. It will officially open its new Nashville office this fall.

State Street’s most well-known presence in New York is the “Fearless Girl” statue, a fixture outside the New York Stock Exchange on Wall Street. State Street’s exchange-traded funds are used by traders all around Wall Street, and the firm provides custody services for New York investment firms among others.

But a major chunk of its U.S. staff works out of the Greater Boston area.

Subleasing New York offices will help generate additional revenue for State Street, without the firm having to pay costs of breaking those leases. In the past year, low interest rates have eaten into custody banks’ bottom line. This year, the firm announced plans to cut 1,200 jobs, or 3% of its workforce, and to reduce office space for cost savings.

The State Street spokesman said there will be no changes to how it services clients in New York City and the surrounding area. He said the firm is committed to clients, business lines, corporate functions and staffers in the greater New York area, who include members of its executive leadership.

The “Fearless Girl” statue will remain on Wall Street.

The Biggest Mistakes Bosses Will Make with Returning Workers

Wall Street Journal  – There’s little doubt that how we work changed dramatically during the sudden, unexpected and extensive experiment in remote work brought on by the pandemic. Many employees, working at home, became more efficient, productive and happier; others struggled and desperately missed office life.

Now, as returning to the office becomes more feasible, the temptation for many managers is to consider the past year and a half as an aberration—a period that’s best left behind and forgotten. Or they will take some of the emergency pandemic practices and consider them a permanent fixture of the workplace.

Bosses do both of those at their peril. If managers ignore some of the lessons remote work has taught us, empty offices may remain the norm—but this time it will be because resentful employees have moved on to other companies that better serve their new needs.

Whether dealing with employees who are working in the office, remotely or on a hybrid schedule, here are some of the key mistakes that managers should avoid with returning employees.

Treating workers like children

During the pandemic we learned that management practices of 2019 that centered on control are as antiquated as those from a century earlier when factory bosses sat in glass offices watching workers make widgets.

When workers suddenly went remote, bosses worried that teams’ productivity would nosedive. Without the presence of managers and co-workers to keep them focused, workers would surely spend their time bingeing on Netflix, sightseeing and taking their dogs for long walks. Instead, managers soon realized (in line with decades of studies), remote work doesn’t pose a threat to productivity; in fact, remote work actually makes us more productive.

It’s easy to chalk up this productivity as a mere function of more hours logged, and blurred boundaries between work and home lives. But buried in this belief is the assumption that employees aren’t able to self-manage their time for their own best interests. This assumption is infantilizing, and stifles potential. Research shows that many people thrive when they have autonomy over their work, their environment (no more thermostat wars) and flexibility in arranging schedules. With less stressful commutes and more flexibility, most of us are more available to bring our A game to work.

The question is whether bosses are prepared to accept this. Whether it’s for remote, in-person or hybrid workers, managers must avoid the mistake of reinstating the control practices that were standard for so long. If decisions about who works where and when come unilaterally from the top down, it will most certainly be met with a backlash. Employees have tasted freedom, and they won’t give it up easily.

Of course, a certain level of structure and consistency is still crucial, especially as we adapt to a new normal. What we want to avoid, though, is for the personal preferences and biases of managers alone to inform these decisions. Instead, we need to make sure that there are centralized and equitable guidelines, which managers and teams can interpret together.

For example, a company might determine that overlapping in-person appearances are crucial for collaboration but leave it up to individual teams to craft specific schedules. These teams have first-hand insight into what is necessary for in-person meetings, and what can be done much more easily at home. By contrast, arbitrarily making teams come in when they don’t have to is a surefire way to infuriate them.

Reinforcing tech exhaustion

Bosses have gotten accustomed to using technology in ways that seemed necessary during the prolonged shutdown—scheduling video meetings back-to-back or on a moment’s notice, for instance. Those worked in the short term, especially when people were stuck at home. But the resulting tech exhaustion won’t be tolerable as things return to normal.

Whether meeting in person or virtually, we need an in-between period to decompress, digest information and prepare for the next meeting. And bosses can’t expect that remote workers will continue to be available all the time, anytime.

What’s more, managers who fell in love with videoconferencing have to understand that while it was a savior during lockdown, they risk overusing it in the new normal. Cognitive overload, headaches and even slurring words aren’t the fault of tech. It’s because managers don’t know how to use it. With the return to work, there are many scenarios in which videoconferencing will do more harm than good.

Instead, managers must cultivate a more-sophisticated awareness of which digital tools to use and when in a hybrid world. Some tools, such as videoconferencing, increase immediacy and intimacy, while other asynchronous tools, such as email, are designed to formalize processes and policies. Meanwhile, no digital tool can fully replace in-person interactions even though it may have seemed otherwise during lockdown.

Managers who understand such differences and become intentional in their selection will provide a model that people can emulate. The result will be a healthier and more productive team. Otherwise, people’s tech exhaustion will sink into chronic fatigue, and that’s on the leader.

Be honest and vulnerable with your co-workers.

The past year and a half redrew the boundaries between our professional lives and our personal lives. The office became our home, and the home became our office. Virtual meetings were windows into one another’s lives: the paintings and plants that decorate our homes, our kids and pets that pop into the frame, the voice of our partners in the other room.

In the middle of a global health crisis, we were compelled to be honest with one another about our fears and struggles. This vulnerability was the key to our strength and solidarity in a time of unprecedented challenges.

Social scientists refer to this vulnerability as “self-disclosure,” and research has shown that when we share our thoughts and feelings, our peers find it easier to give us their trust and empathy. When we tell our co-workers that we’re worried about our parents’ health, or that we’re looking forward to our vacation, it shows that we are willing to be honest, and implies that we are accepting of others’ vulnerabilities as well.

As some of us return to the office, managers cannot make the mistake of reverting back to the old ways of distant professionalism. For one thing, many employees don’t want to go back; they liked the new openness. But in addition, working during a stressful (to say the least) pandemic has shown us just how crucial that catalyst is to team morale, especially in a remote format. Managers who relinquish vulnerability by hiding behind a shell of cold, impersonal leadership will lose out as we transition back into the office.

During the pandemic, most of us also have experienced a renewed appreciation for our relationships and bonds with other people. Managers would be wise not to devalue this appreciation. So in addition to modeling self-disclosure—volunteering thoughts about hobbies and weekend jaunts—managers can also schedule time devoted to fostering closer bonds among team members. It might be as simple as a coffee break, or bringing teammates in on a brainstorming session about what joint activities might be fun for everyone involved.

Of course, managers cannot make the mistake of overcorrection, and let the freedom to self-disclose or socialize devolve the workplace into a free-for-all of hurtful or disruptive self-disclosure. Managers must set the boundaries of what is appropriate to discuss. But the ultimate goal is to continue building on the closeness we cultivated during the pandemic. The risk of losing this camaraderie far outweighs the risks.

Managers need to avoid rewarding people for their presence and focus on the work itself.

The remote-work experiment also exposed the holes in long-held practices of performance evaluation. Whether managers consciously realized it or not, a key indicator of office performance was the archaic “butts in seats” metric. Employees who spent more time in the office were perceived as more productive.

But as it turns out, getting in early and staying late isn’t necessarily related to performance, although it may very well be performative. As a result, as many workers return to a hybrid or remote workplace, managers need to stop rewarding people for their presence, and focus on the work itself.

The implication of an outcome-based appraisal of workers is that managers have to equip people with skills, tools and resources, and get out of the way. Trusting that workers will have or seek the insights into how best to achieve their work goals will be crucial.

Refusing to experiment

Ultimately, the biggest mistake managers may fall prey to with returning workers is overconfidence (which bosses have in abundance). Managers think that they can draw on their extensive experience as we return to work, and that they understand how the new normal will unfold.

A mind-set that anticipates a lot of trial and error and accepts that it will take time to learn how to navigate the new normal is the best way to manage returning employees in the coming weeks and months.

August 3

Calendar

Tuesday August 3 

Joint Committee on the Judiciary-Property, Land & Tenancy-10:00am-Virtual Hearing-https://malegislature.gov/Events/Hearings/Detail/3898

*No other events are scheduled for August as of 8/2/21

Federal Bipartisan Infrastructure Deal Introduced in the Senate

A bipartisan working group of senators finished the text on a $1 trillion deal that contains $550 billion in new physical infrastructure spending. The spending is focused on significant new investments in transportation, utilities, and power infrastructure. The spending plan will be paid for without new taxes and is funded by reallocating existing federal resources. The Senate can vote on the bill as early as the end of the week and the legislation would then move to the House for adoption.

The plan includes the following expenditures:

• $110 Billion for Roads and Bridges
• $66 Billion for Railways
• $39 Billion for Public Transit
• $11 Billion for Road Safety
• $65 Billion for Broadband Upgrades
• $17 Billion for Ports
• $25 Billion for Airports
• $73 Billion for the Eclectic Grid
• $55 Billion for Water Infrastructure
• $21 Billion for Brownfields and Superfund Clean Up

Senate Democrats also plan to pass a blueprint for a $3.5 trillion social spending package. That spending package, if adopted, will be passed through the budget reconciliation process, which will require a simple 51-vote majority to pass the Senate.

AIM will continue to monitor both pieces of legislation and provide timely updates to how the proposals might affect the business community.

Debate on $1 Trillion Infrastructure Finally Opens in Senate

Associated Press – Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer sought to speed up consideration of a nearly $1 trillion bipartisan infrastructure package Monday, promising that Democrats would work with Republicans to put together amendments. GOP senators cautioned that they needed time to digest the massive bill.

The Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act clocked in at some 2,700 pages late Sunday after a hurry-up-and-wait rare weekend session. The final product was not intended to stray from the broad outline a bipartisan group of senators had negotiated for weeks with the White House. Schumer has said a final vote could be held “in a matter of days.”

New Advice, but No Mask Mandates from the State

Boston Globe – Amid an increase in COVID-19 infections over the last month, Massachusetts officials on Friday refrained from issuing new mask mandates either in schools or inside public places, instead advising mask-wearing for residents who are unvaccinated and those who are, or who live with, someone at high risk for a severe case of the virus.

State health officials now recommend that vaccinated people wear masks indoors if they or a member of their household has a weakened immune system or underlying medical condition that puts them at risk of a severe case of COVID-19. In schools, unvaccinated students, educators, and staff should cover their faces, state officials said, as should all students in kindergarten through sixth grade, nearly all of whom are too young to be eligible for vaccines.

Those recommendations stop short of what Americans heard this week from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, which said that even healthy, vaccinated people should wear masks indoors in parts of the country where cases are surging. That includes Suffolk, Barnstable, and three other counties in Massachusetts where the CDC criteria says transmission is either “high” or “substantial.”

The CDC also recommended universal masking in public schools, as has the American Academy of Pediatrics. Boston Public Schools students will be required to wear masks when they return to classrooms this fall, Acting Mayor Kim Janey said last week.

Most of Greater Boston Added to CDC’s Mask-Wearing Guidance

Boston Business Journal – Most of Greater Boston is now under a federal advisory that urges people to wear masks indoors, including those who are vaccinated against COVID-19.

Updated guidance from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention on Monday includes Middlesex County, which stretches from Cambridge and Newton to Lowell, and Essex County, which includes Lawrence and Lynn. Plymouth and Worcester counties have also been added, as has Hampden County, which includes Springfield.

Most of Massachusetts is now under such guidance despite 69% of residents having at least one vaccine, among the nation’s highest rates. The CDC recommendations come as coronavirus cases have risen rapidly, due in large part to the more contagious Delta variant.

The CDC issued county-by-county guidance last week, which included Boston’s Suffolk County, the three counties that cover Cape Cod and the Islands, and Bristol County, which includes Fall River and New Bedford.

Other cities and towns affected by the new CDC guidance include Brockton, Haverhill, Framingham, Plymouth and Leominster.

Norfolk County, which includes Brookline, Quincy and many of Boston’s south and southwestern suburbs, is not part of the advisory for indoor mask wearing.

State Treasurer and Auditor Mandate Vaccines Or COVID Tests For Employees

GBH – State Treasurer Deborah Goldberg and Auditor Suzanne Bump will require all state employees under their authority to be vaccinated against COVID-19 or be subject to weekly virus testing, becoming the first statewide elected leaders to implement stricter vaccination rules for state employees as they return to the office.

“It’s very clear that the Delta variant is unlike anything we’ve seen before and because of that, but also because we would like to go into our hybrid work environment, we want to ensure that everyone’s safe,” Goldberg told GBH News Thursday.

Goldberg said the order will alleviate employees’ anxiety and fears about returning to the workplace without knowing the vaccination status of their colleagues.

“This is not a decision that was taken lightly, but is one that we believe is necessary to uphold our value of keeping the well-being of staff members a top priority,” Bump wrote to her Auditor’s office employees in an internal email.

Gov. Charlie Baker has said he opposes mandatory vaccinations for state employees, while Attorney General Maura Healey, a potential Democratic opponent next year, has called for vaccinations for state employees who deal with the public.

Target, Facebook Issue Mask Requirements for Some Employees

Wall Street Journal – Facebook Inc. said Monday it will require any employee working at its U.S. offices to wear a mask, regardless of vaccination status. The social-networking giant last week said that employees working at its U.S. office would need to be vaccinated.

The new masking policy takes effect Aug. 3 and will remain in place until further notice, the company said. The move reflects rising COVID-19 cases, “the newest data on COVID variants, and an increasing number of local requirements,” a Facebook spokesman said.

Many of Facebook’s U.S. employees remain at home. The company has previously said it plans to reopen its U.S. offices more broadly this fall.

Separately, Target Corp. said Monday it would require workers to wear masks regardless of vaccination status in counties deemed at high risk of Covid-19 transmission, mirroring policies implemented by other companies last week in the wake of new guidance on mask wearing from U.S. officials.

Many retailers are taking new steps to follow the shifting federal health guidelines as Covid-19 cases jump in the U.S. but stopping short of the moves last year when they imposed nationwide mask rules when vaccines were unavailable. Roughly half the U.S. population is fully vaccinated.

Biden Plans to Require Federal Workers to be Vaccinated or Tested

Boston Globe – President Joe Biden will announce Thursday that all federal employees will be required to be vaccinated against the coronavirus or face repeated testing mandates, a White House official said, a dramatic escalation of the administration’s effort to combat the spread of the delta variant.

The new rules will closely align with policies recently put in place for government officials in California and New York City, the person said, speaking on the condition of anonymity because they weren’t authorized to disclose the plan. The White House is not planning on firing government employees who aren’t vaccinated but will impose a number of restrictions on them as a way to encourage them to receive one of the vaccines that have received emergency-use authorization.

Another official cautioned that nothing is final until Biden announces it and the plan could change, adding that a policy review is underway. But Biden plans to make the policy announcement on Thursday, the official said.

The plan is part of a change in tack by the White House in recent days as the delta variant has spread markedly through parts of the United States, particularly among unvaccinated Americans. Public health experts have long said that getting at least 70% of the public vaccinated is the single most important tool in controlling the pandemic, but some parts of the United States have fallen far short of that target. And some authorities are urging an even higher rate of vaccinations now, given the increased virulence of the variant.

Biden Hits Resistance from Unions on Vaccine Requirement

The Hill – Influential public sector unions are pushing back on a new vaccination requirement for federal workers in a rare split with the Biden administration.

President Biden’s latest vaccine push, announced Thursday, requires federal employees to attest that they have been vaccinated against COVID-19 or be subject to masking, social distancing and weekly testing.

While labor groups representing government employees have urged their members to get vaccinated, most of the leading public sector unions either oppose the vaccine requirement or say it must first be negotiated.

Groups representing educators, postal workers, law enforcement officers, Treasury Department personnel and other government employees expressed unease about the vaccine requirement this week. Only a few public sector unions outright endorsed the measure.

“We expect that the particulars of any changes to working conditions, including those related to COVID-19 vaccines and associated protocols, be properly negotiated with our bargaining units prior to implementation,” Everett Kelley, president of the American Federation of Government Employees, which represents nearly 700,000 workers, said in a statement.

Larry Cosme, president of the Federal Law Enforcement Officers Association, said requiring vaccinations “is not the American way and is a clear civil rights violation no matter how proponents may seek to justify

Northeastern Requires Professors and Staff to Get COVID-19 Shots

Universal Hub – With the delta variant ascendant, Northeastern University announced today that, in addition to students, faculty and staff will also have to show proof of COVID-19 vaccination by Sept. 8.

Employees with medical issues or a “sincerely held religious belief” can apply for a waiver.

Boston University issued a similar mandate last month.

As Delta Variant Rages, More Workers Are on Edge About Return to the Office

Wall Street Journal – Pieter Wingelaar was looking forward to going back to work in his company’s office in Detroit later this month, after more than a year of working remotely.

With Covid-19 cases rising again because of the highly transmissible Delta variant and no requirement at his job for employees to be vaccinated, the financial-industry phone-sales officer said he is less sure about returning. “I don’t feel that comfortable about it,” said the 40-year-old, who is fully vaccinated and doesn’t have any pre-existing conditions.

With scores of U.S. companies planning to return to offices in full force in a few weeks, workers are trying to make sense of changing face-mask guidelines and rising virus cases, along with new research about how easily the virus strain can be transmitted. The calculations and recalculations of risk are leaving many stressed, upset or simply in limbo.

New and at times confusing guidance from health officials and employers on wearing masks indoors, and questions about whether vaccines will be required or not, have workers grappling with what to expect at work, or even whether to come in.

Younger and Unvaccinated: The New Face of COVID-19 Hospitalizations

Boston Globe – Doctors, nurses, and their army of colleagues in Massachusetts hospitals are worried and exhausted. The trickle of COVID-19 patients arriving at their doors a month ago has grown to a steadier stream — up 78 percent over the last three weeks.

The faces of those infected are changing, too. No longer is the typical patient a gray-haired 70-year-old with multiple health conditions, they say. Instead, they are seeing many 40- and 50-year-olds, some even younger, who had been healthy before becoming infected. Many are people of color.

And 80 percent of them are not fully vaccinated.

As the ferociously contagious Delta strain of the virus seeds infections at a frightening clip, hospital leaders are anxious about what may be just around the corner. And they are frustrated about the number of unvaccinated COVID patients who are winding up in hospital beds now — a situation they describe as largely preventable if more people would get their shots.

“It’s more sadness than anything else,” said Dr. Armando Paez, director of the infectious disease program at Baystate Medical Center in Springfield. “Looking at somebody gasping for air, and you know it could have been prevented by getting vaccinated.”

As of Thursday, Massachusetts was reporting 197 people hospitalized with COVID, up from 80 the week of July 4, when the state’s seven-day average hit its pandemic low. The spike at hospitals tracks closely with the rise in people testing positive for COVID that began after the 4th of July holiday.

The numbers are still far below last year’s high, when more than 3,000 people were hospitalized on many days during April and May. But the trend is worrisome, and there are indications at some of the state’s biggest hospitals that the hospitalization rate is starting to accelerate.Mass General Brigham, the state’s largest health care system, said the number of its COVID-19 hospitalized patients more than tripled this month, from 12 on July 1 to 38 on Wednesday. At UMass Memorial Medical Center in Worcester, cases have also more than tripled, from 10 earlier this month, to 33 as of Wednesday. Baystate Medical Center in Springfield was reporting 17 midweek, up from a handful of COVID patients a week earlier. And Beth Israel Lahey Health said its COVID-19 patients increased from 19 on July 1 to 27 Thursday.

Baker, Dems Remain Apart on Tax Holiday, ARPA Spending

State House News – Gov. Charlie Baker sat down face-to-face with the House speaker and the Senate president for the first time in over a year on Monday, but had no more luck in person than he’s had virtually in trying to convince Democratic leaders that a two-month sales tax holiday and rapid deployment of federal aid are needed.

Baker, Speaker Ron Mariano and Senate President Karen Spilka gathered in the Senate Reading Room for over an hour, discussing Baker’s push for more urgency to begin spending American Rescue Plan Act funding, the recent rise in COVID-19 infections, and mask-wearing for children.

The governor said he made a pitch to Beacon Hill’s top two Democrats on his stalled plan to spend $900 million of expected state budget surplus on a sales tax holiday in August in September, but it fell flat.

“Suffice it to say that I think agree to disagree might be the best way to describe their point of view,” Baker said, when asked if he lobbied the two Democrats standing by his side. “I still think it’s the right thing to do for the people of Massachusetts. They worked hard. They generated a big piece of that surplus. I think we should give some of it back to them.”

Employers Alone Can’t Foot the $7 Billion Bill for Unemployment Insurance

Boston Globe – Massachusetts employers were recently handed their revised unemployment insurance tax bills for 2021. These lower bills are the result of new legislation that has been marketed as a fix for the unemployment insurance crisis. It authorizes the state to borrow $7 billion to shore up what would have been an insolvent unemployment insurance fund to pay back federal loans and interest on those loans. For many businesses, their revised tax bills dropped dramatically from what was first sent to them in April. The catch? Employers must pay it back. While the reduction in payments is welcome, employers have been handed an unprecedented tax increase for the $7 billion COVID-19 unemployment tab, which is now being amortized over 20 years rather than just two years.

This is hardly a fair fix. What employers need from Beacon Hill is for government to step up with true shared responsibility by significantly reducing the overall unemployment insurance debt. The Legislature can do this by using a portion of the $5 billion in federal COVID relief funds under its control to make a fair down payment to mitigate the unprecedented tax increase for COVID layoff costs, which were triggered by public policy and government administration as a result of the pandemic.

The current legislative “fix” to the unemployment insurance system is a tax on employers to amortize over 20 years the massive $7 billion in COVID claims paid out during the pandemic. Through state bonding, the $7 billion — plus interest — is being spread out, but current and future employers are still being asked to pick up the entire tab for the claims, fraud, and interest charges.

The delayed tax increase on employers will most certainly suppress future wage and job growth in the Commonwealth by making it more expensive to run a business here. By mortgaging the entire debt, Beacon Hill has yet to do what more than half of the states have done — devote federal COVID relief funds to bring down the debt and relieve employers from significant portions of the cost of the layoffs from the pandemic. Furthermore, some states — such as Connecticut — have also recently reformed their unemployment insurance systems, including freezing benefit increases for multiple years to create economic balance in the future, but Massachusetts has yet to freeze benefits.

Here are the Industries Vying for a Piece of the $4.8 Billion in ARPA Money

Boston Business Journal – From hospitals to tourism to helping homebuyers, Massachusetts lawmakers have no shortage of options on how to spend more than $4.8 billion in federal funds from the American Rescue Plan Act.

Business leaders, advocates and legislators pushed their own recommendations in the months after the federal government announced the state would get more than $5.3 billion. After spending funds on four of the hardest-hit cities, and letting Gov. Charlie Baker retain $200 million, lawmakers have more than $4.8 billion left to allocate how they see fit. That’s on top of another $3.4 billion set to go directly to cities and towns.

The recommendations range from investing in local boards of health to financial assistance for first-time homebuyers. At a hearing last week, the Joint Committee on Ways and Means heard hours of public testimony on possible spending in housing and workforce development alone, not to mention hundreds of pages of written testimony.

Meanwhile, Baker administration officials continue to pitch the Republican governor’s $2.9 billion spending plan.

But lawmakers in the heavily Democratic Legislature have a long way to go before deciding how much of the money to spend and where it should go. Below are some of the biggest priorities on the table.

Mass. Labor Secretary: Need for Post-COVID Job Training is a ’10-Alarm Fire’

Boston Business Journal – Top Baker administration officials pressed lawmakers Tuesday to approve $240 million in proposed spending on the state’s job-training programs, saying a historic infusion of funding would help hundreds of thousands of Massachusetts residents who are weeks away from losing their unemployment benefits.

The job-training spending represents a chunk of Gov. Charlie Baker’s $2.9 billion plan to spend aid Massachusetts received under the federal American Rescue Plan Act. The Legislature on Tuesday held the second in a series of hearings on potential uses for the ARPA money, this one focused on housing and workforce development.

The administration is pushing what one official has called a “radical expansion” of its workforce development programs. The ramp-up comes as some 300,000 people in Massachusetts stand to lose the special federal unemployment benefits they’ve received during the pandemic. The enhanced benefits expire on Sept. 6, and many could see their payments run out altogether.

“I just don’t want to bring two fire trucks to a 10-alarm fire,” Massachusetts Labor and Workforce Development Secretary Rosalin Acosta told lawmakers during the hearing. “Once the building burns, there’s no going back.”

Federal Government has a Unique Opportunity to Help Raise Wages

Boston Globe  (Opinion) – With the economy humming away and GDP eclipsing its pre-pandemic high, Americans appear to be returning to old habits, from shopping to eating out to driving.

But not everyone wants to go back to their pre-pandemic lives, and there’s at least one aspect of “normal” that some workers are not willing to go back to: obscenely low wages. Across the country, employers in the service sector are reporting that they’re having trouble staffing up their businesses, causing anxiety about a potentially prolonged labor shortage. But what some businesses are finding is that the key to drawing back employees is simply to apply some economics 101 and raise their wages.

There are several factors that could be contributing to workers’ lack of willingness to return to low-paid service-sector jobs. The one that employers are pointing out is that enhanced unemployment benefits are keeping people home. Workers, on the other hand, say that the low wages offered aren’t making unsafe working conditions worth the risk. (Earlier this year, for example, a study showed that line cooks have the highest risk of dying from COVID-19 among US workers.) But there’s truth in what they’re all saying: More generous unemployment insurance is giving workers some financial breathing room to think about what jobs they actually want — and to hold out for higher wages in the process.

This moment — where businesses are looking for workers and many Americans have the leverage to be choosy about which jobs to take — presents the federal government with a unique opportunity to push employers to raise wage standards. And there are three steps the federal government can take to do just that.

Anger Mounts as Biden, Congress Allow Eviction Ban to Expire

Boston Globe – Anger and frustration mounted in Congress over the weekend as a nationwide eviction moratorium expired during a surge in the COVID-19 pandemic. One Democratic lawmaker even camped outside the Capitol in protest as millions of Americans faced being forced from their homes.

Lawmakers said they were blindsided by President Biden’s inaction as the midnight Saturday deadline neared, some furious that he called on Congress to provide a last-minute solution to protect renters. The rare division between the president and his party carried potential lasting political ramifications.

New York Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez said Sunday that Democrats have to “call a spade a spade” after the deadline expired.

“We cannot in good faith blame the Republican Party when House Democrats have a majority,” the progressive congresswoman said on CNN’s “State of the Union.”

Ocasio-Cortez and other Democrats joined Representative Cori Bush of Missouri on Saturday evening and overnight Sunday as Bush camped outside the Capitol. “I don’t plan to leave before some type of change happens,” Bush said, though the House had already left for its August recess.

More than 3.6 million Americans are at risk of eviction, some in a matter of days. The moratorium was put in place by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention as part of the COVID-19 crisis when jobs shifted and many workers lost income.

Rental Assistance Still Available for Massachusetts Residents

WHDH – Local officials and advocates are urging the Biden administration to restore a nationwide eviction moratorium after it expired Saturday night, leaving millions of people to face the possibility of losing their homes.

The CDC ordered the eviction moratorium last September to prevent further spread of COVID-19 by keeping people from being evicted and forced to live on the streets or in shelters. Millions of Americans faced eviction after losing their jobs during the pandemic and falling behind on rent.

Emily Benfer, chair of the American Bar Association task force on Eviction, Housing Stability, and Equity, said that without the moratorium, landlords would move forward with evictions.

“Not only do I expect to see mass evictions across the country and filings, I also expect to see all of those cases that are currently on hold immediately move forward and widespread eviction in all of those cities and states where tenants were being protected from the federal moratorium.” Benfer said.

House Democrats tried passing an extension of the moratorium late last week, but the attempt failed. Speaker Nancy Pelosi is now calling on the CDC to extend the moratorium.

In Massachusetts, Gov. Charlie Baker recently signed a bill that extends some pandemic-era provisions but ended the state’s eviction moratorium last year. Attorney General Maura Healey urged residents facing eviction to apply for assistance to pay rent.

“Rental assistance is still available—regardless of your immigration status. If you are behind on your rent or mortgage, apply ASAP. These funds can also go towards finding new housing,” Healey tweeted.

Bay State residents who are in need of rental assistance are urged to visit masshousinginfo.org, call 211, or try speaking with their landlord.

Federal Bailout Funds Split Struggling Restaurant Industry

Boston Globe – For 16 months, while scrambling to stay afloat, the restaurant industry has begged the federal government for money to help recover from the pandemic. But the $28.6 billion Restaurant Relief Fund didn’t play out as they’d intended. The funds became mired in legal challenges, and then ran out far too quickly, leaving more than 200,000 applicants — nearly two in every three restaurants that applied — in the lurch.

Now, food service workers say, it’s splitting the industry in two: the haves, and the have-nots.

“Imagine you live on a street and all the houses burn down, and the government says, ‘You’re going to be okay and we’re going to help you rebuild,’ ” said chef Steve “Nookie” Postal of Commonwealth in Cambridge, which didn’t receive any funds. “And then the government turns around and says, ‘We’re just going to give it to 30 percent of the houses on your block.’ They can rebuild their house. You’re [out of luck].”

Those flush with cash, Postal said, are able to pay workers more than their competitors, giving them an edge in a tight labor market. They can pay down debts, afford the surging prices for the cost of goods, and make repairs to their equipment.

Union Calls State Decision to Encourage, Not Require, Masking in Schools ‘Reckless’

MassLive – Educator unions in Massachusetts are urging officials to change course on mask-wearing in schools after state officials on Friday said the prevention effort will be encouraged but not required.

In guidance released Friday, the state Department of Elementary and Secondary Education strongly encouraged, but did not require, unvaccinated students in grades K-12 or school staff to wear masks when inside school buildings this fall.

Massachusetts Teachers Association President Merrie Najimy called it a “reckless decision.”

“The guidance issued today by Governor Charlie Baker’s Department of Elementary and Secondary Education is no guidance at all. Rather than adopt a plan in line with the guidance issued by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the American Academy of Pediatrics, DESE is essentially signaling that students, educators and families should not take seriously the reality of the alarming rise in the number of cases of COVID-19,” Najimy said in a statement.

The CDC has recommended that all K-12 students, teachers and staff members wear masks while indoors this fall, regardless of COVID-19 vaccination status. COVID-19 vaccines are not yet available to anyone younger than 12.

The MTA said there is time before the academic year for DESE to reverse course. The union called on school districts to require universal masking.

VaxMillions Second Drawing Conducted Monday

MassLive  – The second VaxMillions drawing took place Monday, with Massachusetts officials planning to announce winners publicly on Thursday.

The drawing, open to anyone in the state who has received the COVID-19 vaccine, selected one $1 million winner who is at least 18 years old and another between 12 and 17 who will win a $300,000 scholarship. The program is meant to boost the state’s vaccination program, incentivizing the vaccine just as some communities remain vaccine hesitant and as the highly contagious delta strain sparks outbreaks across the state and country.

Darrell Washington, a BlueCross BlueShield case manager from Weymouth, and Daniela Maldonado, a 15-year-old student from Chelsea, became the state’s first pair of winners last week.

Pentagon Grappling with New Vaccine Orders; Timing Uncertain

Boston Globe – Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin is vowing he “won’t let grass grow under our feet” as the department begins to implement new vaccine and testing directives. But Pentagon officials were scrambling at week’s end to figure out how to enact and enforce the changes across the vast military population and determine which National Guard and Reserve troops would be affected by the orders.

The Defense Department must develop plans to make the vaccine mandatory for the military and set up new requirements for federal workers who will have to either attest to a COVID-19 vaccination or face frequent testing and travel restrictions.

Austin said Friday that the department will move expeditiously but added that he can’t predict how long it will take. He said he plans to consult with medical professionals as well as the military service leaders.

Any plan to make the vaccine mandatory will require a waiver signed by Biden because the Food and Drug Administration has not yet given the vaccine final, formal approval. According to federal law, the requirement to offer individuals a choice of accepting or rejecting use of an emergency use vaccine may only be waived by the president and “only if the president determines in writing that complying with such requirement is not in the interests of national security.”

Mandating the vaccine before FDA approval will likely trigger opposition from vaccine opponents and drag the military into political debates over what has become a highly divisive issue in America.

Military commanders, however, have also struggled to separate vaccinated recruits from unvaccinated recruits during early portions of basic training across the services in order to prevent infections. So, for some, a mandate could make training and housing less complicated.

Labor Lobbies Beacon Hill To Spend Federal Relief Funds On Low-Wage Workers

WGBH – When the Massachusetts Legislature’s Democratic majority considers what to do with the $5 billion in relief provided by the federal government, they’ll weigh competing arguments from organized labor and progressive activists — who want to spend the money on housing security for low-wage workers and tax relief for families — and from Gov. Charlie Baker — who wants to boost the economy and home ownership.

Before a hearing of the Legislature’s Ways and Means committees and the special panel put in place to sort out a spending plan for the $5 billion in American Rescue Plan Act funds, labor unions representing low wage workers, alongside other left-leaning community groups, told lawmakers they want to see retroactive hazard pay for front-line workers who put themselves in harm’s way throughout the pandemic.

“The workers I represent need economic support, and they need it now throughout the epidemic,” union 32BJ SEIU’s vice president Roxana Rivera said to a crowd of a few dozen supporters gathered outside the State House prior to the virtual hearing.

The coalition of progressive interest groups known as Community Labor United is also pushing for a new, state-level $600-per-month child tax credit to aid families stung by the high cost of childcare.

“Massachusetts need to put the money where their mouth is, so that’s why we need to make sure that the American Rescue Plan money are centered around workers and community who are on the front line of COVID-19 pandemic, those who have been struggling to get back on their feet,” Chinese Progressive Association executive director Karen Chen told the crowd.

Polito Announces State Grants for Child Care Centers

Lynn Journal – Lt. Gov. Karyn Polito and Early Education and Care Commissioner Samantha Aigner-Treworgy announced $7.5 million in Early Education and Out of School Time Capital Fund (EEOST) capital improvement grants to 36 organizations to renovate childcare facilities that serve primarily low-income families like Lynn’s YMCA of Metro North and the Boys & Girls Club of Lynn.

Polito said the Baker Administration teamed up with the Children’s Investment Fund (CIF) and its affiliate the Community Economic Development Assistance Corporation (CEDAC) for $250,000 in grant money towards the Boys & Girls Club and $186,000 to the YMCA of Metro North. The 36 recipients all received grants between $100,000 to $250,000 to provide capital funding needed to address health and safety concerns related to COVID-19.

“These awards announced today – which mark the largest total amount awarded since the inception of the EEOST grants – will improve child-care programs across the state,” said Polito last week at the Social Centers. “Now more than ever, as families return to workplaces, investments in early education and care settings are vital to provide necessary resources to children and their families through high-quality early childhood education and out-of-school time programs.”

The capital grants will help continue to support major renovation and construction projects at the two Lynn organizations and improve the quality of learning environments for the over 300 children they serve.

The Early Education and Out of School Time capital improvement grants are financed through the state’s capital budget and provide matching funds that leverage private investment. More than $200 million in public and private investments have been leveraged throughout the life of the grant program.  The Baker-Polito Administration’s FY21 Capital Budget Plan included funding for the Early Education and Out of School Time capital improvement grant program.

Who Might Replace Rachael Rollins as Suffolk District Attorney?

Boston Globe – When Daniel F. Conley announced he was stepping down as Suffolk district attorney three years ago, he gave Governor Charlie Baker a handful of recommended successors, he recalled Monday. Just two weeks later, Baker chose one from the list — Conley’s longtime chief trial counsel, John Pappas — to complete the three months left in his term.

With the Biden administration nominating Suffolk District Attorney Rachael Rollins to be US attorney for Massachusetts, Baker may again have the chance to appoint the county’s top prosecutor. This time, however, his choice could serve more than a year in office before the 2022 election, a potentially considerable political advantage.

The Republican governor, who has clashed with Rollins on several occasions, is facing pressure from criminal justice reform advocates who are pushing for a candidate who will build on Rollins’s progressive legacy.

Vote-By-Mail Is Extended. What Does That Mean for Boston’s Mayoral Race?

WBUR – Several municipal preliminary elections in Massachusetts are less than two months away, and once again voters across the state will have the option to cast their ballots by mail — no excuse needed.

On Thursday, Gov. Charlie Baker signed into law a provision to extend vote-by-mail through Dec. 15. The law that allowed for no-excuse early voting by mail through the pandemic had initially expired on June 30.

The Boston mayoral race is one of the most-watched preliminary races, and the first open mayoral contest in the city in eight years. Many voters may opt to mail their ballots because of the ongoing coronavirus pandemic.

Unlike in 2020 — which featured a presidential election with unprecedented public safety challenges — there has been far less lead time this year for city and town electioneers to promote mail-in voting as they awaited word on whether the option would be renewed by lawmakers.

Last year, Secretary of State William Galvin’s office sent by mail postcards with detachable forms for people to request mail-in ballots for the statewide elections. That is unlikely to occur for municipal elections, according to a spokeswoman for the office, because mailers were not budgeted for this year, and there is a tighter window of time before most preliminary elections.

That said, while the messaging may be different, the process of voting by mail remains largely the same. And a quick reminder: There is functionally no difference between absentee voting and voting by mail. It’s just that there are rules around who is eligible for an absentee ballot, whereas the current law around voting by mail allows anyone to use it.

Why Massachusetts Keeps Postponing the Tax Break for Charity Donations

Boston.com – Back in 2000, more than two thirds of Massachusetts voters approved a small change to the state’s tax code: a tax deduction for charitable giving.

The slight change would have allowed residents, who already can claim donations to lower the amount of their income subject to federal taxes, to take an additional 5 percent deduction on their state taxes.

In other words, a tax filer could save $5 on their taxes for every $100 they made in donations; $5,000 in donations could save $250. The new law was purportedly intended to incentivize charitable giving in Massachusetts, which had been recently ranked the third-least generous state in the country at the time.

However, scrambling to address recession-induced budget shortfalls, legislators passed a law in 2002 to suspend the implementation of the deduction, as well as a ballot measure to lower the state’s income tax, until their fiscal situation improved.

That would have been this year.

But in the midst of the pandemic, Republican Gov. Charlie Baker and the Democratic-controlled state legislature agreed last year to delay it until 2022

Now, it will be delayed one more year. And more than two decades after voters first approved the deduction, the debate over if and when it will ever be implemented has spilled over from Beacon Hill to the opinion pages of The Boston Globe.

Healey Charges Grubhub with Exceeding Pandemic Fee Cap

Commonwealth Magazine – During the pandemic, as restaurants pivoted to offering take-out meals rather than sit-down dining, they complained that third-party delivery apps were charging them exorbitant fees for providing delivery services. In response, the Legislature imposed a 15 percent cap on the commissions that apps like Grubhub and Uber Eats could charge restaurants during the COVID state of emergency.

But one major company – Chicago-based Grubhub – continued charging fees above 15 percent of a meal’s purchase price, according to a civil complaint filed Thursday by Attorney General Maura Healey in Suffolk Superior Court.

“We allege that Grubhub knowingly and repeatedly violated the fee cap statute, raising costs by thousands of dollars and harming restaurants that were already financially distressed and trying to survive,” Healey said in a statement.

Grubhub spokesman Grant Klinzman said in a statement, “Serving restaurants is at the heart of everything we do at Grubhub and we strongly disagree with the allegations in this lawsuit.”

The way Grubhub works is once a restaurant signs up for its services, the app lists the restaurant’s menu, processes orders and payments, transmits orders to the restaurant, and delivers the food – in exchange for a commission that is a percentage of the food’s purchase price.

According to the complaint, Grubhub charged a “marketing and delivery” fee that was 15 percent of the order price. It then charged another 3 percent fee for “collecting payments, fraud monitoring, [and] customer care.”

July 27

This Week’s Calendar 

Tuesday July 27   

Joint Committee on the Judiciary-Crimes II-Virtual Hearing-10:00am-https://malegislature.gov/Events/Hearings/Detail/3888 

Joint Committee on Labor and Workforce Development-Workforce Development and Job Training-Virtual Hearing-10:30am-https://malegislature.gov/Events/Hearings/Detail/3874 

House and Senate Ways and Means+ House Committee on Federal Stimulus and Census Oversight-TBD-11:00am-Virtual Hearing-https://malegislature.gov/Events/Hearings/Detail/3867 

Joint Committee on Financial Services-Health Insurance and Dental Insurance-11:00am-Virtual Hearing-https://malegislature.gov/Events/Hearings/Detail/3871 

Joint Committee on Municipalities and Regional Government-Home rules, housing, zoning, planning, fossil fuels-11:00am-Virtual Hearing-https://malegislature.gov/Events/Hearings/Detail/3873 

Wednesday July 28  

Joint Committee on Public Service-Agency Recommendations and Local Matters-Virtual Hearing-9:30am-https://malegislature.gov/Events/Hearings/Detail/3884 

Joint Committee on Telecommunications, Utilities and Energy-Competitive Suppliers, Grid Modernization, Electric Vehicles Legislation-Virtual Hearing-10:00am-https://malegislature.gov/Events/Hearings/Detail/3891 

Joint Committee on Housing-Housing Production-Virtual Hearing-10:00am-https://malegislature.gov/Events/Hearings/Detail/3881 

Joint Committee on Transportation-Transit Fares and Transportation Governance and Administration-Virtual Hearing-2:00pm-https://malegislature.gov/Events/Hearings/Detail/3876 

Friday July 30 

Joint Committee on Telecommunications, Utilities and Energy- Proposed amendments by the Department of Energy Resources to the Class I and Class II RPS regulation-Virtual Hearing-10:00am-https://malegislature.gov/Events/Hearings/Detail/3894 

There are no hearings or events scheduled for next week. 

Baker, Legislative Leaders Resume In-Person Monday Meetings 

State House News – Gov. Charlie Baker and Democratic legislative leaders resumed an old tradition on Monday afternoon: they sat down together at the State House to talk public issues and then met with the media afterwards.  

During their post-meeting availability, the state’s top leaders discussed legislative hearings on ways to allocate American Rescue Act funds, Baker’s call for an extended sales tax holiday, the VaxMillions lottery, the nomination of Suffolk District Attorney Rachael Rollins for U.S. attorney and the use of masks to guard against COVID-19 spread.  

The News Service also caught up with Senate President Karen Spilka to discuss the outlook for a House-approved sports betting legalization bill in the Senate, and she confirmed it will not come up during this week’s Senate sessions.  

“This will be something clearly that will be up for discussion in the Senate in the fall when we’re there,” Spilka said.  

The Senate president said she is “not terribly fond” of allowing betting on college sports, as the House has recommended.  

“I think it will change the way college does their sports,” she said. “I think it will change the feeling.”  

While Spilka mentioned a fall debate, she also twice used the word “if” when discussing whether a sports betting bill will finally reach the Senate floor. The Senate has shied away from sports betting, while the House has passed bills twice and representatives said last week Massachusetts is “surrounded” by legal betting states and needs to pass its own law.  

Monday’s meeting was held in the Senate Reading Room, which afforded more space for both the meeting and the media scrum that followed. 

Tuesday Hearing Is First Of At Least Five More ARPA Hearings

State House News – The House and Senate plan at least five more hearings about how to spend close to $5 billion in federal relief funds, with the bulk of the dates after Labor Day, as lawmakers continue to move more slowly than Gov. Charlie Baker would like to see.  

Baker testified last week before the House and Senate Ways and Means committees and other lawmakers about his plan to immediately begin spending $2.9 billion of the $4.8 billion in remaining stimulus funds. It was the Legislature’s first hearing, and the governor emphasized the importance of allocating the funding quickly.  

Rep. Aaron Michlewitz and Sen. Michael Rodrigues, the chairs of the House and Senate Ways and Means committees, said Monday they planned to hold at least five more hearings this year, including one on Tuesday focused on housing, labor and workforce development issues.  

Four additional hearings to be scheduled for after Labor Day will focus on health care, public health, mental health and human services; economic development, transportation, arts, tourism, climate and infrastructure; and education, social equity, safety net programs and families. The final hearing will be an open public hearing, the two chairmen said.  

“We ask that the Baker Administration, stakeholders and members of the general public participate in this process, provide feedback and share ideas as we work collaboratively to address our most critical needs, while positioning our Commonwealth for equitable long-term success,” Michlewitz and Rodrigues said in a statement.   

House Speaker Ron Mariano last week in an interview on Bloombrg radio said it was fine during the COVID-19 state of emergency to let Gov. Baker spend federal money allocated through the CARES Act where it was needed, but he said it’s the Legislature’s traditional responsibility to appropriate money and it has until 2024 to do so. “When it’s $5 billion you want some ground rules and you want some parameters,” Mariano said.  

Tuesday’s hearing will be virtual, but the initial statement did not indicate what time it would take place or who might be lined up to testify.

Housing, Education Top Priorities for Boston ARPA money 

Commonwealth Magazine – As American Rescue Plan Act funding begins to flow, Boston is expecting $558.7 million in municipal aid. The sum represents an opportunity to direct the future of the city, and city policymakers have a wide range of latitude on how to spend it. 

So far, affordable housing and schools stand out as two shared priorities, though city councilors say they are considering a variety of possible projects.   

“This is our opportunity to make sure we’re meeting the moment,” said Acting Mayor Kim Janey at a recent forum hosted by the Responsible Development Coalition, a housing and development advocacy organization. Janey is pushing for housing issues to top the priority list for funding. “With this money, we absolutely need to make sure that we continue to build in the city of Boston to meet the housing demand so that families who want to live in Boston, who want to raise their families here, who grew up here, can stay in Boston,” she said. 

So far, Janey has budgeted for the use of $50 million of the ARPA money, which will be allocated to city and community programs to support “an equitable recovery and reopening for Boston residents, workers and small businesses,” according to the mayor’s press office.  

Ten million dollars will support public health responses, including vaccine initiatives and treatment for behavioral and substance use issues. The same amount is headed to communities that were hit especially hard by the pandemic to be used for affordable housing investment and other housing services, health programs, support for childcare and early education, and support for language access.  

Another $14.5 million will address the impacts of the pandemic on food access, housing, arts, culture, and tourism, and the remaining $15.5 million will assist small businesses in pandemic recovery.  

Biden Picks DA Rollins for Top Federal Prosecutor 

State House News – President Joe Biden on Monday nominated Suffolk County District Attorney Rachael Rollins to serve as the state’s top federal prosecutor, a historic move that could reshape the U.S. Attorney’s office and kick off a flurry of activity among elected officials and others who wish to succeed her. 

If confirmed by the U.S. Senate, Rollins could be poised to bring the same reform-minded approach to the U.S. attorney’s office that has drawn praise from progressives and criticism from police unions. 

She would become the first Black woman to serve as U.S. attorney for the District of Massachusetts and only the second woman to hold that title, following President Barack Obama appointee Carmen Ortiz. 

Rollins, who has been publicly linked to the position for months, did not remark on the nomination Monday morning and her office could not be reached for immediate comment. 

Biden announced Rollins as one of eight nominees to serve as U.S. attorneys. 

“These individuals — many of whom are historic firsts — were chosen for their devotion to enforcing the law, their professionalism, their experience and credentials in this field, their dedication to pursuing equal justice for all, and their commitment to the independence of the Department of Justice,” the White House said. 

As part of its work to enforce federal laws, the U.S. attorney in recent years has also targeted political corruption and fraud. For instance, prosecutors successfully brought cases against former House Speaker Sal DiMasi, former Sen. Dianne Wilkerson, former Rep. David Nangle, and former Fall River Mayor Jasiel Correia. 

A Northeastern University School of Law graduate, Rollins worked as an assistant U.S. attorney from 2007 to 2011 before holding counsel positions at the state Department of Transportation and Massachusetts Port Authority. 

In 2018, Rollins topped a five-person Democratic primary for Suffolk DA with 39 percent of the vote, then took 80 percent of the vote in the general election. 

She made major waves early in her tenure, outlining a “progressive prosecution” strategy for her office in March 2019 that called for pursuing diversion or dismissal in many nonviolent, low-level cases. 

That move drew criticism from Gov. Charlie Baker’s public safety chief, who told Rollins at the time that her prosecutorial policies “do not reflect the careful balance struck” in a 2018 criminal justice reform bill. 

Rollins also called in the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic for releasing some inmates from Massachusetts jails and prisons to reduce the risks of transmission, saying at the time that inmates were “essentially sitting in a petri dish.” 

“As Suffolk County District Attorney, Rachael Rollins has demonstrated what a difference a DA makes; from moving to dismiss thousands of cases tainted by Massachusetts’ drug lab scandals to declining to prosecute several low-level offenses, she has prioritized racial justice and fairness in our legal system,” said ACLU Massachusetts Executive Director Carol Rose. “The ACLU looks forward to working with her if she is confirmed as U.S. Attorney for Massachusetts.” 

Rose, whose organization does not endorse or oppose nominees, said she wants Gov. Baker to select a successor, interim DA “who will continue the work toward a legal system that is focused on transformation and healing — not convictions and incarceration.” 

Baker, a Republican, would be responsible for selecting an interim Suffolk County district attorney to succeed Rollins until the 2022 election if she departs. 

It would be a major decision for Baker, who has yet to announce if he will seek re-election in 2022. He could tap a member of his own party – which did not have a candidate on the ballot last cycle – but such a move could rankle legislative leaders and many Suffolk County voters. 

The Boston Globe reported in May that Rollins would like to see Daniel Mulhern, her first assistant, succeed her as DA if she is confirmed as U.S. attorney. 

In an April 15 tweet, Rollins said, “FYI, when DA’s leave, at least all the men that did before I was elected, they recommend (tell) the Governor who should replace them.” 

In 1992, Suffolk County District Attorney Newman Flanagan departed to lead a national association of district attorneys. Republican Gov. William Weld named former federal prosecutor Ralph Martin as acting Suffolk DA, and Martin, a Republican, went on to win four-year terms in 1994 and 1998. 

The Biden administration has returned to the Massachusetts on multiple occasions to fill federal jobs. Former Boston Mayor Martin Walsh is serving as U.S. labor secretary, former Massachusetts Transportation Secretary Stephanie Pollack took a job as deputy administrator at the Federal Highway Administration, and House Majority Leader Claire Cronin has been tapped as U.S. ambassador to Ireland. 

Rollins’ departure would require Boston voters to select a new district attorney in 2022, one year after they will choose a permanent mayor to serve a full term.  

U.S. Rep. Ayanna Pressley and U.S. Sen. Ed Markey both praised the Biden administration for selecting Rollins, with Pressley calling her “my sister in service.”  

“She has fought to transform our legal system by prioritizing racial justice, decarceration & reimagining public safety in MA,” Pressley tweeted.  

Markey said he and fellow Sen. Elizabeth Warren “were proud to recommend” Rollins, adding that “we will work to make sure she is confirmed as quickly as possible.”  

Trump administration appointee Andrew Lelling spent more than three years as U.S. attorney until he resigned in February. Nathaniel Mendell has served on an acting basis since then.  

Three Disconnects Fueling Turnover in the Covid-19 Era 

Boston Business Journal – After 14 months of considerable change and uncertainty, the employee-employer dynamic is rapidly evolving, and experts say several schisms have emerged that represent turnover threats during the COVID-19 era. 

The divides and disconnects are intertwined and come amid a backdrop of labor shortages, rising burnout and a large-scale reinvention of workplace strategy for many employers. 

Bridging those gaps won’t be easy, but the stakes are high — as the price of replacing talent is rising and difficulty finding employees is limiting revenue.  

Here’s a look at three chasms experts say are weighing heavily on workplaces around the nation. 

The WFH factor 

The debate over flexibility and in-person frequency has emerged as a critical disconnect for many businesses as they call back employees to the office.  

Some companies, such as JPMorgan Chase & Co. and Goldman Sachs Group Inc., are drawing a line in the sand and requiring a wide-scale return, despite the turnover risks.   

Many others are taking a hybrid approach with work-from-home flexibility.   

But even companies that are embracing flexibility are realizing it’s tough to please everyone. Surveys have shown employees and employers have differing definitions of flexibility and varying expectations about how often they should be required to work in the office.  

“I’m hearing a lot about people who feel like their company is saying they can work from home, but they don’t feel like their manager is really OK with that,” said Zach Dunn, co-founder and vice president of customer experience at Robin, which helps companies navigate hybrid strategies. “That’s a real problem.” 

Dunn said the disconnect partially arises from managers and executives losing an element of control over decisions as simple as who is in the office on a given day. There are also trust issues at play. 

“Those are the sorts of decisions which are uncomfortable to let go because they can’t always have visibility on what’s happening,” Dunn said. 

At the same time, companies that are embracing flexibility are pouncing on the opportunity to poach workers who aren’t finding the flexibility they want amid a turnover tsunami that’s been punctuated by record quit rates. 

The vaccination situation 

For many businesses, the COVID-19 vaccine has emerged as a disconnect between employers and workers.   

How companies approach the issue could affect morale, retention and recruitment, and the complex question is causing headaches for businesses. 

Between Occupational Safety and Health Administration guidance, recent court rulings and rising COVID-19 cases due to the Delta variant, employment attorneys say more companies are mandating the COVID-19 vaccine.  

But not all employees are happy about it, and experts say that’s giving some businesses cold feet about vaccine mandates. 

Aimee Delaney, a partner at law firm Hinshaw & Culbertson LLP, said many companies can’t risk potential fallout from employees. 

“The acceptance level of the vaccine would create a workforce issue in a lot of industries that didn’t have the luxury of being able to get rid of 75% of their workforce that wasn’t vaccinated,” Delaney said. 

But companies may have to weigh the cost of potential turnover or morale troubles against the pitfalls that could come from having an elevated percentage of unvaccinated employees.  

A recent analysis by computational modeling company Epistemix Inc. and consulting firm Health Preparedness Partners found companies without a vaccination policy — which could include requiring, incentivizing or encouraging the vaccine — could lose an average of $798,000 in productivity and health care costs. 

The costs could top $1 million in places with low vaccination rates, according to Epistemix CEO John Cordier.  

Additionally, employment attorneys say companies are also grappling with a disconnect involving colleagues who don’t want to be around unvaccinated workers. 

Delaney said federal law doesn’t provide for an exemption due to that type of fear factor, but employers could be required to make accommodations in cases where an employee is at high risk due to a medical condition. 

The other disconnect 

While workplace strategy and vaccination policies represent conflicts between employers and their workers, there’s another chasm at play that represents an even greater challenge: many workers are simply feeling disconnected from their companies or their missions.  

Experts say a number of factors are at play. Many employees “sheltered in place” during the pandemic and are testing the waters in what quickly became a candidate’s market.  

Others re-evaluated their circumstances and career options during the pandemic and are no longer in lockstep with their company’s mission, which can lead to burnout. 

“You need a sense of purpose — a connection with a company’s mission,” said Bill Lyons, CEO of professional employer organization Lyons HR.  

Lyons said the threat of burnout puts a huge emphasis on positive reinforcement. That’s an area where some companies have struggled during the pandemic. 

Many employees emerged from the remote-work period disconnected from colleagues and feeling underappreciated or underpaid. 

Regardless of the reason, experts say many companies have significant work to do to rebuild morale and reduce disconnects with their staffs.  

One thing experts said companies should avoid is jumping to conclusions about what is causing burnout or disconnects, particularly for those who are transitioning back to the office. 

Amina Moreau, CEO and co-founder of Radious.pro, an online marketplace for rentable home-office and meeting spaces, said some companies are making misguided assumptions about remote work’s connection to burnout, for example. 

“Companies are making decisions based on statements like, ‘People get burnt out when working remotely,’ when really what is meant by that is people get burnt out working from home and living at the office,” Moreau said. “If you’re going to make long-term decisions based on that confusion, then you’re not considering the whole picture and you might end up seeing pretty big consequences.” 

Instead of making assumptions, experts say the key to bridging this divide is having ongoing dialogue with workers, which could take the form of surveys, one-on-one conversations or group discussions.

Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts Partners with Equity Now & Beyond to Provide Vaccine Clinics and Outreach to Local Immigrant Communities

Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts (“Blue Cross”) today announced a partnership with Equity Now & Beyond, a collaborative of five immigrant-led organizations, to host vaccine clinics and provide educational outreach in immigrant communities across Massachusetts. The organizations will work together through the summer and fall in an effort to reduce disparities in vaccination rates.

Recent Massachusetts Department of Health data show significant gaps in vaccination rates among Black and Latino residents compared to White and Asian residents. There are also disparities in neighborhoods with large immigrant populations.

With financial support from Blue Cross, Equity Now & Beyond is hosting more than 20 vaccine clinics at local churches, schools and community centers across the state including Mattapan, Dorchester, Lynn, Brighton, Waltham, Brockton and Worcester.  

The clinics, staffed by physicians from local hospitals and community health centers, are organized and operated by Equity Now & Beyond’s immigrant-led groups including African Community Economic Development of New England (ACEDONE), Haitian Americans United (HAU), Brazilian Women’s Group, Agencia ALPHA, and the Center to Support Immigrant Organizing.  

In addition to the managing the clinics, volunteers from these groups help address potential barriers to vaccination among immigrant communities, including translation services, transportation support and one-on-one counseling.

“Many of Boston’s African, Haitian and other Caribbean Black immigrants have particular doubts and skepticisms of the vaccine and medical establishment,” said Kevin Whalen, Co-Director of Center to Support Immigrant Organizing and Coordinator of Equity Now & Beyond. “Our goal is to provide education on the COVID-19 vaccine and create an accessible environment where these communities feel safe and don’t fear retribution because of their immigrant or socioeconomic status.” 

Manchin in the Middle: West Virginia Senator Puts his Stamp on Infrastructure, Spending Bills 

Boston Globe – What does Joe Manchin want?

The question looms over the delicate negotiations on President Biden’s massive infrastructure package, which enters a crucial phase in the Senate this week, as well as pretty much any other item on the Democratic agenda.

The West Virginia senator has been at the center of the effort to draft a bipartisan, $1.2 trillion infrastructure bill to rebuild the nation’s crumbling roads and bridges that Biden has vowed will be accompanied by a much larger, $3.5 trillion bill addressing Democratic priorities such as climate change and health care. Manchin has refused to say whether he’ll get behind that second bill, which almost certainly will need all 50 Senate Democrats to pass.

Democrats’ razor-thin majority gives each Senate Democrat tremendous leverage. But Manchin, a moderate Democrat from deep-red West Virginia, is the one who most publicly threatens to use it, and he seems to relish keeping everyone guessing about what it will take to get his vote. 

Black Business Owners in Boston’s Seaport Look to Grow their Ranks

Boston Business Journal – From his BBQ café in South Boston Maritime Park, Larry Jimerson has watched the Seaport’s high-rise hotels and multi-million-dollar companies rise around him since 2012.

As the wealth and population of the Seaport has grown over the years, so has his revenue, but one thing Jimerson has not seen increase is the number of people of color living, working and running businesses in the Seaport. Larry J’s BBQ Cafe is one of only two Black-owned businesses in the Seaport, according to Jimerson. There are no minority-owned Seaport businesses listed in the city’s directory.

Jimerson and other business organizations agree that increasing the number of minority-owned businesses in the Seaport would be beneficial to business owners, residents, tourists and the city’s economic growth. And despite the Seaport’s long history of building with little regard for diversity, they say it’s not too late to make some changes.  

Hearing to be Held on COVID, Kids, and the Return to Schools 

Boston 25 News – School districts in Massachusetts know when they’ll be welcoming students back for the 2021-2022 academic year. What they suddenly don’t know is what that year will look like, thanks to the sudden surge in Covid cases fueled by the Delta variant. 

In the last three weeks, cases in Massachusetts exploded from just a relative handful each day to now, commonly, hundreds a day. Last Friday, the Department of Public Health reported 586 confirmed cases with a seven-day average positivity rate of 1.53 percent. The average hasn’t been that high since May 3. 

State Rep. Marjorie Decker is already looking to Sept. 3. 

Baker Releases Spending Plan for $186 Million in ARPA Funds 

Commonwealth  Magazine – Gov. Charlie Baker on Monday announced that he will spend $186 million in federal COVID relief funding with a focus on health care and workforce training.   

“Our administration is putting this $186 million to work now because many communities throughout Massachusetts – especially low-income families and communities of color – have been disproportionately impacted by COVID-19 and cannot wait for assistance,” Baker said in a statement.   

The American Rescue Plan Act money had been subject to a brief tussle between Baker and the Democratic-led Legislature over who had control of the money. Ultimately, the Legislature gave Baker $200 million to spend unilaterally, but lawmakers moved the rest of the $5.3 billion in direct government aid to a segregated fund, where they could control legislatively how the money is spent. Lawmakers have said they want to spend several months gathering input on how to spend the money, while Baker has urged quicker action.  

Still no Answer for Massachusetts Businesses Forced to Shoulder $7 billion in Pandemic Unemployment Costs  

Boston Herald – Business groups are accusing lawmakers of turning a blind eye to the festering insolvency of the state’s unemployment trust fund and saddling the debt on businesses rather than paying it down with the billions in federal aid and excess tax dollars at the state’s disposal  

“There’s been very little talk about the debt publicly by legislators and it’s something trying to raise awareness of,” said Christopher Carlozzi of the National Federation of Independent Businesses. 

Massachusetts’ unemployment trust fund — which funded through a payroll tax on businesses — is drowning amid an unprecedented number of claims throughout the pandemic and by the state’s accounting is on track to be $4 billion in the red by the end of next year. 

This spring, lawmakers moved to separate out more than $7 billion in pandemic-era claims after businesses saw their unemployment insurance tax rates more than double, but Jon Hurst of the Retailers Association of Massachusetts points out, “they’re still getting the entire tab plus $1 billion in interest amortized over 20 years.” 

More than 30 states in similar predicaments have opted to use federal CARES Act money and ARPA funds to pay down debt and take the burden off employers.

Report Details Crisis in Boston Early Childhood Programs 

WBUR – Boston families with young children may have had a hard time accessing key child development screening and services during the first year of the pandemic, according to a new report. 

Under the state’s Early Intervention program, kids under the age of three with developmental delays or disabilities can access therapy, specialized doctors and supports at no cost to the family. 

The number of eligible Boston children receiving Early Intervention services fell 40% by February 2021 compared to a year earlier, according to the analysis by the Boston Opportunity Agenda — a partnership with the city of Boston and several philanthropies, including The Boston Foundation. 

The decline varied widely across Boston’s neighborhoods. In Hyde Park, Roslindale and West Roxbury, there were 56% fewer children receiving Early Intervention services in February 2021, compared to February 2020. 

Referrals to those services dropped 12% overall in the city. Referrals in central Boston and Roxbury fell most sharply, by 25%. Fenway/Kenmore was the only area that saw an increase in referrals, which went up 20% during that time period. 

“Those early years are a critical time to be able to do skill building with parents about how they engage with young children, to be doing skill building with young children,” said Kristen McSwain, executive director of the Boston Opportunity Agenda. “There’s a large number of children for whom that did not happen.” 

If those children are now 3 years old, it could fall to schools to assess their developmental needs and try to make up for the lost time when interventions could have helped those children and families. 

 Give a Boost to Non-Profits in Their Time of Need 

Boston Globe – (Editorial) If ever there was a year to lend a hand to the state’s non-profits — everything from community centers and homeless shelters to pandemic-shuttered arts organizations — this is it. 

Yes, this is the year to write the check. And what better way to encourage people to write that check than to give them a modest state tax deduction in return. Taxpayers benefit. Charities benefit. What could be better — and easier? 

But that will require members of the Legislature to go along. For the state, it means a revenue hit of only about $64 million a year. But for the non-profits and the community members they serve that stand to benefit, it can represent a lifeline. 

“Thousands of nonprofits are on a fiscal cliff right now,” Jim Klocke, CEO of the Massachusetts Nonprofit Network, said in an interview. “Some that got PPP [Paycheck Protection Program] loans have run out. Many nonprofits kept doing what they usually do, like running after-school programs, and then they did some more, like opening soup kitchens. . . . This is just the right time to reinstate this [charitable] deduction.” 

The long and torturous history of the charitable deduction in Massachusetts goes back to 2000, when voters approved the ballot measure by a 72 percent to 28 percent margin. But in 2002 the Legislature put the measure on hold until the state hit a certain number of economic triggers — the same ones that eventually reduced the state income tax back to 5 percent. That should have happened as of Jan. 1, 2021, but lawmakers delayed it a year. 

When Governor Charlie Baker filed his budget back in January for the fiscal year that began July 1, he proposed another year’s delay. In the midst of the pandemic, the administration was doing everything but checking the seat cushions for spare change. Flash forward six months and the state is now awash in unexpected revenue — but lawmakers still wanted to hang on to that additional $64 million. 

Funds for Forests: Campaign Ramps up to Improve State’s Rural Lands Payment 

Berkshire Eagle – Communities with large tracts of state land are being stiffed financially. That’s what a top Massachusetts official thinks. 

In December, Auditor Suzanne Bump issued a 70-page analysis of how Massachusetts goes about compensating communities in which the state owns land exempt from property taxes. 

Bump’s critique was clear: The system is increasingly unfair, especially to smaller towns in Western Massachusetts, and needs to be reformed to prevent an already weak financial support from faltering. 

On Friday, Bump will join with local lawmakers in Deerfield and Hawley in a bid to build awareness of the problem and to push for change. 

State Budget Scraps ‘Ineffective’ Tax Breaks 

Newburyport News – A controversial subsidy for filmmakers was set in place as part of the state budget, even as lawmakers retired several other tax breaks. 

A $47.6 billion spending package signed by Gov. Charlie Baker last week repeals three tax credits that a state commission deemed were not worth their weight in lost revenue. 

One of the scrapped subsidies is a credit for medical-device user fees, which reimburses companies for certain fees they pay to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. 

The tax credit, which costs the state upward of $600,000 a year, is being “claimed by a number of predominately large corporations,” the panel found in a report, and there are “no similar tax provisions in neighboring states.” 

“The use of this credit by less than half a dozen large companies is a strong indication that it is not relevant,” stated the report by the Tax Expenditure Review Commission. “While its low cost suggests it might be easily justified, we conclude the average tax credit is too small to provide a meaningful incentive to the relatively large businesses that claim it.” 

Another subsidy going away provides vessel owners a dollar-for-dollar offset of the federal harbor excise tax. It was also flagged by the commission for repeal. 

“We conclude that while this credit does provide an incentive to use Massachusetts ports, we find it does not have a measurable benefit, and does not have any relevance today,” the report’s authors wrote. 

Boston Community College, Jobs and Recovery Programs May see $2.3 Million Boost after Push from Rep. Ayanna Pressley 

MassLive – A trio of community programs in Boston may see a boost of more than $2 million in the next fiscal year, Rep. Ayanna Pressley announced this week. 

The proposed $2.3 million in federal funding for the city, if approved as part of the fiscal year 2022 federal budget, would expand Boston’s tuition-free community college program, bolster the Dimock Center’s substance use treatment and programming, and help the Benjamin Franklin Institute of Technology launch a green jobs Building Automation System associates degree program. 

The federal spending is part of a series of Community Project Funding requests Pressley submitted to the House Appropriations Committee — and it’s now included in the House Labor, Health and Human Services, Education and Related Agencies appropriations bill, Pressley’s office told MassLive. The Massachusetts Democrat says she’ll keep fighting for the funding as the bill moves to the House floor and “until the ink is dry on the president’s signature.” 

“COVID-19 has exposed and exacerbated many of the stark inequities facing Boston residents, and our health and education systems are no exception,” she said.  

“Funding these three projects, which aim to support our students, people recovering from substance use disorder and those seeking good-paying careers in green jobs, will go a long way toward building a just and equitable recovery for everyone who calls Boston home.” 

In a statement, Boston Mayor Kim Janey thanked Pressley for her advocacy for community residents. 

Bill Would Boost Pensions for Pandemic Government Workers 

WBUR – Critics say a measure to reward government workers in Massachusetts for their service during the pandemic could wind up costing billions of dollars and drain state and local pension funds. 

The bill, which has drawn broad support in the state Legislature, would credit workers with three extra years of service for their pensions when they retire if they worked outside their home sometime between March 10 and Dec. 31 of last year. 

An aide to one of the lead sponsors, Sen. John Velis, said he couldn’t say yet how many workers would qualify or how much the pension boost would cost. “This bill is still in an early stage,” said Gabriel Adams-Keane, the senator’s communications director and deputy legislative director. 

But Geoff Beckwith, executive director of the Massachusetts Municipal Association, said the bill is written so broadly that it would likely benefit a large share of the more than 300,000 state and local workers in Massachusetts, including some legislators. 

“There is zero analysis to see how much this would cost,” Beckwith said. “There is 100% certainty that this would be unaffordable.” 

Gregory Sullivan, research director for the Pioneer Institute in Boston, estimated the change would likely add billions of dollars to the state’s pension costs over time. 

Baker Skeptical of Move to Repeal Happy Hour Ban 

Boston.com – Call him a “stick in the mud,” but Gov. Charlie Baker says he’s not on board with the sudden energy around repealing the ban on happy hours in Massachusetts. 

A recent survey by MassInc Polling Group found that 70 percent of Bay Staters support allowing bars and restaurants to offer drinks discounts during happy hour, with just 20 percent of residents opposed. And state Rep. Mike Connolly, a Cambridge Democrat, announced Wednesday that a bill he introduced this session would “bring stakeholders together to revisit” the ban as part of a raft of restaurant relief measures in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic. 

Rising COVID-19 Cases Spur Action on Face Coverings 

Boston Globe – In one of the first signs the resurgence of COVID infections is causing concern among officials, Boston Acting Mayor Kim Janey on Thursday said all public-school students in the city will be required to wear face masks when they return to classes in September. 

Already this week, officials in Cambridge, Provincetown, and Nantucket urged residents and visitors to wear masks in indoor public spaces as new outbreaks have been reported; Cambridge, for example, said that 42 percent of the 83 confirmed and probable infections in July so far are “breakthrough” cases involving people who are fully vaccinated. 

The case numbers and official responses in Massachusetts are still modest compared to other parts of the country where infections are rising sharply. The trend is largely d riven by a worrisome combination of the emergence of the fast-spreading Delta variant and low vaccination rates, mostly in Southern and some Midwestern states. 

On Thursday, Governor Charlie Baker, said he has no plans to reimpose statewide restrictions, but left the door open for local officials to set limits in their communities. 

“We have a set of statewide standards, and they’re based on what we see on a statewide basis,” the governor said at an event on Cape Cod. “And if communities believe they need to pursue strategies that are more effective and appropriate to them, then they should do so.” 

Janey revealed the safety precaution during a City Hall news conference, saying students in summer school and other city programs are currently wearing masks and noting that many children are not yet eligible for the vaccine. 

“This fall they will be wearing masks still,” she said. 

Janey’s comments came days after the American Academy of Pediatrics called for everyone older than age 2 to wear masks in school this fall, even if they have been vaccinated against COVID-19. The academy noted that federal regulators have not yet authorized COVID vaccines for children under age 12, leaving millions of youngsters vulnerable to infection. 

Baker: No Plans to Bring Back Mass. COVID Restrictions Despite Rising Cases  

NBC Boston – Gov. Charlie Baker said he has no plans to bring back coronavirus restrictions in Massachusetts as two communities on Cape Cod have issued mask advisories amid a spike in cases. 

“We’re not looking at changing any of our existing rules or policies,” Baker said. 

“We have a set of statewide standards and they’re based on what we see on a statewide basis. And if communities believe they need to pursue strategies that are more effective and appropriate for them, that they should do so, and that’s exactly what Provincetown did.” 

He also said he has no plans to change mask guidance for school in the fall, despite a call from some lawmakers to revive a school mask mandate amid the spread of the delta variant.  

Back from a recent trip to Colorado, Baker was holding two news conferences Thursday on Cape Cod, where several recent COVID outbreaks are contributing to a sudden uptick in cases across the state. 

More than 250 coronavirus cases have now been confirmed as connected to a COVID outbreak in Provincetown, including at least 35 in Boston residents. The popular tourist town on the tip of Cape Cod issued a new mask advisory earlier this week in light of the increase in cases, many of them among people who had been vaccinated. 

Equity Gaps in Vaccine Rates narrowing     

Eagle Tribune – Massachusetts has given nearly 4.3 million people their COVID-19 shots and has one of the highest vaccination rates in the country. Still, gaps persist along racial and ethnic lines. 

About two-dozen low-income communities with large minority populations — including Lawrence, Haverhill, Methuen, Revere and Lynn — still lag other cities and towns in getting shots into peoples’ arms, according to the state Department of Public Health. 

The vaccination rate among whites still outstrips those of Hispanics and Blacks, though the gap is narrowing, the state’s data show.  

In Lawrence, Hispanics are about 82% of the city’s population, but only 21% of the city’s Hispanics are vaccinated, according to the health department’s weekly vaccine report. 

The city’s white population — about 12% of its overall population — had a nearly 80% vaccination rate. 

Collectively about 47% of Lawrence’s population was fully vaccinated as of last Tuesday, according to the data.  

In Methuen, the vaccination rate for Hispanics is 27% but 53% for whites.  

In Haverhill, the rate for Hispanics is 29% and for Blacks is 46%, while 54% of white residents are vaccinated. 

About 62% of the state’s population is completely vaccinated. 

In Shift, GOP Ramps up Vaccine Push as Resistance Hardens  

Associated Press – Republican politicians are under increasing pressure to speak out to persuade COVID-19 vaccine skeptics to roll up their sleeves and take the shots as a new, more contagious variant sends caseloads soaring. But after months of ignoring — and, in some cases, stoking — misinformation about the virus, new polling suggests it may be too late to change the minds of many who are refusing. 

In recent news conferences and statements, some prominent Republicans have been imploring their constituents to lay lingering doubts aside. In Washington, the so-called Doctors Caucus gathered at the Capitol for an event to combat vaccine hesitancy. And in Alabama, Republican Gov. Kay Ivey voiced exasperation as she pleaded with residents to protect themselves. 

“Folks are supposed to have common sense,” she told reporters. “It’s the unvaccinated folks that are letting us down. … I’ve done all I know how to do. I can encourage you to do something, but I can’t make you take care of yourself.”  

The pleas come as COVID-19 cases have nearly tripled in the U.S. over the last two weeks, driven by the explosion of the new delta variant, especially in pockets of the country where vaccination rates are low. Public health officials believe the variant is at least twice as contagious as the original version, but the shots appear to offer robust protection against serious illness for most people.  

Nearly all COVID-19 deaths in the U.S. are now people who haven’t been vaccinated. Just 56.2% of Americans have received at least one vaccine dose, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.  

“I think they’ve finally realized that if their people aren’t vaccinated, they’re going to get sick, and if their people aren’t vaccinated, they’re going to get blamed for COVID outbreaks in the future,” said GOP pollster Frank Luntz, who has been working with the Biden administration and public health experts to craft effective messaging to bring the vaccine hesitant off the fence. 

But Luntz, who conducted another focus group Wednesday evening with vaccine holdouts, said there has been a discernible shift in recent weeks as skepticism has calcified into hardened refusal. 

As VaxMillions Drawing Nears, Doses Continue to Decline 

Commonwealth Magazine – One Massachusetts adult became $1 million richer when the first VaxMillions winner was pulled on Monday. But despite the trove of cash and scholarships on the line, most eligible residents still haven’t signed up for the lottery and vaccination rates continue to decline.   

Thursday was the last day for fully-vaccinated residents to enter the state’s vaccine lottery—an initiative to encourage people to get COVID-19 shots—to be eligible for the first of five drawings. The governor’s office reported that nearly 2 million adults and 134,885 individuals ages 12 to 17 have entered the lottery. The total, just over 2 million, represents less than half of the 4.3 million people who are fully vaccinated in the state.   

The numbers are up from 1.8 million adults and 122,207 children registered the week prior. 

Those who weren’t vaccinated in time to enter the first round could still throw their name in the hat for the remaining four drawings. The allure of the million-dollar prizes for adults and $300,000 scholarships for minors doesn’t seem to be driving up vaccination rates, though.  

What is Going on with the Transportation and Climate Initiative? 

Boston.com – Over a year-and-a-half ago, Gov. Charlie Baker’s administration unveiled a “bold,” regional plan to cut down greenhouse gas emissions from vehicles and invest in more environment-friendly transportation. 

The hallmark, interstate compact — named the Transportation and Climate Initiative — originally included a dozen states, from Maine to Virginia, as well as Washington, D.C. 

However, a year passed, a pandemic hit, and by last December, the number of states actually committed to the program had dwindled to three: Massachusetts, Connecticut, and Rhode Island, along with D.C. 

Then, it seemed to dwindle further. Lawmakers in Connecticut and Rhode Island recessed this summer without passing legislation to adopt TCI. Opponents seized on the developments to declare the initiative “dead.” 

That’s not quite true. But the program doesn’t exactly have the wind at its back, either. And while the Baker administration remains committed to it, officials say Massachusetts will only take the jump if other states do, too. 

TCI is known as a “cap-and-invest” program, under which participating states would place a limit on the total amount of emissions allowed from cars and trucks. 

Then, states would auction off “allowances” to vehicle fuel suppliers for the portion of emissions they contribute to under the cap. In essence, fuel companies would pay for the right to sell a certain amount of gas and diesel. 

July 13

Pfizer Meets with Scientists to Discuss Vaccine Booster

Boston Globe – Representatives of Pfizer met privately with senior U.S. scientists and regulators Monday to press their case for swift authorization of coronavirus booster vaccines, amid growing public confusion about whether they will be needed and pushback from federal health officials who say the extra doses are not necessary now.

The high-level online meeting, which lasted an hour and involved Pfizer’s chief scientific officer briefing virtually every top doctor in the federal government, came on the same day Israel started administering third doses of the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine to heart transplant patients and others with compromised immune systems. Officials said after the meeting that more data — and possibly several more months — would be needed before regulators could determine whether booster shots were necessary.

The twin developments underscored the intensifying debate about whether booster shots are needed in the United States, at what point and for whom. Many American experts, including Dr. Anthony Fauci, President Joe Biden’s chief medical adviser for the pandemic, have said there is insufficient evidence yet that boosters are necessary. Some, though, say Israel’s move may foreshadow a government decision to at least recommend them for the vulnerable.

Pfizer is gathering information on antibody responses in those who receive a third dose, as well as data from Israel, and expects to submit at least some of that to the Food and Drug Administration in the coming weeks in a formal request to broaden the emergency authorization for its coronavirus vaccine.

CDC Issues New Guidance on Masks in Schools

ABC News – Students who are vaccinated don’t have to wear masks in school this fall unless they are riding the school bus or their school decides otherwise, according to new guidance released Friday by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.  

The new federal guidelines aren’t mandatory but are expected to influence school officials, local health departments and governors who are in the midst of preparing for students to return to the classroom full time this fall.

The recommendation also could encourage parents who were previously undecided. Kids older than 12 qualify for the Pfizer vaccine, which requires two doses three weeks apart.

“Achieving high levels of COVID-19 vaccination among eligible students as well as teachers, staff, and household members is one of the most critical strategies to help schools safely resume full operations,” the CDC stated.

State’s $48.1 billion Budget Nets Unanimous, Bipartisan Support

Berkshire Eagle – More than a week into the fiscal year, the House and Senate agreed in bipartisan fashion to a $48.1 billion annual state budget and shipped the proposal to Gov. Charlie Baker’s desk.

Both branches voted unanimously to approve the revised spending plan, which calls for permanently enshrining the state’s controversial film tax credit program, continuing to delay implementation of a charitable giving tax deduction, and setting aside $350 million to buttress a multi-year education funding reform law.

House Ways and Means Committee Chair Rep. Aaron Michlewitz, who co-chaired the conference committee that resolved differences between the House and Senate budget proposals, said the vote will “mark a capstone to a volatile 16-month odyssey we have seen since the pandemic first struck the commonwealth.”

At this time last year, budget writers were fretting about a potential tax revenue implosion and wondering if state reserves would be enough to hold public services together. But taxpayers have delivered robust collections for the state, enabling significant spending increases and allowing historic deposits into the rainy-day fund.

“We’ve been through a lot, and we’ve come out of the last year and a half in a stronger fiscal situation than any of us could have ever imagined,” Michlewitz, a North End Democrat, told his colleagues prior to the vote.

Rep. Todd Smola of Warren, one of two Republicans involved in the budget talks, praised the final accord as a “culmination of those good working relationships that we have with one another across the aisle.”

While all 160 representatives and 40 senators voted to accept the conference committee budget, two Senate Democrats running for higher office criticized some aspects of the spending plan before approving it.

New Unemployment Claims Ease in Massachusetts  

Boston Business Journal – There were 8,943 new unemployment claims filed in Massachusetts during the week of July 3, according to the federal Labor Department.

That’s good news because the number of new claims in Massachusetts shot up by 2,994 the week of June 26 to 10,899. The state blamed that increase on the end of the school year and seasonal layoffs for workers.

Nationally, new unemployment claims were 373,000, an increase of 2,000 from the previous week’s revised numbers. The previous week’s level was revised up by 7,000 from 364,000 to 371,000.

But the U.S. Department of Labor said its four-week moving average was 394,500, a decrease of 250 from the previous week’s revised average. It was is the lowest level for this average since March 14, 2020, when it was 225,500. That was just as the coronavirus pandemic was setting in.

The new claims data, part of a regular Thursday news release, comes after last week’s announcement that the U.S. economy gained 850,000 jobs in June.

Local June jobless numbers are not yet available, but the Massachusetts total unemployment rate in May was down 0.3 percentage points to 6.1% following the revised April rate of 6.4%

Some Massachusetts Restaurants Were Shut Out of Federal Relief

Boston Globe – It seemed Cheryl Straughter finally had something going for her.

The chef-owner of Soleil in Nubian Square spent months working with an “alphabet soup” of advocacy groups to push for the creation of the Restaurant Revitalization Fund. And it worked: In April, the federal government allocated $28.6 billion in grants for restaurants in the American Rescue Plan and put women and minority-owned businesses first in line.

Straughter is both, and had her application at the ready. Yet seconds after she hit submit she was rejected. At issue, she says, was the calculus involved in its eligibility requirement. At the end of 2020, Soleil had received a contract to produce hundreds of meals for people in need. It didn’t replace nearly a year’s worth of lost sales, but it skewed her revenue numbers.

“It appeared that we had this windfall,” she said. But that contract’s now gone, and so are her chances of getting the federal grant.

Warren and Pressley: Reconsider Change to COVID-19 Hospitalization Data Reporting 

Boston.com – Sen. Elizabeth Warren and Rep. Ayanna Pressley are urging Gov. Charlie Baker’s administration to reconsider the state’s recent move to stop reporting demographic data on COVID-19 hospitalizations, calling the metric a critical part of ensuring an equitable recovery from the pandemic.

“Governor Baker must reverse course,” Pressley told Boston.com in a statement.

In separate statement, Warren also pressed the Baker administration to continue to report COVID hospitalization data broken down by age, race, and sex.

The administration announced its move to stop reporting demographic COVID-19 hospitalization data on its interactive dashboard last week. The small change was among a host of data reporting tweaks “to reflect the improving trends,” with 73 percent of Massachusetts adults fully vaccinated and infection rates subsiding across the state.

Hospitalizations due to COVID-19 in Massachusetts have also dropped from over 2,400 to just 85 over the past six months. And the Department of Public Health is continuing to report COVID-19 cases and deaths by age, race, and sex.

However, with COVID-19 vaccination still lagging in communities of color and the more transmissible Delta variant of the virus on the rise, Warren and Pressley — who have consistently pushed for COVID-19 data at the national level broken down by race and ethnicity — say the state is losing an important tool to track and respond to the racially disparate impacts of the pandemic.

White House Calls Out Critics of Door-to-Door Vaccine Push  

Boston Globe – “A disservice to the country.” “Inaccurate disinformation.” “Literally killing people.”

For months, the Biden White House refrained from criticizing Republican officials who played down the importance of coronavirus vaccinations or sought to make political hay of the federal government’s all-out effort to drive shots into arms. Not any longer.

With the COVID-19 vaccination rate plateauing across the country, the White House is returning fire at those they see as spreading harmful misinformation or fear about the shots.

When South Carolina Gov. Henry McMaster tried this week to block door-to-door efforts to drive up the vaccination rate in his state, White House press secretary Jen Psaki did not mince words in her reaction.

“The failure to provide accurate public health information, including the efficacy of vaccines and the accessibility of them to people across the country, including South Carolina, is literally killing people, so maybe they should consider that,” she said Friday.

Help Women get Back to Work 

Boston Globe – The typical trend in economic recessions in the United States is that men tend to lose more jobs than women. But during the pandemic, that trend has flipped: Women have been disproportionately impacted by job losses since the first COVID-19 shutdowns, and they’re not rebounding into the workforce as swiftly as men. One of the main reasons? Children — or, to be more precise, a lack of access to child care.

Unlike previous recessions, the pandemic prompted state governments to enact policies like closing schools or day-care centers — policies that were aimed at limiting the spread of the coronavirus — and the subsequent burden of child care fell overwhelmingly, and unsurprisingly, on women. That meant that in addition to adjusting to working from home or losing jobs that required in-person work, women also had to carry the brunt of unpaid domestic labor, from household chores to child or elder care. The result was a rise in unemployment for women with young children in particular, and women dropping out of the workforce at higher rates than men.

What’s especially alarming is that this reality has so far persisted despite the reversal of closure mandates as more people get vaccinated. According to a report from the Federal Reserve Bank of Minneapolis, while the economic recovery has so far sent most fathers in the labor force back to work, working mothers have yet to recoup their losses. The pandemic, it should be noted, did not create this gender gap in the economy; rather, it exposed what was already an unfair economy for women and exacerbated it. That’s why states and the federal government ought to rebuild an economy that can not only add more women to the workforce, but also one that can finally be accommodating to women’s needs.

The Soaring Market that Threatens to Derail the Economic Recovery

Politico – Wall Street investors have bought into the Federal Reserve’s assurances that higher inflation won’t last, but a looming trend will test their composure over the coming months: soaring home and rental costs.

With home prices already up about 15 percent from last year and rents soaring at nearly triple their normal rate in just the first six months of 2021, there’s growing concern that housing costs could soon begin to nudge inflation higher. Since shelter makes up about one-third of a key inflation measure, that could undermine the Fed’s message that recent price spikes, which have showed up in everything from airline tickets to ride shares, will slow.

Housing costs could eventually boost inflation by as much as 2 percentage points by the end of next year, though the effects could be felt sooner, according to a forecast from Fannie Mae, the government-run company that stands behind half the country’s mortgages. A gradual buildup beginning later this year could spook markets and feed calls for the Fed to push borrowing costs higher, a move that could choke off economic growth as Democrats fight to hold onto control of Congress.

Officials at the Fed and in President Joe Biden’s administration say they expect the supply-chain bottlenecks that have stoked inflation to begin to ease later this year as the economy fully reopens. But housing-driven inflation could also start to rise as higher rents slowly cycle into the official tracking of price increases, a process that may have been delayed because leases are traditionally annual.

The Chin Mask is the Summer’s Latest Look  

Boston Globe – Mariama Condé was the picture of cool. Strolling Fenway with friends in search of afternoon doughnuts, the actress and NYU drama major was rocking her look — tank top, mini skirt, socks folded just so, and, to pull it all together, the summer’s hottest trend: the under-the-chin mask.

Part beard, part fanny pack, worn with the loops over the ears and the business end stowed under the chin, the look is dominating all categories.

There it is on a yoga blonde exiting Whole Foods on Beacon Street; on a child pedaling a trike in Brookline; on drivers alone in their cars on Mass. Ave.; on a man wearing an electronic monitoring device on his ankle and trying to sell joints on Boylston Street.

And on Twitter, as a swipe at the middle-aged. “No need for a fake ID these days, kids,” @twistedrufus tweeted, “just wear your mask around like a chin strap in areas that still require masks and everyone will assume you’re over 50.”

It’s safe to say that people have become exhausted by the whole mask thing. We’re tired of shouting to be understood, the politicization, the fights on flights.

Genetics May Play Role in Severe Cases of COVID-19, Study Says 

Boston Globe – Why do some people with COVID-19 end up in the hospital with life-threatening infections while others develop only mild symptoms or none at all?

Well into the second year of the pandemic, doctors have identified a number of risk factors that make someone more likely to develop a severe case, including old age; diabetes; chronic kidney, liver, or lung disease; and being overweight or a smoker.

Now, an international study published in the journal Nature on Thursday concludes that genetic factors also increase the likelihood that someone will be infected with SARS-CoV-2 and develop a serious case. The study has more than 3,300 coauthors and was led partly by researchers from the Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard.

The genetic sleuths scoured data from 50,000 people who tested positive for the virus and provided DNA samples for 46 studies in 19 countries. Researchers pooled the data and compared it with that of 2 million other people who hadn’t been infected, in one of the largest so-called genome-wide association studies ever.

The authors found that 13 spots on the human genome are strongly associated with infection or severe illness. Genetic variations at some of those locations are also implicated in the development of lung cancer, pulmonary fibrosis, and certain autoimmune diseases.

Slowly, Massachusetts Is Closing the Racial Gap in Vaccination Rates 

WBUR – Since the approval of the first COVID-19 vaccines, the rate of vaccinations among white residents outstripped vaccinations in communities of color in Massachusetts. That gap remains, but it seems to be closing in recent weeks.

Back in May, only 37% of Black residents and 33% of Hispanic residents had at least one shot compared to 55% of white residents. Today, that near 20-point chasm has shrunk to 14 percentage points. As of Thursday, roughly 50% of both Hispanic and Black residents have received at least one dose, whereas 64% of white residents shared the same security.

Nationally, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported that roughly 60% of people getting vaccines in the last 14 days were people of color.

There are two main reasons that the gap is closing, according to Dr. Charles Anderson, president and CEO of the Dimock Center, a health organization focused on underserved populations.

The first is access, which improved after the state switched from mass vaccination sites to community-based settings.

“Access has improved. Part of it was, ‘give it to me where I am used to going,’ ” Anderson said. “Health centers including doses in vans and going out into neighborhoods. It wasn’t just building lots of stuff. It’s an approach to make [the vaccine] more approachable.”

The other thing is that local and national health organizations have worked hard to build trust with communities of color. Anderson believes some people of color didn’t get the vaccine early on partly because many people of color have been wary of health-care systems. Studies have shown that people of color tend to receive worse treatment in health-care settings and have their pain and symptoms taken less seriously.

Vax Express Keeps Rolling but Vaccine Inequity Remains 

WGBH – At Union Station in Worcester the mood was jubilant, the tunes from a local DJ were hits of the 80’s and 90’s and Massachusetts’ lieutenant governor couldn’t have been more excited about what the state’s “Vax Express” is trying to do — get needles in the arms of people who might otherwise not get a vaccine.

“We need to go to places where there has been hesitancy and reach people where they are, which is where we are, on the commuter rail literally going to the gateway communities to bring the vaccine,” said Lt. Governor Karyn Polito. “We have pop up clinics. We’ll literally go to your home.”

The express, run by CIC Health, has vaccinated more than 250 people, with four more train stations to go. It’s been stopping in the spots where vaccination rates are low: Boston, Worcester, Lowell, Lawrence, and Fitchburg.

Nearly 4.3 million people — about 62 percent of the total population — in Massachusetts are completely vaccinated.

But the numbers don’t tell the whole story, said Carlene Pavlos, executive director of the Massachusetts Public Health Association. While she and other advocates for low income communities appreciate the state’s efforts, they question why communities hardest hit by the pandemic are being treated as an afterthought, with what they see as a kind of second tier urgency.

“We are, in essence, climbing out of a hole. Because of the decisions that the state made in how to initially roll the vaccine out across Massachusetts, there is a significant gap by race and ethnicity in terms of who has been vaccinated and who still does not have adequate access to the vaccine,” she said.

The Transparently Uncompelling Arguments against State House Transparency 

Progressive Mass – At the start of the last legislative session, the Massachusetts House of Representatives had a spirited debate about transparency and the top-down nature of the House

That the House was having a robust debate about anything was a breath of fresh air, given the chamber’s aversion to showing division among members. But we also got to see progressive Democratic representatives roll call their own amendments about the rules of the chamber, in contrast to prior rules debates that had historically consisted of Democrats voting in lockstep to defeat a series of Republican-backed proposals. (Admittedly, the Republican caucus tends to actually be in favor of more open and small “d” democratic rules–even if they are not allies on the vast majority of policy).

At the start of the new session this year, the House decided to punt on voting on new rules, instead creating a task force to make recommendations and pushing off the discussion until July. It’s now July, and the House voted on a new set of rules yesterday.

The task force had some positive recommendations, like continuing a recent reform that makes it easier to locate roll call votes on the Legislature’s website and supporting continued use of virtual participation accessibility to build on accessibility gains from the past year. But systemic issues were left untouched.

Boston’s Acting Mayor Offers Reprieve to Some City Employees on Return to Work 

Boston Globe – Acting Mayor Kim Janey offered a last-minute reprieve to city employees whose union filed an unfair labor practice over her order to return to work immediately following the July Fourth weekend.

Janey’s administration has agreed to let some SEIU Local 888 employees delay their return to work, if a review of their individual circumstances warrants it. The union then agreed to drop the complaint it filed last month with the state’s Division of Labor Relations.

“I tip my cap to the mayor for her ability to be amenable,” said Tom McKeever, president of the union, which represents roughly 1,600 city workers.

The agreement reached on July 2 allows employees who work behind the scenes in the city’s Department of Neighborhood Development to continue to work remotely through the summer.

“Respectfully, we asked the mayor for this specific group to allow them to get their affairs in order until after Labor Day,” said McKeever. “And then we’ll revisit or bargain maybe a hybrid method or our folks returning to work in a safe manner.”

Mariano: Complete State House Re-Opening Not Expected by Oct. 1  

State House News – The State House will not have a “complete reopening” before the start of October, House Speaker Ronald Mariano said Wednesday, adding that he is hopeful that the building will be at least more populated at that point as legislative leaders target some time in autumn to welcome the public back to Beacon Hill.  

While introducing a package of House rules for debate, House Speaker Pro Tempore Kate Hogan, the chamber’s number-three Democrat, said their Oct. 1 effective date “will coincide with the timeline of the reopening of the State House.” However, asked if Hogan’s description was accurate, Mariano replied, “No, not a complete reopening.”

“The hope would be that we would have people in the building before then, and by Oct. 1, we should be able to give a pretty accurate prediction on when we would reopen the building,” he said. “It’ll be done in stages, I think, is the most intelligent way to do this.”

The state capitol has been mostly closed for more than 15 months due to the pandemic, during which the majority of elected officials have participated remotely in hearings, sessions and votes. Gov. Charlie Baker lifted the COVID-19 state of emergency on June 15, and more than three weeks later, the State House reopening plans are still murky.

“It’s a pretty big task, a little bit bigger than people think,” Mariano told reporters, referencing the 40 senators and 160 representatives who will each have at least one staffer back at work. “If you’re bringing 40 people in with an aide, that’s a little bit easier than 320. I want to make sure there’s no significant mistakes.”

Mariano and Senate President Karen Spilka said on June 30 they were developing a “comprehensive and nuanced reopening plan” to bring more employees and outsiders back in the fall, but they did not offer more details on a date.

Massachusetts Joins Suit against Google  

Worcester Business Journal – Massachusetts Attorney General Maura Healey announced on Wednesday her office is joining 37 other attorneys general in filing a lawsuit against Google over alleged monopoly conduct as it relates to its Google Play Store for Android.

The lawsuit was filed Wednesday in the Northern District of California San Francisco Division.

The suit, per Healey’s office, alleges Google violated the federal Sherman Antitrust Act and other state antitrust and consumer protection laws by shutting out competing app distribution channels.

Additionally, the suit alleges that Google requires developers using its store to use Google Billing, forcing them to pay exorbitant fees of up to 30% on in-app purchases made by consumers.

“We are filing this lawsuit today to end Google’s web of restrictive contracts that have unlawfully inflated the cost of many digital goods, services, upgrades or other purchases made through apps downloaded from the Google Play Store,” Healey said in a statement.

“This lawsuit seeks to protect both consumers and innovative app developers from these unlawful practices.”

Housing Shortage Bring In-Law Apartments to Boston

Boston Globe – Wesley Williams Jr. can’t help but get a little excited when he shows off the apartment he built in his Mattapan basement. Sure, the sparkly quartz countertops in the kitchen cost extra. So did the heated floor in the bathroom. But he wanted it to be nice.

The 73-year-old retiree is among the first homeowners in Boston to complete a legally permitted rental unit in a single-family home. Often called in-law apartments or granny flats, these sorts of units have grown in popularity elsewhere in the country but have long been severely restricted in most Boston-area cities and towns.  

Teachers Union Says Lack of Funding in Fiscal 2022 Budget Hurts Students of Color

MassLive – The Massachusetts Teachers Association has said the Legislature passed a “status quo” budget for fiscal 2022 and that the lack of funding creates a disproportionate negative effect on working-class students and students of color.

“Bold action” is needed to support students, public schools, colleges and communities as the COVID-19 pandemic continues, MTA President Merrie Najimy said in a statement.

The nearly $48.1 billion budget agreed to create a Student Opportunity Act fund to preserve money needed to phase in the landmark education law by fiscal 2027. The budget proposal sets aside $350 million, which can be used to boost Chapter 70 spending, charter school reimbursements or special education circuit breaker.

Climate Goals Clash with Incentives that Promote Fossil Fuels 

Boston Globe – Massachusetts has ambitious climate goals, and not a lot of time to achieve them, which has some clean energy and climate experts questioning why a state program continues to promote fossil fuels with cash incentives for oil and gas home heating systems.

The state’s climate plan demands that 1 million households be converted from fossil fuels to electric heat by the end of the decade, part of a sweeping transition meant to help stave off the worst of climate change’s consequences. And yet the state’s only incentive program, and its best tool for helping convince businesses and homeowners to make that switch, is sticking with rebates for new carbon-emitting systems likely to remain in service long past that deadline.

The program, Mass Save, is run by utility companies with oversight by the state, and hands out between $640 million and $700 million a year in rebates that are funded by a surcharge on utility customers’ bills. It is credited with successfully reducing carbon emissions from home heating across Massachusetts since its inception in 2008. But in the past, those cuts have come largely by encouraging conversions from oil to gas, a less-dirty fossil fuel that the state plans to phase out.

Baker Seeks $100 Million for Offshore Wind Port Infrastructure 

Commonwealth Magazine – As the offshore wind business ramps up in Massachusetts and along the East Coast, Gov. Charlie Baker is proposing to spend $100 million in federal money on marine port infrastructure to support the emerging industry.

The proposal is part of Baker’s $2.9 billion package for how to spend more than half the money from the federal American Rescue Plan Act. Officials from the Executive Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs released more details about the offshore wind proposal at a briefing Friday.

The marine port development money is the newest section of Baker’s plan, added in June after the Legislature rejected Baker’s initial proposal that would have given the governor the ability to spend $2.8 billion unilaterally. The Legislature instead decided to move almost all the American Rescue Plan money – which totals more than $5 billion – to a segregated account, where spending it requires legislative approval. Now Baker needs lawmakers’ support for his proposal to become law.

Politically, while the Baker administration has long been supportive of offshore wind, the addition may also provide a sweetener for House Speaker Ron Mariano, a Democrat representing Quincy and Weymouth, who has been vocal about his desire to turn the South Coast into a hub for wind energy. The fiscal 2022 budget that lawmakers are expected to send Baker Friday includes $13 million for a new wind-related job training program.

So far, much of the development surrounding offshore wind has centered on New Bedford, which has the Marine Commerce Terminal, built specifically for the construction and deployment of offshore wind turbines. Vineyard Wind, the first major offshore wind project in Massachusetts, has a contract with the New Bedford terminal.

July 7

This Week 

Tuesday July 6

Joint Committee on Education-Voch Tech, Transportation and Special Ed-Virtual Hearing-12 pm.

Joint Committee on Veterans and Federal Affairs-Portable Benefits for Military Families-Virtual Hearing– 1 pm.

Wednesday July 7 

Joint Committee on Families and Persons with Disabilities- DCF-Virtual Hearing-9:30am.

Joint Committee on COVID-19 and Emergency Preparedness and Management-Listening Session on COVID-19 and the Southeastern Region plus The Cape and Islands-Virtual Hearing-11 am.

Thursday July 8 

Joint Committee on Consumer Protection and Professional Licensure-Trades Related Professional Licensure Matters-Virtual Hearing-1 pm.

Next Week 

Monday July 12

Joint Committee on Public Health-Vaccines-Virtual Hearing-10 am.

Tuesday July 13

Joint Committee on Higher Education-Bills Related to Higher Education-Virtual Hearing-10 am.

Joint Committee on Labor and Workforce Development-Employee Rights and Benefits-Virtual Hearing-10:30 am.

Joint Committee on Healthcare Financing-Pharmaceutical Access Cost, & Transparency-Virtual Hearing-11 am.

Wednesday July 14 

Joint Committee on Public Safety and Homeland Security-Public Safety Services-Virtual Hearing-10 am.

Joint Committee on State Admin and Regulatory Oversight-Procurement Bills-Virtual Hearing-10:30 am.

Workers Gain Paid Leave to Care for Ill Relatives

MassLive – Massachusetts has entered the next step of the state’s paid family and medical leave program, allowing residents to take up to three months off to care for a loved one.

Massachusetts workers may now apply to take up to 12 weeks of paid leave to care for a family member with a serious health condition.

The Paid Family and Medical Leave Act, passed in 2018, was part of a package of workplace reforms reached between Democrats in the state Legislature and Republican Gov. Charlie Baker.

The remaining provisions that didn’t take effect in January now apply.

Senate President Karen Spilka, who joined PFML supporters Thursday, said she couldn’t get paid leave as a state employee after she gave birth to her children in the 1980s.

“I vowed if I was ever in the position to change that, I would,” the Ashland Democrat said.

Spilka’s struggles caring for her children and later helping her ailing mother inspired her to file the first paid leave bill in the Senate in 2006.

Qualified family members under the state law include:

• Spouse or domestic partner
• Children including, biological, adopted, foster or step-children
• Parents and spouse or domestic partner’s parents
• Grandchildren
• Grandparents
• Siblings
• Family members qualify whether they live in Massachusetts or elsewhere.

Caring for a family member may include:

• Supporting the family member with daily tasks such as prepping meals or helping them get dressed.
• Providing transportation to the doctor or medical appointments.
• Providing support for a serious mental health condition.
• Make arrangements for changes to care, including a family member moving into a nursing home.

Economy Adds 850,000 Jobs in June, Exceeding Expectations

The Hill – The U.S. added 850,000 jobs in June, exceeding expectations as rising demand for a wide range of services disrupted by the COVID-19 pandemic fueled the labor market, according to data released by the Labor Department.

The unemployment rate ticked slightly higher to 5.9 percent, according to the report, but the monthly haul far exceeded the projections of economists, who expected the U.S. to gain roughly 700,000 jobs last month.

The labor force participation rate stayed roughly even at 61.6 percent, a sign that many Americans are still unable to return to the workforce. There were also 6.4 million Americans who did not seek a job in June — and therefore not counted as unemployed — but want to work, up from 5 million before the pandemic.

Even so, strong job gains in sectors hit hard by the pandemic and a sharp drop in the number of Americans working part-time when they’d prefer to work full time pointed toward an accelerating rebound from COVID-19.

“This strong labor market performance – despite persistent hiring strains – is likely the start of a series of stellar reports that will underpin the strongest US economic performance since 1951 this year,” said Lydia Boussour of Oxford Economics.

“While a combination of labor supply constraints – including the virus fear, unemployment benefits, child care issues and early retirements – is still constraining employment these headwinds should gradually ease in the coming months.”

The June jobs report may also help add clarity to the high-stakes political debate over the pace of the recovery.

The U.S. had added an average of 540,000 jobs each month between March and May, a solid but unspectacular pace for a country still down more than 7 million jobs from February 2020. Millions of

Americans have also remained out of the labor force despite a record-breaking 9.3 million job openings as of April.

Massachusetts Gig Economy Comes under Scrutiny

MassLive – Lawmakers, union leaders and labor analysts in Massachusetts face the gargantuan task of analyzing what the post-COVID economy and workforce look like — from the use of artificial intelligence to benefits for delivery drivers.

But experts speaking before the Future of Work Commission Monday honed in on one area that is quickly becoming a heated debate in the Bay State: the gig economy and the rights and benefits for its workers, particularly at app-based companies.

Beacon Hill Businesses Still Feel Pandemic Pressure as State House Remains Closed

Boston Herald – It’s been 15 months since James and Vaios Grigas have seen a lunch rush at their Bowdoin Street cafe, Fill-A-Buster Luncheonette, which usually does a brisk business in the shadow of the State House.

“Everybody works from home still,” said Grigas, who faithfully works behind the lunch counter alongside his son, James, five days per week. The father and son have served just a fraction of their usual customers since the State House closed in March 2020 in response to the pandemic.

Next door, the cobbler Vadim Kotlyar’s hands at Beacon Hill Instant Shoe Repair sit idle, with barely a wingtip waiting to repair or resole.

At the neighboring Boston Barber Co., empty chairs illustrate the struggle facing small businesses that rely on the daily ebb and flow of office workers to sustain themselves.

“I have nothing to do,” said Kotlyar, noting he’s operating in “survival mode” until September when he believes business could rebound.

At the Fill-A-Buster, business has dropped 70% since the pandemic began, the owners estimate. At Beacon Hill Instant Shoe Repair, Kotlyar says the hit has been even bigger, and both say they’ve yet to see a rebound.

Senate President Karen Spilka and House Speaker Ronald Mariano in a recent joint statement said they had a “goal of returning employees and the public safely to the State House in the fall.”

Massachusetts repealed all business restrictions and added safety measures designed to slow the spread of COVID-19 on Memorial Day weekend. More than a month later as the Fourth of July approaches, exactly how well businesses are faring depends on who you ask.

Coastal strips and areas that attract tourists are rebounding quickly amid the summer boon, said Jon Hurst of the Retailers Association of Massachusetts. Businesses like the ones running alongside the State House are still confronting customer shortages as workers remain remote and many buildings remain closed to the public.

Walden Pond Swimmers Call on Massachusetts Officials to Reverse Ban on Open-Water Swimming

Boston Herald – The mecca of Massachusetts open-water swimming has been roped off and regulated in response to a spike in drownings statewide, and Walden Pond regulars are now calling on the state to reverse its ban at the Concord swimming spot.

“Restricting open water swimming at Walden Pond is passive and negative, and it infringes on our reasonable right to access the natural assets of our state,” a group of swimming enthusiasts said in a letter to the state.

The Department of Conservation and Recreation late last week handed down new regulations banning open-water swimming at Walden Pond in the wake of a series of drownings across the state.

The swimming advocates are proposing that the new rule be amended to allow open-water swimming as long as a swim buoy flotation device is being used.

The devices are commonly used by distance swimmers. Looking out at Walden Pond on a nice summer day, one would usually see dozens of orange swim buoys trailing swimmers in the water.

Another 8,000 people have signed an online petition with the same message to amend the ban.

Boston’s Acting Mayor: Continue to Wear Masks, Especially Indoors

Boston Herald – Acting Mayor Kim Janey on Saturday said people should continue to wear masks, especially in public indoor settings, as a new coronavirus threat prompted Los Angeles County health officials to ask people to resume wearing face coverings.

“I’ve been consistent in asking residents to do what they can to protect themselves, including wearing masks, including washing their hands, including keeping their distance,” Janey said.

“This is especially important for our residents who have not gotten the vaccine yet. … So even when the CDC said no one has to wear masks, Mayor Janey has consistently said, ‘Please protect yourselves. Wear masks. Wash your hands. Keep your distance, especially indoors.’”

Her comments came days after L.A. county officials recommended that everyone — regardless of inoculation status — resume wearing masks in public indoor settings as a precaution, given the presence of the worrisome Delta variant of the coronavirus.

Courts Will Lift Pandemic Restrictions, but Will Keep Masks

Gazette Net – Massachusetts court operations will return almost entirely to pre-pandemic norms this month when capacity limits and restrictions on jury trials are lifted, according to court officials.

The state Supreme Judicial Court published two new orders, which take effect July 12, that chart the next phase in public access to courtrooms after more than a year of COVID-19.

Massachusetts courts will no longer cap occupancy or require physical distancing, and they will all open for in-person business.

Officials will no longer observe pandemic-related limits on when and how jury trials are conducted, though some cases that would normally be tried before 12-member juries will go before six-member juries and face limits on the number of peremptory challenges as the courts work through a backlog of cases.

Everyone regardless of vaccination status will still be required to wear a mask inside courtrooms. Some court proceedings will continue to take place remotely even as the judicial system mostly opens up, officials said.

“We are truly encouraged by the progress in the commonwealth with respect to COVID-19, and hope it will continue and allow courts to gradually return to normal,” SJC Chief Justice Kimberly Budd said in a statement.

“At the same time, we hope to take some of the lessons learned during the pandemic and apply them going forward, particularly when it comes to conducting certain proceedings virtually.”

Some trials will not have access to jurors until Sept. 7 due to minimum juror notice requirements, and officials said more detailed information about availability will be posted online.

COVID Vaccinations Slow; Parts Of The U.S. Remain Far Behind 70% Goal

WBUR – July Fourth was not the celebration President Biden had hoped for when it comes to protecting more Americans with the coronavirus vaccine. The nation as a whole fell just short of the White House’s goal, which was to give at least a first dose to 70% of adults by Independence Day.

Currently, 67% of adult Americans have gotten the first shot of either the Moderna or Pfizer vaccine, or the one-shot Johnson & Johnson vaccine. If you include teenagers age 12-17, who are now eligible for Pfizer-BioNTech, the national percentage of those who have gotten at least one shot is 64%.

But drilling down from national rates, the picture varies widely at the regional level, and from state to state.

For example, Massachusetts and most states in the Northeast reached or exceeded 70% (for adults 18 and older) in June. Tennessee and most southern states have vaccination rates between 50% and 60%, and administration rates are slowing down.

Variations in local desire for the vaccine, and in state strategies for marketing and distributing the shots, help explain the range.

In Massachusetts, for example, residents overwhelmed phone lines and appointment websites as soon as vaccines were available. The state began opening mass vaccination sites in January to meet demand. At Gillette Stadium in Foxborough, home of the New England Patriots, jumbotron screens flashed updates and speakers blasted instructions to people arriving for a shot.

Income-Tax battle between Massachusetts and New Hampshire Spills into Congress

Boston Herald – A battle between Massachusetts and New Hampshire over imposing income tax on out-of-state workers during the pandemic has spilled into Congress after the Supreme Court tossed out the Granite State’s lawsuit earlier this week.

“The ability of Massachusetts or any other state to tax you should stop at the state line, and that’s what this legislation will ensure,” New Hampshire Rep. Chris Pappas said in a statement.

“For the nearly one in five Granite Staters employed by companies out of state, every dollar they can keep in their pockets makes a difference, especially as we recover from the pandemic.”

Gov. Charlie Baker last year moved to continue charging a 5% income tax on nearly 100,000 out-of-state workers employed by Massachusetts companies even as nearly all their jobs turned remote amid the pandemic. Previously, a loophole allowed out-of-state workers to pay taxes only for the days they worked in the state.

Pappas — joined by members of Congress from New Hampshire and Connecticut — said “the most effective path forward to protect workers from unfair, out-of-state taxes” is to pass a bill that will block states like Massachusetts from taxing remote workers on income earned while they’re physically out of state.

It’s a fight that could potentially pit Connecticut and New Hampshire Democrats against the Massachusetts Democratic delegation.

None of the Bay State’s nine reps — all Democrats — weighed in on Thursday when contacted by the Herald.

The Baker administration has played the high court decision close to the vest so far. An administration and finance spokesperson Patrick Marvin only said the administration “appreciates the Supreme Court’s decision.”

U.S. Reps. Jim Himes and Jahana Hayes of Connecticut, and Annie Kuster of New Hampshire are the sole co-signers on the legislation as of now.

Biden Hopes IRS will Catch Tax Dodgers to Help Pay for Infrastructure Bill

Boston Globe – White House and congressional negotiators believe they’ve found a surprising way to help pay for a $1.2 trillion bipartisan infrastructure bill: Give it to the Internal Revenue Service.

A deal struck by President Biden and a bipartisan group of 21 senators calls for pumping $40 billion into the much-maligned agency, which has been so hollowed out in recent years that it has fewer auditors than it has had since World War II and the oldest information technology systems in the federal government.

The funding would result in the collection of $140 billion in additional revenue over a decade because the IRS would be able to crack down more aggressively on as much as $1 trillion in unpaid federal taxes every year.

“If you said to somebody, ‘If you spend 40 bucks, I’m going to give you 140 bucks afterwards,’ that’s a pretty good investment,” said Representative Richard Neal of Springfield, chairman of the House Ways and Means Committee, which oversees the IRS.

But the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office last year estimated a return of only $103 billion on a $40 billion infusion into the IRS. And some Republicans think the revenue projection in the bipartisan infrastructure proposal is too optimistic, part of a broader concern by some experts that the numbers in the plan don’t add up.

Attorney General Clears Ballot Question To Give Boston Council More Budget Power

WGBH – The Attorney General’s office on Friday cleared a ballot question that, if approved by voters this November, would shift the balance of power in Boston’s budget process by giving the City Council the authority to amend a mayor’s budget “in whole, or in part,” and override a mayoral veto with a two-thirds vote.

The ballot initiative would also set up a new Office of Participatory Budgeting to allow residents a greater say in how Boston spends its money.

“Based on the Attorney General’s standard of review, we find no conflict with the constitution or laws of the commonwealth and approve the proposed charter amendment,” said the legal memo.

The clearance puts Boston voters one step closer to deciding whether budgetary power, long dominated by the mayor, should diffuse among the 13-member council and among Boston residents.

Under current law, the council can only reduce or reject items within a budget. It cannot create its own budget and can only increase funding towards certain items with the mayor’s blessing.

East Boston councilor Lydia Edwards, who has steered the effort, said she’s “excited beyond belief” at the legal blessing. The only remaining step is to craft the text of the ballot question with the city’s election commission.

“We hope to have it done by the end of the month,” Edwards said, adding that the commission may need more time in light of the city’s preliminary election.

The approval came nearly 48 hours after the city council and acting Mayor came dangerously close to missing Boston’s budget deadline and triggering a rare emergency funding schedule. The budget passed with an eleventh-hour deal that added a $31 million supplemental spending bill to fund council priorities with federal COVID relief money.

After the city’s operation and schools budgets passed, council budget chair Kenzie Bok said allowing council budget amendments would make the budget process more transparent, lessening the incentive for the council to withhold votes and cut deals with the mayor to accomplish priorities.

Retailers get Boost from Senate on Commission-Based Overtime Pay

Boston Globe – Tucked into the state Senate’s budget bill is a small but potentially valuable prize for furniture sellers, auto dealers, and other retailers at which salespeople work on commission.

With its approval in May of an arcane budget rider, the Senate waded into a string of legal battles over back pay for overtime. The brief provision, if accepted by House budget negotiators, would be a boon to many retailers by sharply reducing what they would pay if found liable for compensating sales reps incorrectly.

The Senate made the issue a sticking point for budget negotiations, because its language on overtime is not mentioned in the House version of the spending plan. The start of the state’s new fiscal year came and went without a budget agreement — a typical missed deadline for Beacon Hill.

But what’s not so typical for the Democratic-run Senate is legislation that favors businesses over workers.

One on side: retailers and their representatives who view the Senate language as a fair compromise, one that ensures companies are not penalized with triple damages for simply relying on guidance they say they received from state labor officials over the years. On the other side: lawyers, lawmakers, and union reps who say the measure would undermine a worker-friendly court decision.

The Senate’s language would only affect pay practices that predated a state Supreme Judicial Court ruling in May 2019 against mattress seller Sleepy’s.

Before the Sleepy’s decision, furniture stores, car dealers, and others often paid sales staff fully with commissions. When these commissions fell short of what was owed for overtime and higher-rate Sunday hours, employers would often use draws from future commissions to cover the difference.

Your CharlieCard May Have Expired

Boston Globe – Picture this: you’re frantically running through the subway station, panicked at the possibility of being late on your first day back in the office after working from home all year.

You see your train pulling in just as you get to the fare gate. Barely slowing down, you tap your trusty CharlieCard.

Suddenly, the metal bar breaks your stride and the small screen delivers the bad news: expired. Your train rumbles down the tracks, but there’s a bigger problem ahead. Getting a new CharlieCard is easier said than done.

Reusable plastic cards that can be loaded with cash value, CharlieCards are usually available at an array of bus and subway stations. But riders looking to replace lost or expired cards over the past year usually left these stations empty-handed.

That’s because the MBTA has eased the monthly distribution of CharlieCards to stations because of the steep decline in ridership during the pandemic. “While riders slowly return to the system, the MBTA will be ramping up distribution efforts,” MBTA spokesman Joe Pesaturo said by e-mail.

For now, transit riders must travel to the CharlieCard store in the Downtown Crossing station, which is not open on Mondays, closes at 1 p.m. on Tuesdays and Thursdays, and operates from 12:30 p.m. to 5 p.m. on Wednesdays and Fridays. Pesaturo said the MBTA hopes to expand the store’s hours in the fall.

Annual Budget Negotiators Also Asked to Settle Supplemental Budget

State House News – The six lawmakers who have been trying to reconcile differences between the House and Senate budgets for fiscal 2022 now have even more on their plates — all six were appointed Thursday to also negotiate a compromise version of a supplemental fiscal 2021 budget bill, raising the possibility that issues in the two sweeping bills could become intertwined.

Boston Schools used for Summer Learning do Not Have Air Conditioning

Boston Globe – After the hottest June in Boston history, the school district will reopen multiple schools for summer learning without air conditioning to cool the students seeking to catch up after a year of mostly remote learning.

Only 29 of the 63 buildings have air conditioning, leaving the rest to resort to other methods to keep classrooms cool, including turning off overhead lights, opening windows, and using fans and blinds.

The most significant risk to children in hot classrooms — especially those wearing masks — is dehydration, medical experts say. Older children tend to be better at noticing and communicating when they need a water break, but educators should pay special attention to younger students. Signs of dehydration can include trouble focusing, a headache, or nausea, said Lauren Rice, chief of pediatric emergency medicine at Tufts Medical Center.

About 80 of the 126 summer learning programs operating under the Boston Public Schools umbrella this year will be in traditional classroom settings, according to the district.

To prepare for the heat, the district has distributed 600 to 800 fans to ensure that all schools without HVAC systems have two fans in each classroom.

State regulations mandate that rooms occupied by students are no less than 68 degrees and no more than the outside temperature when it is above 80 degrees outdoors. BPS does not have a specific temperature threshold for calling “heat days” — canceling or postponing programming because of the heat — but works with city leaders to make decisions on a case-by-case basis.

It’s important to be mindful, she said, especially this time of year, “that our environment can certainly impact our ability to learn overall.”

Northwestern DA’s Office Launches Child-Safety Campaign

The Gazette – As summer brings scorching heat, regional officials are warning of the child-safety dangers the season also carries with it.

The Northwestern District Attorney’s Child Fatality Review Team this month has launched a safety campaign aimed at informing people about the water, vehicular, window and sleeping dangers that young children face.

The Child Fatality Review Team is a state-mandated program that gathers experts from across disciplines to study infant and child deaths to determine whether they were preventable. The team issues recommendations for change to reduce such deaths and looks to educate the public about how to avoid them.

“It’s really proactive,” Northwestern District Attorney David Sullivan said in a statement. “It’s not punitive. We meet to talk candidly about what could have been done to change conditions if a death was preventable. We feel that could save young lives in the future.”

The team is made up of members from the Department of Public Health, Department of Children and Families, state medical examiner’s office, the DA’s office, other law enforcement agencies and other medical professionals, according to Northwestern Assistant District Attorney Linda Pisano.

“Summertime brings a whole host of additional dangers,” Pisano, who is chief of the child abuse unit for the Northwestern District Attorney’s Office, said in an interview.

This summer, Pisano said that the team is hoping to draw attention to the dangers of leaving children

inside cars in the summer heat for even just a few minutes, unsafe infant sleeping positions that increase the risk of death and the risk that windows can pose to toddlers.

Attorney General Establishes Student Loan Ombudsman

MassLive – Student loan borrowers in Massachusetts will have a new resource to handle complaints or problems as they struggle to get out of debt, Attorney General Maura Healey announced on Thursday.

Healey has appointed Arwen Thoman, deputy director of her office’s Insurance and Financial Services Division, to the newly established role of Student Loan Ombudsman as part of the “Student Loan Borrower Bill of Rights” sponsored by state Sen. Eric Lesser and state Rep. Natalie Higgins.

Thoman and deputy ombudsman Erica Harmon will be tasked with “resolving student complaints, educating borrowers, monitoring student loan servicers and submitting annual reports on borrower complaints and trends,” Healey’s office said in a news release.

Both Thoman and Harmon have “extensive experience” helping student loan borrowers through their management of the Student Loan Assistance Unit created in 2015, Healey said. The unit assists borrowers find repayment options, prevent the garnishments of wages and taxes, and to blunt debt relief scams.

“My office is on the frontlines of this $1.7 trillion crisis, fighting on behalf of student borrowers in Massachusetts, and taking on a student-loan system that is fundamentally broken and devastating to countless Americans,” Healey said in a statement.

“The establishment of this ombudsman position will be critical in our ongoing work to help students and families invest in their future and get the relief they deserve.”

The Student Loan Borrower Bill of Rights, signed into law earlier this year and going into effect Thursday, empowers the Division of Banks to require certain types of loan servicers to obtain licenses, Healey’s office said.

“We celebrated a big moment when the Student Loan Borrower Bill of Rights became law. Its passage was a result of over six years of advocacy and determination by supporters across the commonwealth who made calls, spoke up and cheered Rep. Higgins and I on to push this across the finish line,” said Lesser, Senate chair of the Joint Committee on Economic Development and Emerging Technologies.

“Nearly a million people within Massachusetts collectively owe over $40 billion in student loans, and until now have not benefited from adequate state-level consumer protections on one of the biggest financial investments in their lives. I am looking forward to working with Attorney General Healey and the Student Loan Ombudsman’s office in implementing a strong support system to protect student loan borrowers across Massachusetts from these harmful practices.”

Boston Children’s Hospital to propose $434 Million

Boston Business Journal – Just as Boston Children’s Hospital is completing its massive $1 billion expansion downtown, the nation’s top children’s hospital is set to embark on a $434.7 million expansion project in the suburbs.

The projects include a $90 million renovation and expansion at its Waltham outpatient facility, a $57 million relocation and expansion of services of its Weymouth physician practice and outpatient facility, and the creation of a $288.2 million outpatient surgical and pediatric specialty care center in Needham.

“It’s tough to get to us, coming to 300 Longwood. It’s probably one of the hardest places to get to in Boston,” said Boston Children’s CEO Kevin Churchwell.

“What we’re trying to do is to create an environment where it’s easier for parents and kids to get to us, and also actually freeing up 300 Longwood for the urban kids in the urban core that can get to us and need to get to us.”

Children’s also has outpatient facilities in Peabody, Lexington and North Dartmouth, and it works with community hospitals such as Winchester Hospital, South Shore Health, Baystate Health and UMass Memorial Health Care.

Both expansions come as Children’s continues to be ranked the top pediatric hospital in the country, taking the top spot in US News and World Report’s list for eight years in a row.

Appointing A State ‘Secretary Of Equity’ Is A Top Health Priority, Legislative Panel Finds

WGBH – The Massachusetts state legislature formed a task force to examine and make recommendations around improving health equity in the Commonwealth. After more than 10 months, the task force’s final report was released on Thursday.

Chief among its recommendations is the formation of a cabinet-level Secretary of Equity position, as well as better data tracking and an “equity-in-all-policies” approach to governance. Health Equity Task Force Co-Chair Michael Curry, also the CEO of the Massachusetts League of Community Health Centers, spoke with Arun Rath on GBH’s All Things Considered to discuss next steps for the state. The following transcript has been edited for clarity.

Arun Rath: Remind us what the task force was charged with accomplishing when it was established.

Michael Curry: So last year, the legislature — credit to Speaker [Ron] Mariano and Senate President [Karen] Spilka — organized a Health Equity Task Force, and they invited some of us who are external to the legislature to participate in — and in my case, to help lead — that task force, along with Dr. [Assaad] Sayah from the Cambridge Health Alliance.

And we were charged with a few very clear things in the midst of COVID-19. One was improving safety for populations at increased risk for COVID-19, removing barriers and increasing access to quality and equitable health care — which is a pretty broad goal, but a challenge for that task force; increasing access to personal protective equipment, medical supplies and COVID-19 testing; providing informational materials to underserved and underrepresented populations; and any other factors deemed relevant by the task force to address health disparities for underserved and underrepresented community, and further study of the impacts of disparities. Broad goal, some specific. But timely.

Rath: Right. A big job. And let’s dig into some of the recommendations laid out in today’s report. Maybe the biggest one, you’re recommending the establishment of a new cabinet-level office on Beacon Hill, a secretary of equity. Tell us about what’s being envisioned there.

Curry: Yes. You can go back several years, maybe a decade or so, there was a campaign for an Office of Health Equity. But this is a cabinet-level executive office in this proposal, a secretary of equity. And that person would be charged with creating a three- to five-year strategic plan and data dashboards in collaboration with stakeholders and the various branches of government. That’s not something we have in place today. In fact, that would be an example for the rest of the country. That entity and that person would also be accountable for creating equity offices for each secretary. So it is a tremendous opportunity for Massachusetts to embrace that particular recommendation, and the members of the task force are excited about the many proposals, but that being top among them.

Rath: And to make that happen, this the secretary of equity position, who do you need to get support from, in terms of people on Beacon Hill? How do you establish this and make it happen?

Curry: Well, credit again to the legislature, because this was a joint task force of both legislators and people that were experts in the field. And we had a nice group of senators and representatives sent there to the task force with the support of their leadership. We had 17-plus times that we met. We had three public hearings, it was informed by advocates and activists across the state, including other members of the legislature that were not in the task force. So this goes before the legislature.

We know that they’re about to receive significant amounts of relief funding through ARPA [the American Rescue Plan Act]. What that means is they can now deploy some of those funds to a health equity blueprint, and they could advance those. As we say, the train is leaving the station. So there’s the budget, there’s supplemental budgets, there could be a health equity bill. Whatever vehicle the legislature deems appropriate, they can put a package together that hopefully will incorporate much, if not all, of the recommendations in this report.

Rath: It’s interesting how this position is secretary of equity, not necessarily secretary of health equity. And another recommendation from your task force talks about an “equity-in-all-policies” approach. Could you talk about those in tandem?

Curry: It’s so interesting. In the past year, with the murder of George Floyd a little over a year ago, in the wake of the outbreak of this pandemic, the consciousness of the country and the consciousness of residents in Massachusetts has been raised tremendously around equity. What is it? What does it look like? What does it not look like? How intentional we have to be with inclusion — that, quite frankly, our history is full of efforts that that excluded people, particularly as we’re talking about African Americans, or people with disabilities, or women or LGBTQ communities. And that we have to be equally as intentional on including them.

That takes not just saying, “Okay, anything we do, we’ll have an equity approach.” No, it takes actually implementing policies and procedures, and putting people in the right place to produce equity. And I think that’s what this report really speaks to, an “equity-in-all-policies” practice to evaluate the impact of state policies and programs, beginning with an immediate equity analysis plan for the expenditure of those American Rescue Plan funds. And I think that is a great start. I think there’s some traction with Governor [Charlie] Baker and Secretary [Marylou] Sudders, as well as House and Senate leadership. So I’m excited about where this could go.”

Janey’s Address Part Celebration, Part State-of-the-City

Boston Globe – The event featured all the pomp and circumstance of an inauguration address.

Acting Mayor Kim Janey gathered at the Museum of African American History before dozens of supporters Friday to mark her first 100 days on the job, in a theatrical ceremony that included an introductory poem and song and a video highlighting her work so far.

It was a city-sanctioned event. It could have also passed for a campaign rally.

Janey’s ceremony Friday, billed as an update for residents on the city’s successes, including the recovery from the pandemic, also illustrated the political advantages that come with being acting mayor. That platform in the midst of a campaign has brought her some challenges but also blessings, as polls show her on steady ground and at the front of the pack in a historic race for mayor.

“Janey had a huge advantage, grabbing the slot like that,” said Lou DiNatale, a veteran political pollster. He noted the recent controversies she’s faced, including problems in the police department and school system, but added, “She’s not going down, given the crises she’s faced.

Boston Black Men’s Committee Launches; Vows To Register Thousands of Voters

WGBH – At a midafternoon event on a scorching-hot City Hall Plaza Tuesday, former city councilor and mayoral candidate Tito Jackson announced the formation of the Boston Black Men’s Committee, saying the group would push for more civic engagement, increased economic and educational opportunities, assistance for previously incarcerated individuals and greater attentiveness to mental-health concerns in the run-up to the 2021 city elections.

“We are here to be heard. Our votes are here to be felt. And our impact is also here to be felt,” Jackson said.

“At the national level… we have a situation where the Voting Rights Act is being blocked,” he added. “Votes are being denied around the country. But they will not be denied here in the city of Boston.”

State Inquiry Eyes More Participation in Energy Facility Siting

The Sun – A state board has launched a formal effort to assess ways to boost public awareness of energy facility siting proposals, describing it as a step toward a “more just and equitable clean-energy future.”

The Energy Facilities Siting Board voted last Wednesday to issue a notice of inquiry and the Baker administration on Thursday publicized the decision and said it would supplement a companion order issued in the spring by the Department of Public Utilities.

“Through these investigations, the EFSB and DPU will explore opportunities to boost stakeholder engagement and ensure that all people have been provided with the same opportunity to participate in EFSB and DPU proceedings, regardless of English language proficiency,” the siting board said. Written comments are due by Sept. 10.

A climate change law signed by Gov. Charlie Baker in March expands Massachusetts Environmental Policy Act reviews to require an environmental impact for all projects that impact air quality within five miles of an environmental justice neighborhood, according to the administration, and requires the Department of Environmental Protection to develop a cumulative impact analysis as a condition of permitting certain projects.

The change, officials say, would require MEPA for the first time to evaluate not just individual project impacts but also historic environmental pollution throughout the community through the permit process.

The siting board expects to ultimately establish an environmental justice strategy that state officials say may include the promulgation of rules, and the issuance of guidelines, procedures and/or regulations.

New Infrastructure Deal Must Focus on Climate, Activists Say

Boston Globe – Climate activists and their Democratic allies in Congress are pressing with renewed urgency for huge investments to slow global warming, after a bipartisan infrastructure plan cut out some of President Biden’s key climate initiatives.

Supporters say a larger, Democratic-only package being developed in Congress must meet Biden’s promise to move the country toward carbon-free electricity, make America a global leader in electric vehicles, and create millions of jobs in solar, wind, and other clean-energy industries.

But passage of a larger, multitrillion-dollar bill faces significant hurdles, even if Democrats use a procedural method that requires only a simple majority. It’s far from certain, in an evenly divided Senate, that moderate Democrats will agree to an expansive measure that could swell to as high as $6 trillion.

On the other hand, a less costly bill that does not fully address climate change risks losing support from large numbers of liberal Democrats who have pledged action on an issue that Biden has called “the existential crisis of our times.”

Elimination of climate measures in the bipartisan plan comes as the effects of climate change, like worsening disasters such as hurricanes, wildfires, and drought, are increasing. Scientists urge immediate action to slash greenhouse emissions to avoid the worst consequences of global warming.

Fallout Continues from Biggest Global Ransomware Attack

Boston Globe – The single biggest ransomware attack yet continued to bite Monday as more details emerged on how a Russia-linked gang breached the exploited software company. The criminals essentially used a tool that helps protect against malware to spread it globally.

Thousands of organizations — largely firms that remotely manage the IT infrastructure of others — were infected in at least 17 countries in Friday’s assault. Kaseya, whose product was exploited, said Monday that they include several just returning to work.

Because the attack by the notorious REvil gang came just as a long Fourth of July weekend began, more victims were expected to learn their fate when they return to the office Tuesday.

As the Pandemic Changes How We Work, Co-Working is Taking off in the Suburbs

Boston Globe – On most days, Chris Selland works out of a Workbar co-working space in Burlington, just a couple of miles from his home in Reading.

When he has a meeting downtown, he makes the roughly 30-minute trip to Boston and pops into Workbar at 24 School St. — or he connects virtually. But nothing beats a short suburban commute.

“Workbar’s strategy of not just being downtown but also in the suburbs, that’s absolutely a reason we chose it,” said Selland, the chief executive at DipJar, a startup that creates cashless donation jars for fund-raising.

Since 2019, Selland has moved from Downtown Crossing to Cambridge to a co-working space just off Route 128. Nine of his 14 employees live near Boston, dispersed across Workbar locations in Salem, Needham, and Burlington. The others live in Pittsburgh, New Jersey, and Austin, Texas, occasionally coming to home base in Burlington for meetings.

Biden’s Pre-K Proposal Faces Questions from Republicans Over Federal Role

Wall Street Journal – WASHINGTON—President Biden’s $200 billion proposal to expand publicly funded pre-kindergarten through a program that requires buy-in and funds from states is facing questions from Republicans over how it will be implemented.

Most states currently offer some public preschool, with both Republicans and Democrats often backing the efforts, but the standards and spending vary. Mr. Biden is seeking to provide prekindergarten to all 3- and 4-year-olds as part of his $1.8 trillion families plan, which also includes investments in child care, paid leave and community college.

Under his proposal, states would receive federal funding to help create programs or expand their current offerings, and they would need to put up some state funds and meet some standards in return.

The White House says an expansion will improve educational outcomes, while enabling parents of young children to participate fully in the workforce. But while many Republican leaders support public prekindergarten, some have expressed skepticism about what role the federal government should play in funding it and what strings will come with the money.

Businesses Banking on a Summer Boom Face Foreign Worker Shortage

Politico – Businesses depending on a summer boom in tourists, beachgoers and other seasonal clientele to pull them out of the pandemic slump are struggling to bring enough foreign workers to the U.S., holding them back from a recovery.

Employers in tourist areas that usually rely on temporary workers from abroad during the surge in seasonal demand say travel restrictions, closed consulates and a limited pool of H-2B seasonal visas are making it even harder to resume operations, just as relaxed Covid-19 strictures and masking rules have allowed for full re-openings in most states.

The squeeze has businesses groups once again lobbying Congress to expand the number of non-immigrant worker visas available, which they warn is essential to the economic recovery this time around.

After absorbing nearly half of the destruction caused by the pandemic shutdowns, the leisure and hospitality industry is still in a deep hole, down 2.5 million jobs from early last year.

June 29

This Week 

Tuesday June 29

Joint Committee on Health Care Financing-Health System Contracting & Financing, Delivery System Planning and Oversight-11 am-Virtual Hearing

Joint Committee on Cannabis Policy-Medical and Research-Virtual Hearing-11 am

Wednesday June 30

Joint Committee on COVID-19 and Emergency Preparedness-Virtual Hearing-10 am

Joint Committee on Elder Affairs-Nursing Facilities and Rest Homes-Virtual Hearing-1 pm

Thursday July 1 

Joint Committee on Financial Services-Health Insurance and Banking- Virtual Hearing-1 pm

Next Week 

Tuesday July 6 

Joint Committee on Education-Voke Tech, Transportation and Special Ed-Virtual Hearing-12 pm

Wednesday July 7 

Joint Committee on Families and Persons with Disabilities- DCF-Virtual Hearing-9:30 am

Deadlines Set for Massachusetts Vaccine Lottery Drawings

Boston.com – Mark your calendars. Gov. Charlie Baker’s administration and the Massachusetts State Lottery announced the deadlines by which residents must have all of their required COVID-19 vaccine shots to be eligible for each of the state’s VaxMillions Giveaway drawings.

Registration for the vaccine lottery opens next Thursday, July 1, but the five weekly $1 million drawings do not begin until July 26. According to the newly released schedule, residents must be fully vaccinated and register four days before each of the drawings in order to be eligible.

Winners — whose vaccination status will get checked after their selection — will be announced three days after each of the drawings.

Residents who are over the age of 18 can enter for the chance to win one of the five $1 million cash prizes, while those between the ages of 12 and 17 who are vaccinated will be eligible to win one of five $300,000 scholarship grants.

Reggie Lewis Center Gives out Final Vaccines

MassLive – The Reggie Lewis Center at Roxbury Community College gave out its final COVID-19 vaccines.

The center was one of several mass vaccination sites opened earlier this year.

The state is shutting the sites down after passing Gov. Charlie Baker’s goal of getting 4.1 million people fully vaccinated.

Get the Vaccine, See The Weeknd, Iglesias or Martin

MassLive – The latest perk the Baker administration is offering unvaccinated people in Massachusetts to get their COVID-19 shot are tickets to see The Weeknd, Enrique Iglesias and Ricky Martin.

Massachusetts plans to launch another mobile vaccination clinic, this one traveling to 23 cities and towns to inoculate children alongside adults. Those who get vaccinated through the tour get a chance to win concert tickets to one of the three artists at TD Garden, as well as to the Kiss 108 Jingle Ball.

Connecticut Gov. Ned Lamont announced a similar initiative Friday, in hopes of getting younger adults vaccinated. The “Rock the Shot” campaign will offer vaccinated people tickets to see Luke Bryan, Thomas Rhett, Lil Baby, the Jonas Brothers and other artists, the Hartford Courant reported.

The “Vax Bus” tour began Saturday and runs through July 26, making stops in Amherst, Attleboro, Boston, Brockton, Chicopee, Dartmouth, Fall River, Fitchburg, Holyoke, Lawrence, Lowell, Lynn, Malden, Middleborough, New Bedford, Pittsfield, Provincetown, Revere, Springfield, Taunton, West Springfield, Westfield and Worcester. Yankee Line will run the bus tour.

Other stops include Attleboro, Boston, Brockton, Dartmouth, Fall River, Lawrence, Lowell, Lynn, Malden, Middleborough, New Bedford, Provincetown, Revere and Taunton.

Massachusetts legislators vote to take control of $5B in federal COVID aid from Baker

Lowell Sun – Last week was another chapter in the ongoing dispute over who controls the $5.3 billion in federal money the state received from the American Rescue Plan Act.

The Baker administration argues that the governor doesn’t need legislative approval on how to spend the money. The Legislature disagrees, and a few weeks ago approved a measure that would segregate the money in a separate fund and give the Legislature control over when and how to spend it.

Gov. Charlie Baker responded with a compromise that would allow him to unilaterally spend $2.8 billion of the funds in several areas including housing and homeownership, economic development, job training, workforce development, health care and infrastructure. It would give the Legislature the authority to spend the remainder.

Last week, on a strictly party line vote, the House 30-130 and the Senate 3-36 rejected the governor’s amendment.

Baker’s plan included $300 million for expanded homeownership opportunities, focused on first-time homebuyers who are residents of disproportionately impacted municipalities; $300 million for senior and veteran housing; $100 million for cultural facilities and tourism; $150 million for workforce credentials for entry and mid-level wages; $35 million for English for Speakers of Other Languages programs and Adult Basic Education; $50 million for financially stressed hospitals in disproportionately impacted municipalities; $175 million for addiction treatment and related behavioral health services; $300 million to improve culverts, dams and other environmental infrastructure; $100 million to enhance and modernize state park facilities; and $100 million to close the digital divide and increase broadband internet access.

“The Legislature stands firm in its commitment to employing an open, transparent and thorough public process to best understand how we as a state can make smart investments with these one-time federal dollars to address pressing and long-term needs while promoting a just recovery for all areas of the state,” said House Speaker Ronald Mariano and Senate President Karen Spilka in a joint statement.

“Therefore, the Legislature will be holding a series of public hearings throughout the summer … with the goal of crafting spending plans directly informed by feedback from constituents and stakeholders, including those representing the areas identified by the governor in his proposal. We will continue to seek input from the governor and expect that he will file additional legislation so that his priorities can be part of that process. We invite the Baker administration to testify in these hearings.”

Mass General Brigham to Require Vaccination for Employees

Boston Herald – More than 80,000 Mass General Brigham employees will be required to be vaccinated against coronavirus once one of the three shots gains approval from the Food and Drug Administration, the healthcare system announced.

“The evidence of COVID-19 vaccine safety and effectiveness is overwhelming. Getting vaccinated is the single most important and responsible step each of us can take to put an end to this devastating pandemic and protect patients, families, and each other,” said Dr. Anne Klibanski, president and CEO of Mass General Brigham.

More than 85% of Mass General Brigham employees have already been vaccinated. The healthcare system is the largest private employer in the state.

The coronavirus vaccine mandate is consistent with MGB’s flu vaccine requirement.  Employees will be able to request exemption for medical and religious reasons, and employees who are pregnant or who intend to become pregnant may also request an exemption.

None of the current coronavirus vaccines are FDA-approved, they are cleared for use under emergency use authorization. It is not yet clear when a vaccine could gain FDA approval.

As a healthcare system, Mass General Brigham has administered more than 450,000 coronavirus vaccine doses to patients and employees.

Nursing Home Employees Resist Vaccination

Boston Globe – If any nursing home had a reason to ensure everyone was fully vaccinated against COVID-19, it would be the Leavitt Family Jewish Home in Longmeadow. Sixty-three residents died last year from the disease.

Yet, six months after staffers there became eligible for shots, more than 30 percent have yet to be fully vaccinated.

Now, the Leavitt is pairing up with behavioral psychologists from the University of California, Berkeley to test the effectiveness of making the shots super convenient by reserving one for each unvaccinated employee and then asking them to either get their jab in the home during one of their shifts or decline the shot specifically reserved for them.

The failure of many nursing home staff members to get vaccinated has emerged as one of the most serious gaps in the United States’ defenses against COVID. Fully one-quarter of the nation’s pandemic deaths have occurred in nursing homes; yet, nationwide, more than 40 percent of staff members are still unvaccinated, leaving the homes’ frail, elderly residents vulnerable.

Nursing home administrators across the country have dangled gift cards, cash, T-shirts, and more, but such incentives have largely failed at convincing holdouts. Instead, administrators are finding slow but steady success with intimate, albeit time-consuming, one-on-one sessions, pairing the hesitant with colleagues, medical directors, or other trusted sources who listen to workers and talk them through their fears.

Gig Workers in Massachusetts Escalate Fight with Uber, Lyft, and Other Companies

Boston Globe – Tensions over how Massachusetts state law treats gig-economy workers rose last week as a new coalition formed to combat efforts by some big technology companies to exempt their workers from benefits such as a minimum wage and health care coverage.

The group, called the Coalition to Protect Workers’ Rights, launched its effort Tuesday morning with a rally outside the State House. The move comes as Attorney General Maura Healey sues Uber and Lyft for allegedly misclassifying its workers as independent contractors and denying them legally entitled benefits.

Waves of Workers are Changing Jobs as the Pandemic Wanes

Boston Globe – After a dozen long years at Google, David Smydra had been thinking about moving on. But when the pandemic hit, all he could do was “shelter in place … hold on, do my best to weather the storm.”

But working from home in West Roxbury only increased the feeling of burnout that had been building before COVID-19. So as the virus loosened its grip on the region, his urge for a reset returned, even stronger.

“The effects of the pandemic gave me clarity to see my situation without the blinders of the daily hustle,” he said.

In April, the 42-year-old Smydra left his job at Google overseeing news content strategy and joined another big tech company — Twitter — to work on news curation.

Whether workers are moving between high-tech firms, changing fields, or even outright stepping off a career path, the job market in Greater Boston is seething with activity. Many employees are burned out from the intense pace that seemed to have no boundaries during the work-from-home era. Others have suffered personal losses or are simply looking to do something new. Whatever the reasons, the amount of voluntary churn in the job market is at a 21st-century high.

Americans Leave Unemployment Rolls More Quickly in States Cutting Off Benefits

Wall Street Journal – The number of unemployment-benefit recipients is falling at a faster rate in Missouri and 21 other states canceling enhanced and extended payments this month, suggesting that ending the aid could push more people to take jobs.

Federal pandemic aid bills boosted unemployment payments by $300 a person each week and extended those payments for as long as 18 months, well longer than the typical 26 weeks or less. The benefits are set to expire in early September, but states can opt out before then.

Missouri Gov. Mike Parson said the benefits were helpful during the height of the pandemic, but their continuation has “worsened the workforce issues we are facing.”

He, like many other Republican governors, moved to end the federally funded benefits to address businesses’ concerns about a labor shortage. The state’s unemployment rate was 4.2% in May, well below the national average of 5.8%, according to the U.S. Labor Department.

Missouri cut off payments as of June 12, joining three other states as the first to do so. Seven states followed with an end on June 19, and this weekend, benefits are expiring in 10 more states. Four more states will curtail benefits by July 10.

Supreme Court Rejects New Hampshire Tax Challenge to Massachusetts

Boston Globe – The US Supreme Court rejected a New Hampshire challenge to Massachusetts’ practice of taxing people who once worked in that state but started telecommuting from elsewhere during the pandemic.

Turning away a case that could have put billions of dollars at stake, the justices denied New Hampshire permission to sue Massachusetts directly at the high court.

Had it gone forward, the case could have determined the fate of similar, permanent tax laws in New York, Pennsylvania and three other states. New Jersey and Connecticut urged the court to accept the New Hampshire lawsuit, saying they are losing massive sums to neighboring states, primarily New York, in violation of the Constitution.

Boston School Budget in More Trouble than City Budget, Councilors Say

Boston Herald – The City Council may have spent its meeting this week hammering away at Acting Mayor Kim Janey’s proposed city operating budget, but it appears the Boston Public Schools budget is even more likely to fail.

“The education budget is in a more perilous position than the operating budget,” City Council President Pro Tempore Matt O’Malley told the Herald on Thursday. Regarding the schools budget, “It’s going to be a tall order for me and for many of my colleagues to get to yes.”

The council blew up on Janey during a meeting on Wednesday, criticizing her $3.76 billion operating budget from various directions and slamming her for what they characterized as a lack of leadership and engagement with them. The council even took what amounted to a symbolic straw poll, in which 10 of 12 members voted against moving ahead on the city operating budget, though not everyone treated it like the proxy vote it was intended to be.

The councilors toyed briefly with holding a similar symbolic vote on the $1.3 billion schools budget, but instead hustled it off to committee for more work.

There’s an ongoing debate over whether the district’s three exam schools — the Boston Latin Academy, Boston Latin School, and John D. O’Bryant School of Mathematics and Science — should keep using entrance tests to choose students. Some want to do away with exams with the stated goal of making the schools more diverse, while others say removing the exams would make those schools less rigorous.

Baker Seems Eager to Start Spending

Commonwealth – With state government sitting on a huge pile of cash, Gov. Charlie Baker is suddenly eager to spend it.

Early last week he proposed putting up $10 million in federal relief funding as prize money for a lottery game that would be free to play for anyone who is fully vaccinated.

Later in the week he called on the Legislature to let him quickly spend more than half of the $5 billion the federal government has passed along to Massachusetts.

And on Wednesday he raised the stakes in regard to the state’s annual sales tax holiday. With the state likely to end the year with $4 billion more in tax revenue than it had expected, Baker proposed using nearly a quarter of the excess cash to expand the sales tax holiday from a weekend in August to all of August and all of September.

“By returning money to taxpayers through a two-month suspension of the sales tax, we give every individual who purchases goods a welcome break while also encouraging the economic activity that is the lifeblood of retailers across the state,” the Republican governor said in a message to the Legislature.

The initial response from Democrats was dismissive. “Our local businesses need more workers and better infrastructure, not political gimmicks,” said Sen. Eric Lesser, a Democrat from Longmeadow. “Extra funds should be used to reduce class sizes, repair crumbling roads and bridges, improve broadband internet, or use to paydown debt.”

Jim Aloisi, the former secretary of transportation, tweeted that the $900 million could be used to make every unlinked bus trip in the state free or connect the Red and Blue subway lines. “Our priorities are really messed up folks,” he said.

Senate President Spilka: Baker’s Two-Month Tax Holiday ‘Probably’ Not Happening

WGBH – Senate President Karen Spilka told Boston Public Radio Friday the she expects the legislature to reject Gov. Charlie Baker’s proposal for a two-month tax free holiday this summer.

“The House and the Senate have already passed the two days for August 14 and 15,” Spilka said. “We probably will defer to take up the Governor’s bill on the two-month” proposal.

Baker told Boston Public Radio earlier this week he wanted to “give back” to Massachusetts residents, who generated more tax revenue than expected, through the extended holiday.

“The people in Massachusetts, despite the pandemic and everything else, managed to generate a lot more tax revenue than we thought they would generate, and I think a deal’s a deal,” the Republican governor said Thursday. “We should give that back to them.”

But Spilka — and others in the Democratic controlled legislature — were immediately critical of the proposal, arguing that the tax revenue for those two months should be collected and would be better used on public programs, such as on food insecurity, housing and education initiatives.

“The people of the Commonwealth need our help to recover from the pandemic, and tax revenue does help us with the very programs and services that can provide that help,” said Spilka.

Lawmakers must decide in coming weeks whether they will support the proposal, but Spilka’s comments indicate lawmakers will let it languish.

Infrastructure Deal is Back on Track after Biden’s Assurances

Boston Globe – A fragile bipartisan infrastructure deal appeared to be moving forward once again Sunday, as moderate Republicans said they had been reassured that President Joe Biden would not hold it hostage while Democrats simultaneously work on a larger, partisan economic package.

After 48 hours of chaos, the statements by leading Republicans prompted a sigh of relief for the White House, where Biden and top aides had worked through the weekend to keep the eight-year, $1.2 trillion investment to rebuild the nation’s infrastructure from falling apart. GOP negotiators even suggested that they could now begin drafting the bill and said they believed it would win enough Republican votes to pass the Senate next month.

“The waters have been calmed,” said Sen. Mitt Romney, R-Utah.

Still, the whole episode underscored just how precarious a path the president and his allies face in the months ahead, as they try to steer the two separate and costly spending plans into law. They have laid out a complex strategy in which the success of each bill hinges on the other and the balancing of priorities between not only Republicans and Democrats, but within the Democratic Party itself.

Republicans, who doubt Democrats can secure the votes needed to pass the second partisan package, balked. They said that they never would have signed onto a deal strictly conditioned on the success of policies they oppose, and Biden’s team was forced to clean up the comments. After a series of private phone calls, the president issued a lengthy statement Saturday clarifying that he never meant to threaten a veto and conceding that Republicans were “understandably upset.”

“I was very glad to see the president clarify his remarks because it was inconsistent with everything we had been told along the way,” Sen. Rob Portman, R-Ohio, said on ABC’s “This Week.” “I’m glad they’ve now been de-linked and we can move forward with a bipartisan bill that is broadly popular not just among members of Congress but the American people.”

Sen. Bill Cassidy, R-La., concurred on NBC’s “Meet the Press,” calling the framework agreed to by the two parties “a great deal.”

Activists Call For Legislative Transparency On Beacon Hill

WGBH – Despite sweltering heat, a small crowd of roughly 50 activists and elected officials gathered on the steps of the Massachusetts State House Sunday afternoon to rally for transparency in legislation.

From the building’s front steps, organizer Ben Cohen gestured behind the group to a massive tapestry covering the State House’s facade, a picture of the building that conceals a layer of scaffolding and the building itself.

“Instead of addressing the issue of transparency head on, representatives come after us while they’re bundled up behind a potent visual metaphor here,” Cohen, a 21-year-old organizer with the progressive political group Act On Mass, said. “But this is an issue that can be fixed.”

Cohen and other activists are urging legislators to change House rules to make records of committee votes public, ensure that bills are public 72 hours before they are voted on, and reinstate term limits for Speaker of the House — a proposal that current House Speaker Ron Mariano has opposed.

“We’ve definitely been butting heads with Speaker Mariano,” Ella McDonald, a 22-year-old activist with Act On Mass, told GBH News.

In January, Mariano delayed the scheduled vote on his session’s rules until July and tasked the House Rules Committee with reviewing and studying the rules. The decision came in the midst of a statewide rules reform campaign led by roughly 20 progressive advocacy organizations, including Act On Mass, the Sunrise Movement, Mijente Boston, the Boston Indivisible Progressive Action Group, Our Climate Boston and others.

A report on the House committee’s findings is due on Thursday, sparking a renewed call from progressive organizations for constituents to put pressure on their representatives.

Mariano’s decision to delay the rules vote, McDonald said, came “in part because of the momentum that we built and seeing the power that we had.”

Almost 40% of Remote Workers Won’t be Back in the Office until January

Boston Globe – Returning to the office is taking longer than many people initially imagined, and the number of colleagues who come in every day will likely be changed for good.

That’s the word from the Massachusetts Competitive Partnership’s latest survey, conducted this spring and made public on Tuesday, of what office life will look like after the COVID-19 pandemic recedes. The business group’s employer survey covers some 113,500 employees in the state, working for 110 companies in various industries, primarily east of Interstate 495.

Roughly half of employees — 48 percent — who are now remote are expected to return to the office by September. Even by January 2022, that number goes up only slightly, to 61 percent. That’s a shift from the last time the Partnership surveyed employers in December, when the group’s polling indicated that 61 percent of the workforce would be back by September, and 81 percent in 2022.

And going forward, more than four-fifths (82 percent) of companies will offer fully remote or hybrid work arrangements, when relatively few did before the pandemic, reflecting similar results reported in April by the Massachusetts Business Roundtable. The main reason for the shift: Employees are telling their bosses they want more flexibility now. Partnership chairman Jeff Leiden, executive chairman at Vertex Pharmaceuticals, said the survey results reflect “how seriously employers are considering” the wishes of their workers.

Massachusetts Schools will not Require Masks

WBSM – As the school year wraps up and summer vacation kicks in, one of the biggest questions on the minds of students, teachers, and parents alike is whether or not masks will be required at school in the fall.

When Governor Charlie Baker lifted the mask mandate for fully vaccinated people, one of the locations where the requirement continued was in schools.

Since the COVID-19 vaccine has become more available, and the percentage of Massachusetts residents who are fully vaccinated approaches 70 percent, it looks like schools are going to have some leeway about wearing masks this fall.

No More Mask Requirement in Massachusetts Schools

In a memo to Fairhaven Public School parents, Assistant Superintendent Tara Kohler announced that “as a result of our community’s diligence to health and safety during the pandemic, I’m very happy to report that as of yesterday afternoon, Dr. Baldwin and I were informed that the Commonwealth of Massachusetts is intending to not require masks in schools for the 2021-2022 school year, per Commissioner (Jeffrey) Riley.”

Fairhaven Superintendent Robert Baldwin is currently serving as President of the Massachusetts Association of School Superintendents.

Kohler admitted she was pretty surprised by the sudden turnaround. Two weeks prior to finding out this news, the state’s superintendents were told to make plans for a masked return to school.

Legislature Passes Bill to Fund Government Through July

State House News – Now guaranteed to miss the deadline to have an annual budget in place by July 1, the Legislature passed a temporary budget on Monday that would keep government programs funded through July while negotiations on an annual spending plan continue.

The new fiscal year starts on Thursday, but budget talks between the House and Senate over competing $47.7 billion annual budgets (H 4001 / S 2465) remain behind closed doors and ongoing. Even if a deal were to be struck before the start of fiscal 2022, the Senate adjourned Monday with plans not to meet again until Thursday.

How The Pandemic Affected Kids’ Access To Mental Health Care

WBUR – Mental health care for kids in Massachusetts is a confusing web of services. They can be hard to access — even in normal times.

There never seems to be enough inpatient psychiatric beds or outpatient therapists. A kid may not even be able to get a therapist if the family doesn’t have certain insurance, and some providers don’t any take insurance. There are mobile crisis teams, in-home psychologists, day programs, group homes, and residential schools.

The pandemic put immense strain on all of them.

Outpatient care went virtual in the pandemic, but teletherapy was tough for some kids.

Terry Alves-Hunter, of Falmouth, recently asked her 9-year-old son what it was like to have to see his therapist over a computer screen.

“The Zoom did not help me. The in-person helped me a lot, talking about my feelings and all of that,” he said.

Alves-Hunter adopted her son from foster care when he was 3. He’s diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder, an attachment disorder, ADHD, autism, anxiety and depression.

Alves-Hunter says things escalated with the the Zoom therapy, until her son gave up.

“He was bouncing back and forth on the chair, he couldn’t focus, and he’d just start getting angrier and angrier, break things,” she recalled.

Massachusetts Using Home Ownership to Address Wealth Gap

Boston Globe – Massachusetts is undertaking a massive shift in how it distributes money for affordable housing, pumping tens of millions of state dollars into building new owner-occupied homes after years of focusing almost exclusively on rentals.

The efforts, led by a new program to build homes for below-market sale in Boston and other cities, are an explicit recognition of the enormous racial wealth gap in Massachusetts, which has been fueled by a similar chasm in who owns homes here. Yet the program’s limits also illustrate just how hard that gap will be to close.

At an event this month in Haverhill to highlight the effort, Governor Charlie Baker pitched his plan as one way to remedy decades of US housing policy that created the divide, and said he wants to spend as much as $560 million to boost homeownership among historically disadvantaged groups in Massachusetts, particularly Black and Latino families. His goal is to jump-start progress with a huge windfall of cash from stimulus funding and other sources.

“One of the best and most effective ways you can build wealth is through homeownership, and the data has shown time and time again that people of color have not had the same access to federal programs that whites have had,” Baker said. “We have an opportunity to do something about that. We should do it with this funding. And we should do it now.”

For generations, people of color were excluded from federal funding for homeownership, while many of their white counterparts qualified for government subsidies. In modern-day Massachusetts, where home prices have more than doubled over the last two decades, that means the people who possess a golden ticket — a home that they own — are overwhelmingly white.

June 22

Pace of Massachusetts Job Gains Continued to Slow During May

State House News – Massachusetts employers added 9,200 jobs in May and the statewide unemployment rate fell 0.3 percentage points to 6.1 percent, labor officials announced Friday.

Administration Announces Plan to Invest $2.8 Billion in Federal COVID-19 Funding

HAVERHILL – The Baker Administration announced a plan to use approximately $2.815 billion of the Commonwealth’s direct federal aid to support key priorities, including housing and home ownership, economic development and local downtowns, job training and workforce development, health care, and infrastructure. The administration’s plan aims to jump-start the Commonwealth’s economic recovery by investing in priorities, with a particular focus on supporting populations hardest-hit by COVID-19, such as lower-wage workers and communities of color.

The plan is being filed as an amendment to “An Act Relative to Transferring Federal Funds to the Federal COVID-19 Response Fund,” which was on the governor’s desk and is being returned to the Legislature.

“Our proposal will immediately invest $2.8 billion toward key priorities that will help jump-start our economic recovery, with a particular focus on those hit hardest by COVID-19, such as communities of color,” said Governor Charlie Baker.

“With over four million people fully vaccinated, Massachusetts is getting back to normal and back to work, but it is critical that we act now to make these critical investments to keep our recovery moving. Our Administration appreciates the collaboration of the Legislature and local government in responding to the pandemic, and we all must work together to distribute funding quickly and efficiently to ensure those hard-hit by the virus receive relief as quickly as possible.”

The plan was announced at an event held at the Mount Washington Homes in Haverhill, a project supported by MassHousing’s CommonWealth Builder program, which promotes home ownership in low- and moderate-income communities, particularly communities of color. The administration’s plan includes $200 million for CommonWealth Builder and similar programs that aim to close the wealth gap faced by communities of color by connecting first-time homebuyers with homeownership opportunities.

In total, the plan devotes $1 billion to funding home ownership and housing priorities, a significant investment to help increase housing production and reduce barriers to owning a home as part of the ongoing COVID-19 recovery effort. These new housing resources build upon over $1.6 billion in separate federal funding that has already been allocated to entities throughout the Commonwealth for housing purposes since the start of the pandemic.

The $2.815 billion is part of a total of approximately $5.3 billion in direct aid to the Commonwealth from the federal American Rescue Plan Act.

Legislators Extend COVID-19 Measures in Massachusetts

Lowell Sun – On June 15, the House, 150-10, and the Senate on a voice vote without a roll call, approved a conference committee version of legislation that would extend many of the measures instituted in Massachusetts during the COVID-19 state of emergency that expired when the emergency declaration ended at 12:01 a.m. on June 15. Gov. Charlie Baker signed it into law on June 16. The House and Senate had approved different versions and a conference committee hammered out a compromise, which addressed some issues and kept others in the conference committee to try to be worked out in the future.

The House approved the extensions at 8:52 p.m. and the Senate at 8:54 p.m. on June 15. Gov. Baker signed the bill into law at 9:40 a.m. on June 16. That means that during the more than 33 hours from 12:01 a.m. on June 15 until 9:40 a.m. on June 16, the extensions had expired and were not in effect.

Provisions include allowing public bodies subject to the open meeting law to continue to hold remote meetings until April 1, 2022; allowing cities and towns to approve and extend permits for outdoor dining through April 1, 2022; allowing restaurants to offer alcoholic beverages, including mixed drinks, for off-site consumption with the purchase of food until May 1, 2022; and extending several protections that have been granted to tenants who have difficulty paying rent through April 1, 2022.

Other provisions include reinstating until Dec. 15, 2021: the remote option for representative town meetings and meetings of nonprofits and public corporations; notary services; reverse-mortgage loan counseling; and flexibility for assisted living residences.

After the Pandemic, Expect More Work for Freelancers

Boston Globe – The workplace is not what it used to be. And as it eases into a post-pandemic new normal, one change that took hold before COVID-19 is likely to continue: companies hiring freelancers and independent contractors to save money.

A study conducted by Harvard Business School and Boston Consulting Group from November 2019 to January 2020 found that 60 percent of the 700-plus US business leaders surveyed would prefer to “rent, borrow, or share talent” with other companies, and 60 percent anticipate a core workforce with fewer full-time staff.

With the pandemic underscoring the relative ease of remote work, it’s likely that some companies may decide to hire freelancers who can log on from anywhere.

And while many may associate freelancing with ride-hailing and food-delivery jobs with businesses like Grubhub and Uber, it’s becoming more common in white-collar areas like IT, digital marketing, and user-experience design as companies look to build out websites and security systems, said Nithya Vaduganathan, an author of the Harvard study and a managing director and partner at Boston Consulting.

Companies Seek Extended Hours for Teens

Salem News – Businesses hope tweaking child labor laws can ease a post-pandemic hiring crunch, but the solution hits differently depending on who’s doing the hiring.

Under state law, children under 16 are only allowed to work from 6:30 a.m. to 7 p.m. from Labor Day until July 1, when evening hours are extended to 9 p.m. Business leaders point out that the July 1 date is one the latest in the nation, and prevents employers from hiring teens who finish school in mid-June at a time when job openings are ample and the need for economic recovery is high.

“It’s a very antiquated law and a huge disincentive for employers to hire 14- and 15-year-olds,” said Jon Hurst, president of the Retailers Association of Massachusetts. “It wouldn’t be a silver bullet but lifting that restriction could help employers hire more people, which they desperately need.”

Hurst said business groups approached Gov. Charlie Baker with requests to ease the rules unilaterally, but that’s unlikely now that the state of emergency has expired.

A proposal by Senate Minority Leader Bruce Tarr, R-Gloucester, would have temporarily lifted the restriction for a year but was rejected.

Tarr said the proposal, which he filed as an amendment to a bill extending pandemic-related restrictions, was aimed at giving “young people the opportunity to earn some extra money this summer while helping to solve a serious problem for our economy.”

Employers: Use Some of American Rescue Plan Money for UI

MassLive – As Massachusetts begins divvying up the $5.2 billion it will get from the American Rescue Plan, business groups want to remind everyone that they could use some help covering a sixteen-fold increase in their payments to the state’s Unemployment Insurance Solvency Fund.

Businesses’ contribution rate for that fund jumped from 0.58% in 2020 to 9.23% in 2021 because of a $4 billion deficit created by high unemployment during the COVID-19 pandemic.

The payment due date has been delayed until Aug. 2, said Joseph J. Lawler, legislative chair of the East of the River Five Town Chamber of Commerce.

“We are hoping that if employers can share with legislators the impact of this and frankly the unfairness of this assessment,” Lawler said, “then we can get some relief.”

“Let’s at least use some of that money,” Lawler said.

The U.S. Treasury Department has already told states that shoring up unemployment accounts is a permissible use of the American Rescue Plan funding.

Last week, Gov. Charlie Baker proposed using $2.8 billion in federal funds for housing, job training, downtown revitalization and infrastructure.

“So the remaining $2.3 billion is what’s left if the administration decides to dedicate any of those funds to the Unemployment Insurance Trust Fund,” said Evan Murphy, director of client development for Unemployment Tax Control Associates Inc. in Springfield.

Boston City Workers Union Files Complaint over City-Mandated Return to Work

Boston Herald – A Boston city employees union has filed an unfair labor practices claim against Acting Mayor Kim Janey’s administration, saying that the city refused to “bargain in good faith” as Janey “unilaterally” called them all back to work in person.

“Now they’re being forced back to work without child-care provisions and other thought to how our members will be able to get their affairs in order,” Service Employees International Union (SEIU) 888 President Tom McKeever told the Herald.

The SEIU local, which represents around 800 remote workers in various city departments, filed the complaint with the state on Thursday as employees prepare to return to work in city buildings following more than a year of doing their jobs remotely during the pandemic.

“The City refused in good faith to bargain about health and safety issues, family and child-care issues (especially single and low-wage employees), and productivity issues (as the evidence will show that many of the job tasks have been accomplished at a higher rate due to the use of virtual meetings and technology),” the union wrote in the complaint, which was provided to the Herald and included the parentheticals in the quote.

The SEIU was taking issue with Janey’s “unilateral” move on June 1 to reopen City Hall in person, including ordering remote workers back in on a phased basis in late June and early July.

School this Fall will Look ‘A Lot More Like it did Before the Pandemic,’ Baker Says

Boston Globe – With coronavirus cases on a steady decline, Governor Charlie Baker said Friday that people can expect schools to be “business as usual” this fall, unless the pandemic worsens again in Massachusetts.

“We should expect that when kids go back in the fall, they’re going to be going back to a school that looks and feels a lot like the one they went to before COVID,” Baker told reporters following a roundtable at Worcester State University about the state’s early college program.

The state’s K-12 education agency decided in late May to drop all coronavirus-related protocols, including social distancing, for schools this fall. All schools are required to reopen full time in person without a remote learning option.

Education leaders have said they’ll work with the Department of Public Health to determine if there is a need for mask-wearing, particularly for young students who aren’t currently eligible for vaccines. But there aren’t any current plans to require masks, according to the latest guidance from the state.

Massachusetts Education Commissioner Clarifies Mask Guidelines for Summer School

WCVB – Students who are attending Massachusetts summer school programs will not be required to wear face masks indoors, according to clarification from the commissioner of the state’s Department of Elementary and Secondary Education.

Last month, DESE officials told school districts that it would not issue guidance for summer school programs that was separate from its most recent COVID-19 guidance that was issued May 27. In addition, districts were “encouraged to follow the health and safety guidance from DESE currently in place for in-person learning this spring.”

Under those stipulations, that would mean students would be required to wear face masks indoors and on buses unless they received a medical or behavioral exemption. On Friday, Gov. Charlie Baker stated that he did not believe that practice would be necessary.

In an email sent to school superintendents Saturday night, DESE Commissioner Jeffrey Riley issued a clarification following a “misunderstanding” regarding the department’s COVID-19 guidance that was released May 27.

Schools are still required to have students and unvaccinated educators wear masks indoors and on buses while maintaining other DESE health and safety guidelines for the remainder of the 2020-21 academic year.

State Approaches Vaccination Goal as Concern Grows Over Delta Variant

Boston Globe – As the state moved close to achieving Governor Charlie Baker’s goal of fully vaccinating 4.1 million residents, a local epidemiologist on Sunday urged the state to step up inoculations, warning that a more contagious variant could become the country’s dominant COVID-19 strain this summer.

The Department of Public Health reported Sunday that nearly 4.09 million residents are fully vaccinated — about 58 percent of the population — and roughly 11,500 people short of Baker’s goal.

But Samuel Scarpino, a Northeastern University epidemiologist, warned Sunday that the state’s goal is not enough to fend off the threat posed by the Delta variant, a strain identified in India last year.

“We need to pull out all the stops this summer and aim for at least 80 percent coverage of the entire state,” Scarpino said in an e-mail.

The state reported five new deaths and 41 cases Sunday, along with 23,667 new administered doses, after local and national health officials issued recent warnings of the new potential coronavirus threat.

Massachusetts Traffic is Back to 2019 Levels, MassDOT Says

Boston Globe – Stadiums and ballparks are welcoming fans back at full capacity. Restaurants can seat guests indoors and outdoors with no minimum spacing requirement or maximum party size. And in yet another sign of the state’s progress after more than a year in a state of emergency, roadway congestion is once again crushing commuters across the region.

Traffic evaporated in the early days of the pandemic as many professional workers with the flexibility to do so shifted to remote work and schools closed their doors to the public. But now, Highway Administrator Jonathan Gulliver said Monday, transportation officials are “seeing a return to a lot of previous travel times.”

“Traffic, for all intents and purposes, is back to about 2019 levels on most roadways in Massachusetts at this point,” Gulliver said in a presentation to the Department of Transportation’s board.

That analysis came with a handful of caveats. Traffic on the Massachusetts Turnpike is still “running a little bit lower” than before COVID-19 hit, Gulliver said, particularly closer to Boston. Fewer motor vehicles are traveling through the tunnels to and from Logan International Airport than pre-pandemic.

VaxMillions Lottery Explained

MassLive – Gov. Charlie Baker’s announcement of the VaxMillions lottery is already drawing lots of questions, with millions of Massachusetts residents curious about taking a shot at a million-dollar payout.

The VaxMillions lottery is geared to entice those who haven’t received protection against COVID-19 to join the state’s 4 million fully vaccinated residents. As the state reopens amid declines in new cases and hospitalizations, officials are still pressing to get more people inoculated, particularly in hard-to-reach communities and areas combating vaccine hesitancy.

“If you’ve been sitting on the sidelines and thinking about getting vaccinated but for some reason haven’t, here’s another reason,” Baker said Tuesday. “It could be your ticket to winning $1 million … or a big-time college scholarship if you do.”

Here are answers to some of the top questions from readers:

How much is being paid out and when?

The Massachusetts Lottery will conduct weekly drawings between July 26 and Aug. 27, with five $1 million payouts to fully vaccinated residents over 18 years old, as well as five $300,000 college scholarships to fully vaccinated children between 12 and 17. Exact draw dates and entry deadlines will be announced before July 1.

What if I got vaccinated before VaxMillions was announced?

Doesn’t matter: you’re still eligible. Massachusetts residents who got vaccinated in-state can apply online beginning on July 1, Baker said. The state will create a call center to help register people without internet access, he added.

Mike Sweeney, the Massachusetts Lottery director, said Tuesday that it does not matter when someone got vaccinated, so long as they’re fully vaccinated before the drawing dates. If you’ve received the first vaccine dose after the drawings start in July, you can still be eligible for a later drawing after getting your second dose. You must be fully vaccinated before submitting your entry, the state says.

All Aboard: State Launches ‘Vax Express’

Boston Globe – Ever since childhood, Joshua Ricketts Johnson has loved trains — from Thomas the Tank Engine to the MBTA. So when he learned the Vax Express was scheduled to stop near his home in Mattapan on Wednesday, he decided it was the perfect opportunity to get vaccinated.

The Vax Express — a commuter rail train turned vaccination clinic — is one of Governor Charlie Baker’s latest attempts to boost COVID-19 vaccination rates in the state’s hardest-hit communities, like Mattapan, both with access and incentives. It made its first stops today at stations in Boston, and it is scheduled visit five other stations later this week.

Ricketts Johnson, 18, was eager to receive his shot aboard the train, which usually carries commuters on the Fairmount Line. He arrived at Blue Hill Ave. Station at exactly 10 a.m., and snapped photos on his phone as the train pulled into the station.

“It’s beautiful,” he said of the locomotive, an F40. “Most trains don’t look like this.”

Soon, Ricketts Johnson made his way inside — to the first coach car for paperwork, and through to the second coach car for his shot. Some seats had been removed to accommodate the vaccinations.

After the jab, he waited out the observation period in the back of the train, sporting a sticker that read, “I got vaccinated aboard the Vax Express.”

Outside, on the platform, volunteers handed out free hotdogs. Those who received shots were also rewarded with other vaccination incentives from the state: a $25 gift card to Shaw’s and a chance to enter the state’s $1 million vaccine lottery, announced Tuesday.

More than 4 million residents of Massachusetts — about 58 percent of the state’s population — have been fully vaccinated, as of Tuesday,

But African Americans, Latinos, and Native Americans in Massachusetts are receiving vaccines at much lower rates; just 47, 45, and 42 percent, respectively, have received a first dose, compared to 65 percent of all residents.

June 15

Unemployment Insurance Update

The Massachusetts Department of Unemployment Assistance has delayed the due date for first-quarter and second-quarter employer unemployment insurance contributions to Tuesday, August 31.  Employer bills for the first two quarters were previously due August 2 after earlier delays issued by the department and the Legislature as part of a solution to the solvency assessment rate spike. AIM members should receive an official notice detailing the policy change from the department soon.

Massachusetts State of Emergency to be Lifted Today

WCVB – Massachusetts is lifting its COVID-19 related State of Emergency today.

Gov. Charlie Baker declared the State of Emergency on March 10, 2020. Now, more than a year later, the restrictions it put in place will lift.

While the state of emergency was in place, courts were told to grant a continuance in eviction cases for tenants who failed to pay rent – if that tenant had an application for emergency rental assistance. That will no longer be the case.

The week-long unemployment waiting period will no longer be waived, as of 90 days after today.

An order tied to the State of Emergency banned surge pricing for Uber and Lyft. With that ban lifting Tuesday, more drivers are expected to hit the road, as that incentive returns.

Massachusetts Reports Zero New COVID Deaths, Lowest Single-Day Case Count Since Last March

Boston Herald – Massachusetts health officials on Sunday reported zero coronavirus deaths and 33 new virus cases, which is the Bay State’s lowest ever single-day case count since last March at the start of the pandemic.

The state keeps recording pandemic-low averages amid the vaccine rollout.

After Sunday’s report of zero COVID-19 deaths and 33 new cases, the seven-day average of confirmed deaths is four and the seven-day average of confirmed cases is 84. Both are record low averages for virus deaths and infections.

The seven-day average of percent positivity for virus testing has dropped to 0.42%, which is also a record low.

The total number of COVID-19 patients in the hospital is also at a record low. The 133 patients currently hospitalized is down three patients from Saturday, when the state reached a new low for the pandemic. There are 48 patients in the intensive care unit, and 27 patients are intubated.

Nearly 8.3 million total vaccine doses have been administered, and more than 3.9 million people are fully vaccinated, according to the daily vaccine report on Sunday.

Overall, the almost 8.3 million total doses administered breaks down to: more than 4.3 million people who have received one dose of either the Pfizer or Moderna vaccine; nearly 3.7 million people who have received both doses of Pfizer or Moderna; and 263,923 people who have received the single-dose Johnson & Johnson vaccine.

Those figures represent a daily increase of 15,438. The daily pace of the vaccine rollout has slowed considerably, as the state inches toward its goal of 4.1 million fully vaccinated people this month.

Baker Announces $2.655 Billion Post-COVID Capital Plan

The Baker Administration today announced its Fiscal Year 2022 (FY22) Capital Plan, a $2.655 billion plan that makes substantial investments in critical priorities including housing, transportation, climate resiliency, health and human services, and education to promote economic growth and opportunity. The plan maintains flexibility by supporting existing short, medium, and long-term investments, and funding new initiatives that encourage growth and strengthen the Commonwealth’s communities amid the recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic.

The Administration is investing $87 million in five major renovation projects across the Commonwealth’s higher education system. The capital investments at these colleges and universities are focused on strengthening programming that connects students with high-demand fields like STEM and health care, which will remain crucial to the Commonwealth’s economic recovery.

The plan also begins implementing the Economic Development Bond Bill and Transportation Bond Bill that Governor Baker signed last year. Through these investments, the plan aims to promote economic growth and strengthen the Commonwealth’s transportation system as more residents return to work. It provides significant capital investments in all regions of Massachusetts while maintaining the Administration’s commitment to addressing and preparing for climate change and considering the environmental impact and resiliency of its investments.

The funding detailed in this FY22 plan will complement the more than $100 billion awarded to Massachusetts residents, businesses, and governments throughout the public health emergency to address both the response and the recovery from the pandemic. The vast majority of this funding has flowed directly to businesses, individuals, non-profits, and unemployment insurance in Massachusetts.

In total, the Commonwealth exercises some level of discretion over approximately $15.6 billion of this federal funding, notably the $2.5 billion in Coronavirus Relief Fund dollars received through the CARES Act. These Coronavirus Relief Fund dollars have supported numerous key priorities consistent with federal guidelines, as for example, $750 million of this funding has been transferred to other governments and $780 million has been allocated for economic assistance.

Also included in the $15.6 billion total is the $5.3 billion in direct federal aid the Commonwealth has received through the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) to support a range of initiatives, including infrastructure investments that will leverage municipal funding to maximize impact. ARPA is also providing a total of $3.4 billion in direct aid for municipalities throughout Massachusetts, as well as substantial funding for key priorities including a total of $2.6 billion for housing and economic development initiatives, $1.1 billion for transit, $315 million in child care stabilization funding, and $200 million in Child Care and Development Block Grant funding.

Large Study Finds Novavax’s Coronavirus Vaccine about 90% Effective

Boston Globe – Vaccine maker Novavax said Monday its shot was highly effective against COVID-19 and also protected against variants in a large, late-stage study in the US and Mexico.

The vaccine was about 90 percent effective overall and preliminary data showed it was safe, the company said.

While demand for COVID-19 shots in the US has dropped off dramatically, the need for more vaccines around the world remains critical. The Novavax vaccine, which is easy to store and transport, is expected to play an important role in boosting vaccine supplies in the developing world.

That help is still months away, however. The company says it plans to seek authorization for the shots in the US, Europe and elsewhere by the end of September and be able to produce up to 100 million doses a month by then.

“Many of our first doses will go to … low- and middle-income countries, and that was the goal to begin with,” Novavax Chief Executive Stanley Erck told The Associated Press.

Million Dollar COVID Vaccine Lotteries Grab Attention, but Cheaper, Targeted Approaches May be Just as Successful

Boston Globe – Free sports tickets. Free beer. Million-dollar lotteries.

As the rate of COVID vaccinations declines sharply across the country, community and state leaders are offering sometimes lavish incentives to lure holdouts to roll up their sleeves in the drive to vaccinate 70 percent of American adults by the Fourth of July.

But for Carlos Acosta, it came down to something more simple: convenience. The 39-year-old East Boston resident had been meaning to get a COVID shot but life kept getting in the way — until he stumbled upon a pop-up clinic last weekend in the Market Basket parking lot in Revere, while out shopping.

“I was just waiting until the crowds died down,” said Acosta, ticking off the reasons for his failure to get it done before encountering the no-lines, no-appointment-necessary Revere clinic. And the $25 Market Basket gift card he received for getting his one-shot Johnson & Johnson jab? Acosta wasn’t even aware of the freebie, until he was leaving.

Vaccination boosters are finding that a vast number of unvaccinated people are neither fearful nor anti-vaccine, but simply distracted by all the other issues in their lives. For these people, a mobile vaccine van that shows up at their work could be all it takes, something that Community Health Programs in Berkshire County discovered long ago.

Since January, CHC workers have hopped on “Bob,” their big orange bus, to administer more than 3,300 doses of COVID vaccines to far-flung residents, including gas station attendants, store clerks, and the homebound. They have occasionally offered incentives, such as free grocery gift cards or a raffle for Six Flags amusement park tickets, but have found doorstep convenience to be the biggest attraction.

“We’re not encountering a lot of hesitation, but social vulnerabilities — lack of transportation, lack of time off from a job, lack of child care” to get a shot, said Lia Spiliotes, the center’s chief executive.

Gillette Stadium Vaccination Site to Administer Final Doses

WHDH – The final COVID-19 vaccine doses went into arms at Gillette Stadium in Foxboro Monday as the state’s vaccination strategy shifts from large sites to targeted, community-based efforts.

The Commonwealth’s first mass vaccination site has given out more than 610,000 shots and ceased operation Monday night.

More mass vaccination sites are also closing, including the Hynes Convention Center, which will shut its doors next week.

Residents can still get vaccinated at many local pharmacies, with other opportunities on the horizon.

“Our goal is to get to four million vaccines,” Gov. Charlie Baker said. “We think we will get there later this month, and we continue to expand our footprint with respect to our mobile sites, our pop-up sites and our community based partnerships.”

The Vax Express is launching this week, where shots will be given out on MBTA commuter rail trains.

At the Fitchburg Transportation Center, some commuters say this is a good way to reach more people.

“This is in the middle of Main Street, so, like, I think this is a good spot because not everybody can get to places to take the vaccine,” Issa Ford said.

To entice people even more, $25 grocery store gift cards will be handed out with every shot.

Massachusetts’ state of emergency also ends Tuesday.

Baker stresses that the work is not over but the end is near.

Twenty-three Attorneys General Support CDC Eviction Moratorium

WWLP – Twenty-three attorneys general, including Massachusetts Attorney General Maura Healey, are showing their support for the CDC’s eviction moratorium by taking it to the Supreme Court.

National eviction ban extended through June 30, CDC says 

The CDC order protects certain tenants who aren’t able to pay full rent because of a loss of income or medical expenses.

This group of attorneys general believe that the measures should remain in place. They also think that lifting the ban helps stop the spread of COVID-19.

It’s currently set to expire on June 30, but could be extended again.

To-Go Cocktails ‘Public Safety Nightmare,’ Liquor Store Owners Say

WCVB – Alcohol to go is one of the business boosters that has been allowed in Massachusetts during the COVID-19 pandemic, but liquor store owners are hoping that it does not stick around.

Unless state lawmakers act to keep it, to-go beer, wine and cocktails will no longer be allowed by mid-August, specifically 60 days after Gov. Charlie Baker lifts the state of emergency order on June 15.

Steve Rubin, the longtime owner of Huntington Wine & Spirits, shared the following statement with NewsCenter 5 to explain why he is against extending the provision.

“Cocktails to go are a public safety nightmare. Liquor is getting in the hands of minors because take-out cocktails are so easy to get, especially via third party delivery services that are not regulated by the state.”

Max Haivanis, owner of Wollaston Wine & Spirits in Quincy, says changing a liquor law deserves formal study and debate.

“Deliveries being made by third-party services, they don’t have a license to do this at all,” Haivanis said. “If we’re going to change something like this, then there would need to be public hearings and people would really need to investigate and look at the issue in its entirety.”

Restaurant owners, however, are defending the ability to continue to sell takeout alcohol as a way of boosting business.

Remote Work is Here to Stay. So is the Office

Boston Globe – In the raging debate between “Back to the office!” and “Work from anywhere!” it appears that a growing number of white-collar workers would rather ask, “Why not both?”

A survey released Tuesday by global real estate firm JLL found that a strong majority of office workers in 10 countries around the world would like a post-pandemic future that allows them to easily mix in-person and remote work, with many preferring a schedule of roughly three days a week in the office, and the rest of the week somewhere else.

It’s the sort of data that have major implications for once-bustling downtowns such as Boston’s, as companies assess how to return to the office after 15 months working largely from remote locations during the pandemic. It also has implications for the companies themselves, as they compete for talent amid a wave of pent-up job-hopping and people rethinking how they work and live.

“One thing we’re seeing is that people are much more comfortable vocalizing what would really be a benefit to them, and they have different priorities in mind,” Georgules said. “People want more flexibility, and better work-life balance. That’s the biggest takeaway.”

Another takeaway is that opinions have shifted, even over the course of the pandemic. JLL conducted its survey in March, and ran similar ones last October, and last April.

Compared with last fall, they found more people this spring are eager to get back in to the office at least some of the time, and a general sense that remote workers now feel like they’re less productive, and more burned out, than they did a year ago, when working from home felt new. The isolation, and lack of normal social interaction in the workplace, has taken a toll on many employees, JLL said.

Senate Advances Plan to Send Federal Aid to New Fund

WWLP – The Senate on Monday joined the House in passing a bill to steer more than $5 billion in federal stimulus money into a fund from which lawmakers could make investment decisions moving forward, the latest step in a disagreement with Gov. Charlie Baker’s administration over who decides how the money should be spent.

Baker, other governors urge Biden to keep offshore wind a priority 

The Senate proposal (S 2466), which cleared that branch Monday morning, appears to back out the $109 million in pledged aid that Baker last week delivered to the previously shortchanged communities of Chelsea, Randolph, Everett and Methuen. The House bill (H 3827) had called for the transfer of $5,286,067,526.40 to a COVID-19 Response Fund. The Senate bill transfers $5,176,987,249 to a Coronavirus State Fiscal Recovery Fund.

A Baker spokeswoman said last week that the $5.3 billion in aid “as authorized by the federal government does not require legislative appropriation and the administration is ready to work with municipal, non-profit, private sector and legislative partners to invest these funds quickly.”

During the pandemic and ongoing state of emergency, Baker has unilaterally made numerous decisions about how federal aid is doled out, but lawmakers appear intent on playing a larger role in future spending decisions. With both branches still in session, it appears they may try to get the bill to Baker’s desk on Monday.

June 2

Massachusetts Launches the “Let’s Go Out” Campaign to Support Local Restaurants

The Baker Administration announced the launch of the “Let’s Go Out” campaign, an effort to support local restaurants across the Commonwealth.

The campaign is being led by the Massachusetts Office of Travel and Tourism (MOTT) in conjunction with the Executive Office of Housing and Economic Development and industry partners. The launch of the $1.9 million campaign is timed to coincide with the lifting of public health restrictions in Massachusetts and is scheduled to run throughout the summer, through September.

The mission of the campaign is to amplify the importance of restaurants as an integral part of daily life and a key driver of economic activity for the commonwealth’s downtowns and main streets. “Let’s Go Out” is an extension of the administration’s “My Local MA” campaign that has been encouraging residents to shop, dine and stay local since last August.

“Our administration recognizes that the challenges created by the pandemic have made the last year tremendously difficult for the entire small business community, and especially for the restaurant industry,” said Governor Charlie Baker. “We have been proud to provide more than $688 million in grants to help restaurants and other hard-hit small businesses navigate these challenges, and look forward to building on that support through the ‘Let’s Go Out’ campaign to ensure a strong recovery for restaurants across the Commonwealth.”

Campaign ads will capture the meaningful moments that play out in restaurants, such as celebrating special occasions, reconnecting with friends, spending time with loved ones, or meeting someone new. Following the economic impact of COVID-19 on restaurants and the transition of many customers to delivery and takeout alone, this summer presents an opportunity for consumers to get out and re-engage with friends and family, around the food they love in an atmosphere that invites emotional connections.

The campaign, which will run through September 2021, will feature statewide coverage including display ads, digital billboards, posters, and radio spots, as well as billboards at Fenway Park. Additional billboards and display ads will be featured on highways and at Logan Airport, in partnership with MassDOT and Massport. A TV spot will also air on broadcast TV, including on NESN during Red Sox games in late summer. The campaign’s landing page, VisitMA.com/LetsGoOut, features campaign information and a growing restaurant directory.

For information, go to VisitMA.com/LetsGoOut.

Officials Lifted Social Distancing on School Buses against Advice from DPH

Boston Herald – When Massachusetts Health and Human Services Secretary Marylou Sudders and her COVID-19 response team lifted social-distancing requirements on school buses, they did so against the advice of Public Health Commissioner Monica Bharel, who told them it didn’t align with public health recommendations.

That’s according to emails between Sudders and Bharel obtained via a public records request and passed along to the Herald, which confirmed the documents with state agencies.

Among the emails, Bharel was responding to a plan to cut physical-distancing requirements on school buses when she wrote, “In general the proposal would not be compatible with our current public health recommendations.”

Bharel continued in that email, “If possible, more buses or way to continue physical distancing would ensure less risk of COVID-19 transmission.”

She also recommended vaccines for bus drivers and teachers among other safety measures to implement on buses, saying, “I appreciate this is a challenging decision and want to make sure you have all of the information to make your decision.”

Sudders’ reply to the email was simply, “You are well aware of where teachers are in the recommendations for vaccine. Thank you.”

And then five days after that Feb. 6 email exchange, the state Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE), which works in collaboration with Sudders and the COVID response team, updated its transportation guidance to include the proposal Bharel had taken issue with.

DESE announced Feb. 11, “Capacity limitations and physical distancing requirements for students on buses are lifted.”

For middle and high school students in communities with high levels of coronavirus transmission, the guidelines — which remain in place — limited two students to a bench.

Currently, there is only one community in Massachusetts in the high-risk “red” zone: Tisbury on Martha’s Vineyard. At the time on Feb. 11, the state considered 110 cities and towns as high risk.

Previous guidance had required physical distancing on buses with one student per bench. Children were — and remain — required to wear a mask, and windows must be opened on the bus.

Joseph Smith, a parent of three children who lives in Clarksburg, was the one who obtained the public records and gave them to the Herald.

“I have elected to keep my kids remote and part of the additional reason why I wanted to keep them remote was this bus policy,” he said. “The reality was going to be that kids were going to be in those buses shoulder to shoulder and potentially not always with their mask on.”

Smith said he pressed for the public records about the decision-making process because “parents should be armed with the proper info to make decisions and clearly they were shortchanged on that.”

Andre Francois, president of Local 8751 Boston School Bus Drivers’ Union, said the lack of social distancing on buses is of concern.

He said students don’t always keep their mask on, and people can still get sick despite being vaccinated, “You just resign yourself to getting exposed.”

Francois said five union members died of COVID-19 and about 50 were infected since the pandemic began.

Union Asks to Mandate Masks for Elementary Students at Start of School Year

Boston Globe – With Massachusetts education officials planning to lift COVID-19 related health and safety regulations for the 2021-2022 school year, the Massachusetts Teachers Association is calling for safeguards in the fall school guidance.

The union wants masking for the state’s youngest students and extra efforts to continue vaccinations in communities hardest hit during the pandemic.

The state Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE) announced Thursday that restrictions like physical distancing would be lifted for the coming academic year and that five days a week of in-person learning is expected as the primary learning model.

“We all want our students in school, as we have said consistently,” MTA President Merrie Najimy. “The vast majority of students learn better when they are taught in person. Educators’ unions and our allies have advocated for and won significant public-health measures that make in-person learning as safe as possible.”

DESE said conversations about whether elementary school students should wear masks will continue. The vaccine is currently not available for anyone younger than 12.

With that in mind, the MTA said it believes that until elementary school children are eligible for the vaccine, they should still be required to wear masks and keep a distance of three feet.

Najimy said the administration of Gov. Charlie Baker has to keep an eye on some variables over the summer and into the fall as the pandemic continues, even with improving health metrics. The union believes it is “premature” to call off mitigation strategies, according to a statement.

“We believe that more safeguards must be built into the Baker administration’s school guidance and vaccination practices to ensure that in-person learning in the fall is as safe as it can be for every student,” said Najimy.

The union pointed out that low-income communities and communities of color continue to have below-average vaccination rates, even among students who are 12 to 19 years old and can be inoculated.

“The state must redouble its efforts to provide the information and access needed to vaccinate eligible students and families in these communities,” the statement said.

Number of Communities Considered High Risk for Coronavirus Drops to One

WHDH – The Massachusetts Department of Public Health released an updated map Thursday showing the number of cities and towns that are “in the red” and considered high risk for COVID-19 transmission.

Just one community now falls in the Department of Public Health’s highest-risk category, down from the two that were reported last week.

The lone high-risk community is Tisbury on Martha’s Vineyard.

Thirty new COVID-19 cases have been reported in Tisbury in the last two weeks with a positivity rate of 6.86 percent, public health data showed.

Click here to view a full town-by-town breakdown of data for all 351 communities in the Commonwealth.

Click here for more coronavirus coverage.

‘A Tale of Two Cities:’ Ashish Jha Calls out Disparity in Vaccination Rates

Boston.com – Using Springfield and Newton as examples, Dean of Brown University’s School of Public Health Dr. Ashish Ja tweeted on Saturday about the town-to-town disparity that can exist in a state with high overall vaccination rates.

Though Massachusetts has been lauded for achieving a high state vaccination rate, Jha pointed out that reviewing town-by-town data is still essential to getting an accurate picture of who is actually being vaccinated.

Jha noted that Springfield’s numbers are below the national average, which is 50 percent for first-dose vaccinations. According to vaccination data tracking from the New York Times, Massachusetts has a 66 percent first-shot vaccination rate, while Springfield is closer to Oklahoma’s rate of 41 percent.

So, what explains the difference? Jha pulled out some specific data about Springfield and Newton.

In Springfield, 19 percent of residents have a bachelor’s degree or more, the per capita income is $21,000, there’s a 27 percent poverty rate, and the population is 60 percent Black or Latino.

In Newton, 79 percent of residents have a bachelor’s or more, the per capita income is $73,000, there’s a 4 percent poverty rate, and the population is 8 percent Black or Latino.

Jha called these “stunning differences,” and said it is not random which communities have lower vaccination rates. The different rates, he said, are largely driven by education, income, and race, which are all related to access.

“So, it’s good to look at vaccinations by states [b]ut there are a TON of within-state variations,” he wrote. “So if you are in a high vaccination state, [y]our job is not done [b]ecause across America [t]here are too many people and communities for whom vaccines still remain out of reach.”

COVID-19 Prevention Measures Are Keeping Childhood Diseases Like Chickenpox at Bay

Wall Street Journal – The disinfecting and hand-washing that became common during the COVID-19 pandemic have also served as powerful tools against a host of childhood ailments such as chickenpox, stomach viruses and strep throat, recent data suggest.

Doctors say that as countries with widespread COVID-19 vaccination, including the U.S., get back to normal, people would be well-advised to keep up some of the practices they have adopted—even if pandemic weariness makes them less than eager to take that advice.

“We’ve seen a dramatic decline in the numbers,” said Rana El Feghaly, a pediatrician and director of clinical services at Children’s Mercy Hospital in Kansas City, Missouri. “All the peaks that we expected in the winter of this year, we haven’t seen any of those.”

The virtual disappearance of the flu has been well-documented, with cases down 99% or more in the U.S., Europe and other parts of the Northern Hemisphere over the winter. The U.S. recorded just one child death related to the flu in the 2020-21 season, down from 199 the previous year, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

What is less widely known—in part because the data are more scattered—is the long list of other viruses and bacteria that have found themselves shut out in the pandemic world.

June is Seen as Last, Best Chance to Boost COVID-19 Vaccinations in Massachusetts

Boston Globe – Sometime in mid-June, state officials expect to hit a target once thought to be a stretch: fully vaccinating 4.1 million Massachusetts residents — nearly three-quarters of the adult population — against the relentless coronavirus.

That milestone will permit a return to normal life for most people, health experts say, citing recent sharp declines in COVID-19 cases, hospitalizations, and deaths. But it likely won’t be enough to stamp out the virus or prevent future spikes in vulnerable pockets of the population, they caution.

“This virus has humbled us so many times over the last 16 months,” said Dr. Howard Koh, professor at Harvard’s T. H. Chan School of Public Health and a former Massachusetts public health commissioner. “Very few scientists are ready to say we’re going to vanquish this and put it behind us.”

While there are hopeful signs, there’s also fear that time is running out to boost the state’s vaccination numbers much higher. That’s because, with most COVID-19 restrictions being lifted this Memorial Day weekend and summer fast approaching, it may feel less urgent to some to get a shot.

Already, the weekly volume of vaccine doses administered has fallen 49 percent in the past month, from 579,496 on the last week of April to 295,326 in the seven days ending May 25. And with demand waning, most of the state’s mass vaccination sites are slated to be phased out over the coming weeks.

SBA has Forgiven Two-Thirds of 2020 PPP Loans 

Boston Business Journal – The U.S. Small Business Administration has approved roughly 3.3 million Paycheck Protection Program loan forgiveness applications so far, the agency said in a congressional hearing Wednesday.

That means roughly 69.5 percent of the more than 5.2 million PPP loans made in 2020 have been forgiven in whole or in part, according to SBA data. But about $69.2 billion in loans over $1 million are “in process,” compared to about $12.3 billion for loans under that amount, showcasing the difficulty some larger PPP borrowers have in the forgiveness process.

About 81 percent of forgiven loans were for less than $100,000, according to SBA data through May 24. More than 99 percent of the total loan value for PPP loans has been forgiven so far.

“We have heard from some small business owners that they have been waiting a long time. They don’t understand the delay. They haven’t been kept informed,” said Sen. Ben Cardin, D-Md., chairman of the Senate Small Business Committee, during the hearing. “Is there a reason why there is a delay in approving the PPP forgiveness that we need to know about?”

SBA Administrator Isabel Guzman said the average time it takes for the SBA to process a PPP loan was just six days, and that fewer than 1 percent of PPP loans have so-called “hold codes,” which are red flags the agency uses to work out issues with loans to reduce potential fraud.

Baker Signs Bill Addressing UI Rate Relief, Paid COVID Leave

State House News – Gov. Charlie Baker on Friday signed legislation that will allow businesses to avoid steep spikes in unemployment insurance taxes this spring and summer by spreading the cost over the next 20 years, but the administration and lawmakers still face pressure to use federal relief funds to remove some of that burden from employers.

“It creates a new, predictable and stable formula to address recoveries related to COVID-19 claims,” Baker said, announcing he had signed the bill.

U.S., Massachusetts Jobless Claims Continue To Fall To New Pandemic Lows

WBUR – The number of people filing first-time unemployment claims dropped again last week, both in Massachusetts and across the country, to new pandemic lows. It’s more evidence that the job market is strengthening as the virus wanes and economy further reopens.

A little more than 9,400 people in the state applied for the benefits last week, according to the latest data from the U.S. Department of Labor. It’s a decrease of nearly 1,000 filings from the week prior. The figure includes filings made by self-employed workers and independent contractors through the special pandemic program.

Nationally, the number of Americans seeking unemployment benefits dropped last week to 406,000. Thursday’s report from the Labor Department showed that U.S. applications declined 38,000 from 444,000 a week earlier. The number of weekly applications for jobless aid — a rough measure of the pace of layoffs — has fallen by more than half since January.

The decline in applications reflects a swift rebound in economic growth. More Americans are venturing out to shop, travel, dine out and congregate at entertainment venues. All that renewed spending has led companies to seek new workers, which helps explain why a record number of jobs is now being advertised.

Business Groups Lobby State to use Stimulus Cash to Offset Big Unemployment Fee Increase

Boston Globe – Employers may have won a reprieve from a shocking surge in unemployment insurance costs this spring, but they’ll need to pay up eventually.

So businesses are clamoring for a portion of the $5.3 billion in federal American Rescue Plan funds that Massachusetts received this month, to reduce the big burden on them.

State lawmakers included a fix in legislation they sent last week to Governor Charlie Baker that would extend the cost of what’s known as a solvency assessment over two decades, to cover $7 billion in unemployment payments tied to the COVID-19 pandemic. Businesses had been staring down an unexpected additional cost of as much as $1,300 per worker this year.

But business lobbyists don’t just want the damage to be spread out over time. They want the total reduced significantly, given the unprecedented circumstances caused by the pandemic. Many companies kept payrolls intact, while others reduced their staffs because of government-imposed restrictions. Those that hand out pink slips normally face steeper unemployment insurance hikes, but the costs of layoffs during the pandemic are required to be spread across all employers, driving up the cost for everyone.

The solvency surcharge is usually a nominal amount, tacked onto employers’ unemployment insurance bills. Not this time. This spring, the Department of Unemployment Assistance increased it by a factor of 16, to bail out the system after it was drained by pandemic-related layoffs. The decision enraged small-business owners and HR managers, especially those who thought state lawmakers had fixed the problem with different legislation in March.

State Will Not Explain Mysterious Unemployment Claims Error

Boston Globe – In the last two months, the number of people making new claims for unemployment insurance in Massachusetts has plummeted by almost 60 percent.

It is an impressive figure, a sign of a quickly recovering economy, but one that comes with a perplexing caveat from the state agency that administers unemployment benefits.

In each of its last eight weekly reports on unemployment claims, the state Department of Unemployment Assistance has included this two-sentence caution:

“Please note that due to a system processing error, initial claims filings for regular [unemployment insurance] for the current and prior week are estimated values and included here as reported to the [US Labor Department]. The corrected values will be provided when they become available.”

Estimated values? Corrected values? A system processing error? What does that mean? How accurate (or inaccurate) are the numbers being released?

The DUA won’t say, continuing its long-standing practice of refusing to answer questions about its operations.

A DUA spokesman on Wednesday did not respond to a request for an explanation of the caveat.

On Thursday morning, the spokesman, after being asked again for an explanation, promised to “look into” it and “get back” to the Globe.

On Thursday evening, the DUA responded by citing “a technical issue,” without further description. It said the issue is causing no delay in the payment of benefits to claimants.

There is some precedent for “a system processing error.” When the fallout from the pandemic sparked massive layoffs last spring, the crush of new applications for unemployment nearly overwhelmed the DUA and its creaky computer system.

Many frustrated applicants complained of being stymied by computer glitches, including rampant problems trying to input passwords, income amounts, even names.

Complaints about glitches were soon replaced with complaints about delays in processing claims after Massachusetts became one of many states hit by a nationwide fraud scheme.

Biden Sides with Massachusetts over New Hampshire in Work-from-Home Tax Clash

Boston Business Journal – The Biden administration argued to the U.S. Supreme Court on Tuesday that it should not hear New Hampshire’s challenge to a Massachusetts rule that out-of-state residents working remotely for a Massachusetts business during the pandemic must pay Massachusetts income taxes.

Months ago, the high court invited President Joe Biden’s acting solicitor general to weigh in on the case. The dispute has drawn national attention because of the ramifications a ruling could have on the collection of state income taxes, especially considering that more employees are expected to work from home post-pandemic.

In a brief, Acting Solicitor General Elizabeth Prelogar contended that any challenges to the rule should be brought by New Hampshire residents affected by the regulations. The state of New Hampshire should not be able to immediately elevate the dispute to the Supreme Court, she said, contending it makes more sense for Massachusetts tax authorities and courts to first consider any challenges.

The Biden administration’s stance aligns with what attorneys for Massachusetts have argued to the court. The Supreme Court could still decide to take on the case despite the White House’s position.

The rule, put forward by Gov. Charlie Baker‘s administration last year, holds that non-Massachusetts residents working remotely should generally continue paying income taxes to Massachusetts during the pandemic if they had been working for their employer in the Bay State immediately prior to Covid-19.

It applies to income earned from March 10, 2020, the date that Gov. Baker declared a state of emergency, until 90 days after Baker gives notice that the state of emergency is no longer in effect. Baker said last week that he will lift the state of emergency on June 15.

Legislature to Deposit American Rescue Money in Special Fund

State House News – Legislative leaders have been saying for weeks that they plan to deal with the windfall of federal assistance from the American Rescue Plan Act through its own unique process, and on Tuesday top Democrats said they planned to formally set the money aside while they develop a plan.

House Speaker Ronald Mariano and Senate President Karen Spilka jointly announced that the House on Tuesday morning will direct the state’s approximately $5.3 billion allocation of federal aid “into a segregated fund.” The Senate plans to follow suit next week, the leaders said without elaborating. The House gavels in for an informal session at 11 a.m. Tuesday.

May 25

Massachusetts to Lift Remaining COVID Restrictions, Relax Mask Guidance

Boston Globe – In a major move heralding the end of pandemic-era regulations, Governor Charlie Baker said last week that Massachusetts will lift all restrictions on businesses Memorial Day weekend, moving up the full reopening date by two months. It was a telling sign that the state is returning to something akin to normal after more than a year of death, sickness, and punishing lockdowns.

Baker announced the change at a press briefing, which followed the CDC’s easing of indoor mask guidance for fully vaccinated people. His office also confirmed the news in a statement that declared, “The commonwealth is on track to meet the goal of vaccinating 4.1 million residents by the first week of June and all remaining COVID-19 restrictions will be lifted effective May 29.”

In-Home COVID Vaccine Program Expands

NBC Boston – The Baker administration announced the expansion of the state’s Homebound Vaccination Program to support in-home vaccinations for all eligible residents who are unable to get to a vaccine site.

Gov. Charlie Baker launched the program on March 29 for people who met specific federal criteria, including those requiring significant supports to leave the home for a medical appointment. The program is now open to anyone who has trouble getting to a vaccine site.

The program primarily uses the single-dose Johnson & Johnson vaccine, which requires only one visit to a person’s home. Pfizer vaccines are available for 12-17 years old who are homebound and would need significant support to leave the home to get to a medical appointment.

Residents may call (833) 983-0485 to register for an in-home vaccination Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. After registering, individuals will be called within five business days by the state’s Homebound Vaccine Provider, Commonwealth Care Alliance, to schedule an appointment.

Meanwhile, as more people in Massachusetts continue to roll up their sleeves and get their shots, the state plans to start shutting down its vaccine preregistration system.

Legislature Approves Plan to Prevent Spike in Unemployment Insurance Costs

State House News – The House and Senate approved a proposal last week that aims to relieve employers from major unexpected unemployment system costs, while punting the decision on whether to deploy one-time federal funds to address a benefits system that sagged under the weight of pandemic unemployment.

In a move that business groups described as a solid first step, the two chambers voted to extend distribution of unemployment claims costs so that they can be covered over two decades of borrowing and so businesses will not be in line for huge bills in the short term.

Baker Supplies Executive Order List to Legislature

Gov. Charlie Baker delivered a list to the Legislature Thursday evening outlining several dozen executive orders and other pandemic-era safe business guidelines that will be rescinded on June 15 when the governor ends the state of emergency.

Biden Left Many Out with Sudden Mask Guidance

Washington Post – President Biden repeats the phrase frequently. “We follow the science,” he pledged on a visit to the National Institutes of Health. “Follow the science,” he told staff at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. “This administration will follow the science,” he said during a White House event announcing the 50 millionth vaccine shot delivered to an American.

A week ago, the president did just that — strolling to the Rose Garden to trumpet new guidance from the CDC that fully vaccinated Americans no longer need to wear masks or socially distance in most instances.

But in following that scientific advice, the administration left out nearly everyone else — local and state health departments, labor unions, governors and numerous other public officials, many of whom were caught off guard by one of the most significant developments of the coronavirus pandemic.

CDC Is Gambling on Relaxed Mask Rules To Get More People Vaccinated

WBUR – When it gave permission to fully vaccinated Americans to shed their masks in many situations, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention made a tacit gamble: that easing mask rules will inspire more people to get vaccinated against COVID-19.

But that’s far from a sure bet, say experts who study human behavior.

“It’s a big ol’ experiment,” says Katherine Milkman of the University of Pennsylvania’s Wharton School, an economics professor who studies what inspires behavioral change. Milkman is fully vaccinated but — like many people — has grown accustomed to wearing a mask.

“I feel like, ‘Oh, my God, I came outside naked,’ if I don’t have my mask on,” she says. She’s guessing plenty of others feel the same way.

“What the CDC is betting on is that people care about their own health and they’re going to be nervous” about living in a maskless world if they aren’t vaccinated, she says. Milkman predicts that this will spur more people to get their shots.

During a situation without historical precedent, the CDC’s move is a gamble. The risk of loosening mask guidelines, of course, is that unvaccinated people will no longer feel compelled to wear masks at all.

Businesses Scramble to Hire Ahead of Memorial Day Weekend

NBC Boston – Business owners are scrambling to hire help as they prepare to open at maximum capacity by Memorial Day Weekend.

All businesses can reopen at capacity without restrictions on May 29 as part of Gov. Charlie Baker’s plan to reopen Massachusetts fully two months ahead of schedule. The state’s mask mandate and gathering restrictions will also expire on that date.

While small business owners have struggled to survive the financial blow of the coronavirus pandemic, many now say they’re not sure they’ll be ready to fully reopen by the end of the month.

“The temporary limits and restrictions imposed on the private sector and on individuals were the most difficult decisions I’ve ever had to make,” Baker said Monday.

Monument Restaurant in Charlestown is short-staffed, so they’re asking customers to be patient during the hiring process. Owners said they may not open for full capacity by Memorial Day weekend if they feel they can’t provide proper service.

Some businesses are offering major incentives to attract employees, like $500 and $1,000 retention bonuses and health benefits.

Nightclubs, Summer Camps Scramble to Hire Workers

WHDH – Nightclubs and summer camps in Massachusetts are now scrambling to hire workers as the state continues to roll back COVID-19 restrictions.

“We have to hire 500 people in the next 12 days,” said Randy Greenstein, co-owner of Big Night Entertainment Group. “We have a lot of staff to hire, a lot of DJs to book, and a lot of performers to get on the books.”

After being forced to remain closed for more than a year due to the coronavirus pandemic, dance clubs and nightclubs will reopen at full capacity on May 29 when the state lifts its remaining virus restrictions.

“It’s going to be a challenge,” Ed Kane, co-owner of Big Night Entertainment Group, admitted when asked about planning their ramp-up strategies. “We think we’ve proven ourselves in the last year to be the best employer that you want to work for. When things go wrong, we are going to stand by you.”

Summer camps across the state are also looking to hire staff to man the waterfronts, fields, and courts when they get the eventual go-ahead to reopen. Gov. Charlie Baker on Monday said that his administration will release updated guidance for summer camps in the coming days, which will take effect on May 29.

“We are seeing a bit of shortage of staff, so camps are really trying to be creative and incentivizing staff, looking at the kids who came through their program,” said Michelle Rowcliffe, executive director of American Camp Association of New England. “I think some camps are offering more pay.”

Fenway To Reopen Fully for Vaccinated Fans On May 29

WBUR – You soon won’t have to be eating peanuts and Cracker Jacks to be maskless at Fenway Park — as long as you’re fully vaccinated.

Starting May 29, as Massachusetts’ new, fast-tracked schedule for a full reopening lifts most pandemic restrictions, the Red Sox stadium will allow fans who got their shots to “root, root, root for the home team” unmasked as they take on the Miami Marlins.

While inoculated patrons are welcome to shed face coverings, Fenway Park officials wrote in a statement that unvaccinated people are “strongly encouraged” to keep wearing masks.

And remember: You might still want to keep a mask on you if you’re planning to take public transit or grab an Uber or Lyft to get to the ballpark and back home. Face coverings will still be mandatory in those spaces.

The ‘She-Cession’ and Rebuilding the US Economy

Boston Globe – As we emerge from the coronavirus pandemic and attention shifts to rebuilding and fully re-opening the US economy, there is one challenge employers and educators must address — the COVID-19 “she-cession” and the significant number of women who have left the workforce during the past year.

The pandemic has slowed and, in many instances, reversed recent progress women have made when it comes to economic empowerment and representation in the workplace. This is partly due to the fact that women are more likely to work in the industries hardest hit by COVID-19 and that many have been forced to assume additional caregiving and household responsibilities.

More than five million American women have lost their jobs as a result of the pandemic, and women’s participation in the US labor force this past March was at its lowest level since 1988. Globally, women have lost a staggering $800 billion in income due to COVID-19, according to a recent Oxfam International report.

Valley Restaurants Negotiate Post-Pandemic Return to Dine-In Business

Gazette Net – When Gov. Charlie Baker announced a ban on large gatherings and the closure of local businesses on March 15, 2020, the region was confronted with the “new normal” of the COVID-19 era.

For dine-in restaurants, that meant laying off workers, retooling their operations to provide takeout options, shorter hours and the hopes that government financial aid would arrive. Other businesses faced the same. And it is now, with Baker set to lift all COVID-19 restrictions on May 29, that many in the hospitality industry are beginning to wonder whether the “old normal” will ever fully return.

“It’s like a switch has gone from off to on,” said Casey Douglass, the owner of the Main Street restaurant Galaxy. “When you turn it back on, you don’t realize which fuses have blown.”

At some businesses, owners are finding that customers are returning but employees are harder to bring back. Some restaurants have held onto staff during the pandemic but are now seeing customers change their habits — avoiding indoor dining, for example, in lieu of expanded outdoor patios. And others are trying to figure out how to keep takeout operations running alongside their previous offerings.

For Douglass, takeout customers “paid the bills all winter” for his restaurant, normally a dine-in establishment.

“We have to keep that going,” he said. “They bailed us out. They were our steady customers.”

1.2 Million Stimulus Checks Remain Uncashed

Boston Herald – A staggering 1.24 million stimulus checks remain uncashed from the first coronavirus-era bailout as progressive Democrats intensify their lobbying for a fourth round of bailout bucks.

IRS records obtained by the Herald show that tally includes 27,689 unspent checks sent to Massachusetts residents — the highest count in New England.

It comes as 20-plus states are eliminating the $300 weekly bonus unemployment checks. The administration of Gov. Charlie Baker announced late last week that work-search requirements will be reinstated effective the week of June 15. That means anyone collecting jobless benefits must prove they are actively looking for a job.

The IRS, which pointed the Herald to a series of links to dig deeper into why the 1,245,339 CARES Act checks have never been cashed, said the unspent data is as of March 30, the most recent accounting available.

The figures, the IRS said, reflect “the number of people who either refused to accept, paid back or not cashed the stimulus checks they received from the IRS as a result of the CARES Act that was signed into law on March 27, 2020” by then-President Donald Trump. They did not say if checks were sent to dead people.

Massachusetts to continue $300-a-Week Unemployment Benefits into September

Boston.com – The federal government’s $300 weekly boost to state unemployment benefits isn’t coming to an end any time soon in Massachusetts.

Gov. Charlie Baker pledged that his administration will “continue to support the supplemental payments” until the week ending on September 4, when the federal pandemic-era unemployment boost is set to expire under the COVID-19 relief package passed this past March.

“If you look at a lot of the folks who lost their job and continue to be out of work over the course of this pandemic, many of them work in hospitality, service, restaurant industries and are folks who are hardworking people,” the Republican governor said during an appearance on GBH’s Boston Public Radio, noting that Massachusetts is a “very high-cost state” and that those collecting unemployment benefits tend to be at the lower end of the wage scale.

“Those are the folks who, most of all, we should be worrying about continuing to support,” he said.

Baker’s comments come as at least 21 of the country’s 27 GOP governors, including in neighboring New Hampshire, announced plans to opt out of the federal program, arguing the $300 payments — which supplement existing state unemployment benefits and saved millions from falling into poverty — were now creating a disincentive for people to return to the workforce as the pandemic eases in the United States.

Last week, the Labor Department reported that job openings had reached 8.1 million by the end of March, the highest level since the agency began collecting data on the subject in 2000. As the Wall Street Journal recently reported, sectors like manufacturing, restaurants, and construction in particular are facing worker shortages.

Job Growth Slows in April

Boston Globe – Governor Charlie Baker’s deliberate COVID-19 strategy — vaccinate first, reopen later — has brought the pandemic to heel, but the price has been a slow jobs recovery.

That may be about to change.

The state’s April jobs report, released Friday, showed that employers added 5,100 jobs last month, well off March’s pace of 14,800. It was the second straight month of disappointing payroll growth.

The jobless rate dipped to 6.5 percent from 6.7 percent in March.

Local payrolls are 8 percent below where they were in February 2020, just before the state went into lockdown. Nationally, payrolls are 5.4 percent under pre-pandemic levels, and the jobless rate was 6.1 percent in April, when job growth was significantly below forecasts.

Massachusetts to Reinstate Job-Search Requirements for UI benefits

Boston Business Journal – The Baker administration announced Thursday that beginning next month, Massachusetts residents will once again need to attest they are actively looking for a new job in order to receive unemployment benefits.

The work-search requirements, as they are known, have been suspended during the pandemic. In recent weeks, employers have called on the requirements to be reinstated, as many businesses have reported great difficulty finding the workers they need.

The requirements will be reinstated starting the week that begins June 13 — the same week Gov. Charlie Baker plans to end the commonwealth’s state of emergency. To receive the benefits, claimants will need to attest that they are taking at least three steps per week to try to get a job, like completing an application, networking or reviewing job listings. They may be asked to provide proof to the state’s Department of Unemployment Assistance that they have performed these activities.

Housing Advocates Look to Budget to Help Those at Risk of Evictions, Foreclosures 

Berkshire Eagle – With hundreds of thousands of Massachusetts residents behind on rent or mortgage payments, housing advocates are eyeing the state budget as a possible vehicle to expand assistance and protections for those at risk of evictions or foreclosures.

The Western Massachusetts Network to End Homelessness has identified seven amendments as priorities for the Senate budget. Several amendments would increase funding for housing assistance programs, but the “front and center” amendment for homelessness prevention is No. 371, which would extend eviction protections through the end of 2021.

The federal eviction moratorium from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is set to expire on June 30, but it has also faced legal challenges. A federal judge vacated the order on May 5, but the Biden administration appealed that decision and the court entered a stay, meaning that the order remains in effect.

May 18 

Here’s What You Need to Know about the Lifting of State Business Restrictions

Governor Charlie Baker announced yesterday that Massachusetts will remove all pandemic-related business restrictions on the Saturday before Memorial Day, effectively ending a 14-month state of emergency that restricted wide swaths of the commonwealth’s economy.

Here is the timeline of the commonwealth’s plan to resume full operation of its economy:

May 18

• The Department of Elementary and Secondary Education and the Department of Early Education and Care will update guidance to no longer mandate face coverings for outdoor sports and activities;
• Masks will no longer be required during recess and outdoor activities for K-12 students;
• K-12 will be allowed to share objects in the classroom and childcare settings; and
• This guidance will remain in effect beyond May 29.

May 29

• All remaining COVID-19 restrictions on businesses are lifted;
• Face covering requirements are lifted (with some exceptions and subject to business/employer choice);
• All businesses may open at 100 percent capacity including bars, beer gardens, nightclubs, festivals, parades, saunas, health clubs, ball pits, indoor waterparks;
• All gathering limits eliminated (including space and numbers); and
• Industry specific restrictions are eliminated.

June 15

The state’s COVID emergency order is revoked, and the governor will work with the Massachusetts Legislature to unwind the state-of-emergency powers in an orderly manner.

Several potential issues tied to the emergency order:

• Electronic notarization;
• Alcohol and take-out options for restaurants;
• Telehealth parity rates;
• One-week waiting period for unemployment insurance benefits;
• Liability protections for health-care workers and facilities;
• Cap on third-party food delivery charges.

Face Covering

• Effective May 29, the face-covering order is rescinded, but the commonwealth encourages non-vaccinated individuals or partially vaccinated individuals to continue to wear masks;
• Fully vaccinated individuals are allowed to associate freely without masks;
• Places masks are still required for rideshares, public transit, health-care facilities, congregate-care settings and health and rehabilitation day services. Masks are also required indoors for staff and students at k-12 schools and early education providers;
• Businesses maintain the right to require masks for guests, patrons, customers and employees.

Resources

May 17, 2021 AIM Blog

May 11

AIM Develops Summary of Guidance on American Rescue Plan

The U.S. Treasury Department issued guidance on Monday establishing limits on the $350 billion in direct aid to states and municipalities issued in the American Rescue Plan. The money was allocated to help state and local governments shore up budget deficits created by the COVID-19 economic crisis and to reinvest in economic recovery.

The state funding is allocated based on each state’s unemployment rate in the past year. Massachusetts is set to received $5,286,067,526.40. Massachusetts will receive the money in a lump sum almost immediately. Local governments will receive half the money this May and the second half next year. States have broad flexibility and discretion to use the funds within specified categories of eligible use:

Public Health- by funding COVID-19 mitigation efforts, medical expenses, behavioral healthcare, and certain public health and safety staff.

Address Negative Economic Impacts- including economic harm to workers, households, small businesses, impacted industries, and the public sector.

• Delivering assistance to workers and families, including aid to unemployed workers and job training, as well as aid to households facing food, housing, or other financial insecurity. In addition, these funds can support survivor’s benefits for family members of COVID-19 victims.
• Supporting small businesses, helping them to address financial challenges caused by the pandemic and to make investments in COVID-19 prevention and mitigation tactics, as well as to provide technical assistance. To achieve these goals, recipients may employ this funding to execute a broad array of loan, grant, in-kind assistance, and counseling programs to enable small businesses to rebound from the downturn.
• Speeding the recovery of the tourism, travel, and hospitality sectors; supporting industries that were particularly hard-hit by the COVID-19 emergency and are just now beginning to mend. Similarly impacted sectors within a local area are also eligible for support.
• Rebuilding public-sector capacity, by rehiring public-sector staff and replenishing unemployment insurance (UI) trust funds, in each case up to pre-pandemic levels. Recipients may also use this funding to build their internal capacity to successfully implement economic relief programs, with investments in data analysis, targeted outreach, technology infrastructure, and impact evaluations.

Replace Lost Public-Sector Revenue-using this funding to provide government services to offset the reduction in revenue experienced due to the pandemic

Premium Pay for Essential Workers- offering additional support to those who have borne and will bear the greatest health risks because of their service in critical infrastructure sectors; and,

Water, Sewer, and Broadband infrastructure- making necessary investments to improve access to clean drinking water, support vital wastewater and stormwater infrastructure, and to expand access to broadband internet.

States may not use the money to offset operating expenses and then cut taxes. If a state does cut taxes, it will have to demonstrate to the Treasury Department that it offset that lost revenue with spending cuts or another source of revenue that does not include the fiscal recovery funds.

The Treasury Department reserves to right to claw back money it deems improperly spent. States may not deposit ARPA dollars into pension funds or rainy-day funds.

More information is available on the Treasury’s Website

FDA Authorizes Pfizer COVID-19 Vaccine for Adolescents 12 to 15 Years Old

Boston Globe – The Food and Drug Administration on Monday expanded emergency use authorization of the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine to include adolescents ages 12 to 15 years old.

“The FDA’s expansion of the emergency use authorization for the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 Vaccine to include adolescents 12 through 15 years of age is a significant step in the fight against the COVID-19 pandemic,” said Acting FDA Commissioner Dr. Janet Woodcock in a statement.

“Today’s action allows for a younger population to be protected from COVID-19, bringing us closer to returning to a sense of normalcy and to ending the pandemic. Parents and guardians can rest assured that the agency undertook a rigorous and thorough review of all available data, as we have with all of our COVID-19 vaccine emergency use authorizations.”

State Enters Next Reopening Phase, Offers Walk-In Vaccine Appointments

NBC Boston – Massachusetts takes another step toward the “new normal” Monday as the state relaxes a series of COVID restrictions and offers walk-in appointments for vaccine shots.

As part of Step 4, Phase 1, both indoor and outdoor venues such as the TD Garden and Fenway Park will be allowed to admit fans at 25% of their regular capacities, up from 12%.

This means just under 5,000 fans will be allowed to cheer on the Bruins and Celtics as their postseasons get underway, while a little more than 9,000 fans will be able to see the Red Sox in person.

Polar Park, a brand-new facility in Worcester, will open its doors for the first time Tuesday as the WooSox host the Syracuse Mets for the home opener.

Some other outdoor industries, including amusement parks, theme parks and outdoor water parks, can operate at a 50% capacity Monday. Bars, beer gardens, breweries, wineries and distilleries, will be subject to restaurant rules with seated service only, a 90-minute limit and no dance floors.

Both youth and adult amateur tournaments resume as well under the new guidelines. Singing is allowed indoors with strict distancing requirements.

Grocery stores are no longer required to offer special shopping hours for senior and other high-risk groups but are being encouraged by state officials to continue to do so.

Administration Marks Success of Small Business Program

Governor Charlie Baker, Lt. Governor Karyn Polito, Housing and Economic Development Secretary Mike Kennealy, legislators and key partners celebrated the success of the administration’s COIVD-19 business relief program.

Gathering at the family- and minority-owned Panela Restaurant in Lowell, a program grantee, the Administration announced the end of the program, which has provided more than $687.2 million in direct cash grants to 15,112 businesses across the commonwealth. Among the awardees included in the final round were 108 additional businesses that received a total of approximately $4.8 million in COVID relief grants.

Launched in October 2020 as part of the administration’s Partnerships for Recovery initiative to stabilize and grow the Massachusetts economy, the program became the biggest state-sponsored business relief program in the nation after being infused with an additional $668 million in December.

Established to provide direct financial support for businesses, the administration has tapped numerous partners to ensure specific economic sectors and priority demographics known to be the most impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic applied to the program and were prioritized for aid.

Over the duration of the program, 43 percent of MGCC grants were awarded to minority-owned businesses, and 46 percent of grants went to women-owned businesses.

US Can Relax Indoor Mask Guidelines as Vaccinations Increase

MassLive – The U.S. will likely ease up on indoor mask guidelines “in real time” as COVID-19 vaccinations continue to increase, Dr. Anthony Fauci said on Sunday.

“I think you’re going to probably be seeing that as we go along and as more people get vaccinated,” Fauci, the top White House medical adviser, told ABC News’ “This Week.”

“We do need to start being more liberal as we get more people vaccinated [because] the number of cases per day will absolutely go down. We’re averaging about 43,000 a day. We’ve got to get it much, much lower than that. When that gets lower, the risk of any infection, indoor or outdoor, diminishes dramatically.”

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention adjusted its mask recommendations in late April, saying many unmasked outdoor activities such as running or walking were safe, especially for vaccinated Americans. The CDC also relaxed guidelines for some indoor activities, noting that masked vaccinated people can attend worship, visit restaurants or bars or partake in indoor exercises class.

But most people should still don masks indoors around people who are not vaccinated. Large crowds without social distancing should still be avoided, the CDC says.

“We know the virus spreads very well indoors,” CDC Director Dr. Rochelle Walensky said last month, arguing the agency would only further relax indoor mask recommendations after new daily cases were below 50,000.

Business Leaders Pressure Governor to Accelerate Re-Opening

Boston Herald – Massachusetts moved forward with its gradual reopening on Monday, but business leaders said Gov. Charlie Baker isn’t moving fast enough as other states are on track to get back to 100% operation by the end of May.

“This is all about balance,” said Jon Hurst, president of the Retailers Association of Massachusetts. “We’ve done very well on vaccinations and we need to start moving toward reopening. Worst-case scenario, I hope we’re at 100% by July 4th weekend.”

That would mean moving Massachusetts’ current reopening timeline up by about a month. Last month, Baker outlined Massachusetts’ path to a full reopening by Aug. 1.

Pop-up Sites, Door-Knocking are New Tactics to reach the Unvaccinated

Boston Globe – Now it’s all about the ground game.

With more than 2.7 million Massachusetts residents fully vaccinated and the pace of COVID-19 shots slowing markedly, state officials are stepping up efforts to reach the holdouts.

No longer is the state’s campaign focused on moving thousands through mass vaccination sites such as Gillette Stadium, which is slated to close next month.

Instead, the scene is shifting to smaller venues like American Veterans Hall in Haverhill, where at times last Thursday there were more vaccinators and support staff than people seeking shots. Kenyan-born Teresia Wanjihia was able to walk in, register, and get injected within minutes. “It was perfect,” said her daughter Anne Waweru, who accompanied her 61-year-old mother to the pop-up clinic near her home. “It was five minutes walking distance.”

The veterans hall was among scores of clinics where walk-in vaccinations — no appointment needed — became available for the first time last week, part of a strategy to make getting a shot easy and low-key. Vaccinators are also counting on “trusted advisors” such as family doctors and neighborhood pastors to reassure the reluctant.

A New COVID Dilemma: What to Do When Vaccine Supply Exceeds Demand?

New York Times – And now for a new and vexing dilemma for states trying to vaccinate their residents against COVID-19: What to do when supply of the vaccine greatly outstrips demand?

Several states, long desperate for as many doses as they could get, are now awash in unused doses of COVID vaccines as demand dwindles and supply continues to ramp up. And many are having either to come up with new and creative ways to vaccinate the hard to reach and the hesitant or to start cutting back on supplies, even though 43 percent of Americans have not received any vaccinations.

About 112.6 million people, or 34 percent of the population, were fully vaccinated as of Saturday.

The slowing of demand was somewhat expected. During the initial rush of vaccine distribution over the winter and into the spring, appointments were coveted and often difficult to find. But today vaccines are more widely available, and officials have been left to target groups that may have missed out on shots because they are too poor, isolated or hard to reach, or because they’re either skeptical of the shot or convinced they don’t want it.

Walmart Offering Walk-In COVID Vaccine Appointments in Massachusetts

CBS Boston – Looking for a convenient way to get a coronavirus vaccine? Walmart said Tuesday that its 48 pharmacies in Massachusetts will now be offering walk-in COVID vaccination appointments.

“All Walmart pharmacy locations across Massachusetts are now accepting walk-in vaccine appointments, as supply allows, in addition to scheduled appointments,” Walmart said in a statement.

“Customers who schedule an appointment can complete pre-vaccination paperwork ahead of time, if interested.”

State Leaders Disagree about Vaccine Mandates for Public Employees

WWLP – State leaders in the Commonwealth are at odds over vaccine mandates for public employees.

Attorney General Maura Healey has been vocal about her support for vaccine mandates for public employees but her stance is different than the one held by Governor Charlie Baker.

Right now, public employees like teachers, correctional workers, and police officers are not required to get the COVID-19 vaccine. As some businesses move to require their employees to get vaccinated, state leaders are considering what to do with the public workforce as well.

But, according to Gov. Baker, a mandate is not on the table at this time.

“The idea that I would kick somebody out of a job, especially in the kind of economy that we have now, because, ‘they wouldn’t get vaccinated right away on a EUA approved vaccine.’ No, I’m not going to play that game,” Baker said on Monday.

Gov. Baker said his focus right now is on improving access to the vaccine across the state.

He plans to open more ‘walk in vaccine clinics’ in the weeks to come.

Parents Call on Governor to Lift Several Coronavirus Restrictions on Kids

Boston Herald – A group of parents is calling on the Baker administration to prioritize lifting “unnecessary” COVID-19 restrictions on children.

In a letter to Gov. Charlie Baker and Lt. Gov. Karyn Polito, organizers of Bring Kids Back MA said children are being held to stricter health and safety protocols than adults, even though they are at less risk.

“After doing all that has been asked of them during the pandemic, the children of Massachusetts deserve better,” said the letter, which was signed by six of the group’s organizers.

The letter calls on the administration to remove mask requirements during all outdoor activities, including recess, youth sports and summer camp activities, even if children aren’t 6 feet apart.

The letter’s other requests include no longer limiting the sharing of objects, such as books or toys.

One of the letter’s co-signers, Melissa Bello of Needham, said her 10-year-old daughter’s Valentine’s Day cards for her classmates had to be brought to school in a zip-close bag a few days in advance “so they could sit in quarantine.”

Library books at her children’s school, Broadmeadow Elementary in Needham, go in a bin after they’re used so that they can be disinfected before they’re returned to circulation after a certain number of days, Bello said.

Dr. Todd Ellerson, director of infectious diseases at South Shore Health, noted that the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has said the majority of transmissions do not occur through surface contamination. With respect to requiring children to wear masks outdoors, Ellerson said most transmissions tend to occur indoors and children are less likely to be infected.

Should You Go Back to the Office?

Wall Street Journal – After months of experimenting with remote work, your company is calling you back to the office.

Should you go?

“It’s been weighing on me,” Christina Marcellino, a 34-year-old business development manager for a law firm, says of the back-to-work question. It’s all her working-mom friends in Charlotte, N.C., can talk about. “What is it going to look like? What are we going to do?”

The calculus is complicated, even if you’re comfortable with your employer’s plans for COVID safety.

Some companies will, at least ostensibly, give workers a choice; others will ratchet up the pressure or dole out ultimatums. How much do you push back? How do you decode corporate statements to tell you what you really want to know: Will it kill my career if I stay home?

The other variables to analyze feel infinite, the stuff of life: that workout you can now sneak in each morning, the leisurely walk to the bus stop with your kid, the exodus of $15 sad desk salads from your lunch routine.

But also, wasn’t the chatter and camaraderie at the office the thing that made work feel…almost fun? Who can even remember at this point?

Second PPP Loan Round Running out of Money

Boston Business Journal – The US Small Business Association has informed trade associations that PPP funding has been exhausted and that it will stop accepting applications for new loans from most lenders, according to the American Bankers Association.

There is still $8 billion available, however, for “community financial institutions” such as minority-deposit institutions, community development financial institutions and others, under a congressionally-mandated set aside. Those institutions can continue to make loans. Read more here.

Congress had authorized about $291.7 billion for the popular forgivable loan program over the course of several pieces of legislation, but once lender fees and the interest on existing PPP loans is included, the agency likely had between $278 billion and $281 billion in funding at its disposal for new loans, according to a May 3 analysis by the National Association of Guaranteed Government Lenders.

As of May 2, the SBA had approved $258 billion in loans, with another $7 billion worth of loans reserved for loans in process and those that had been held up by so-called “hold codes,” according to the NAGGL. At one point, hold codes had halted about 190,000 loans, although it’s unclear how many still have to make it through the process. Loans already at the SBA have until June 30 to clear that process in order to be funded.

Federal Judge Strikes down US Eviction Ban. What will that mean in Massachusetts?

Boston Globe – A federal judge on Wednesday struck down an emergency ban on most evictions in the United States, signaling that the end may be drawing near for protections that have kept many renters in their homes during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Ruling in a lawsuit brought by real estate industry groups, US District Judge Dabney Friedrich wrote that the Centers for Disease Control had overstepped its authority by ordering a halt to most evictions during the COVID-19 emergency. The ban was launched in September by the Trump administration, and extended in January by President Biden.

May 5

Baker Announces Plans to Close Four Mass Vaccination Sites, Shift to Regional Sites

Boston Globe – Massachusetts plans to close four of the state’s seven mass vaccination sites by the end of June, Governor Charlie Baker said Monday, as Massachusetts and other New England states lead the nation in the rate of people who have received at least the first shot of a COVID-19 vaccine.

Nearly 4 million Massachusetts residents are either fully or partially inoculated against the virus, almost five months into a massive and expedited effort to stem the spread of COVID. The pace of the campaign will allow the state to suspend inoculations at Gillette Stadium, the Doubletree Hotel in Danvers, Hynes Convention Center in Boston, and Natick Mall, officials said.

The large-scale privately run sites at the Reggie Lewis Center in Boston, the Eastfield Mall in Springfield, and the former Circuit City in Dartmouth will remain open for now.

With the closures, the state will shift its resources to 22 regional sites and expand mobile clinics to reach more people of color and other populations who have shown lower rates of vaccination. Baker said more than 21,000 doses have been administered through mobile vaccination efforts in several municipalities including Boston, Chelsea, Brockton, Fall River, Springfield, and New Bedford.

House Zooms Through Amendments, Passes $47.7 Billion Budget

Boston Mix – House lawmakers unanimously passed a $47.716 billion budget last week after adding tens of millions of dollars in spending over three days, largely to support investments that representatives said would guide the state in forging a pathway out of the COVID-19 crisis.

“As we cautiously recover from this pandemic and look toward the future, we must continue to build back a new normal which is more resilient and equitable for everyone,” House Ways and Means Chairman Aaron Michlewitz said as he introduced the spending bill.

Most of the 1,157 amendments filed ahead of floor deliberations were dispensed with through a consolidated amendment process, where House leaders group individual amendments together by category and present the ones chosen to be included for one single vote. Another 96 were withdrawn by their sponsors.

Almost all seven consolidated amendments passed unanimously, with the exception of Somerville Rep. Erika Uyterhoeven’s vote against the one dealing with public safety and the judiciary.

In all, the seven mega-amendments added almost $59.8 million in spending to what began as a $47.65 billion bill. They ranged in size from $4.87 million for constitutional officers, state administration and transportation to $11.9 million for labor and economic development.

The labor and economic development consolidated amendment was the last of the seven to come before the House. Lawmakers who spoke on the topic said both the amendment and the budget as a whole contained investments critical to the state’s post-pandemic recovery, particularly highlighting $5 million in tourism funds and a $10 million offshore wind training trust fund.

Tourism, Arts and Cultural Development Committee Chair Rep. Carole Fiola said a Monday vote to remove the sunset from the state’s film production tax credit, making that incentive permanent, would also buoy the tourism and hospitality sectors that have been hard hit by the pandemic and corresponding state restrictions.

A Closer Look at Biden’s $1.8T for Families and Education

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Joe Biden’s administration wants to make a $1.8 trillion down payment on the future of children, families and higher education, saying it would produce lasting benefits for the economy. Paying for it would be $1.5 trillion of tax hikes over the next decade on the wealthiest households.

A closer look at where the money is going and where it’s coming from:

• $200 billion to provide free preschool to all 3- and 4-year-olds. The administration estimates that 5 million children would benefit and an average family would save $13,000.
• $109 billion to offer two years of free community college to all Americans. Eligible for the program would also be young immigrants living in the U.S. illegally who were brought to the country as children to remain here.
• Increase the maximum Pell Grant award by $1,400 per eligible student. Pell Grants are financial aid for low-income students, and the increase would help to reduce the dependence on education loans.
• $46 billion for historically Black colleges and universities as well as tribal colleges and universities. This would include $39 billion to provide two years of subsidized tuition for students from families earning less than $125,000 a year.
• $9 billion for scholarships and training for teachers.
• $225 billion to subsidize child care for families and support child-care workers. Families earning 1.5 times their state median income would pay a maximum of 7% of their income for all children under age 5.
• $225 billion to create a national family and medical leave program. The program would provide workers up to $4,000 a month, with a minimum of two-thirds of average weekly wages replaced, rising to 80 percent for the lowest-wage workers.
• $45 billion to improve school meals and offer food benefits to children during the summer.
• Peg the length and amount of unemployment benefits to underlying economic conditions, creating an automated response to a downturn.
• $200 billion to make temporary reductions in health insurance premiums for the Affordable Care Act plans permanent.
• Extend through 2025 an enhanced child tax credit that could be paid out monthly. Eligible families would receive $3,600 annually per child for children under age 6. The payment would be $3,000 per child for children ages 6 to 17.
• Permanently increase tax credits for child care. The credits would cover as much as half of a family’s spending on care for children under age 13, up to a total of $4,000 for one child or $8,000 for two or more children.
• Make the expanded Earned Income Tax Credit permanent for childless workers.
• Allow the IRS to regulate paid tax preparers.

Massachusetts Coronavirus Vaccine Rollout: 2.6 Million People Fully Vaccinated

Boston Herald – More than 37,000 coronavirus vaccine doses were administered in Massachusetts during the most recent day of vaccination data, as more than 2.6 million people in the state are now fully vaccinated.

State health officials also reported four more virus deaths and 786 new cases — which is the lowest single-day case count since Nov. 2 when 725 new infections were reported.

More than 6.2 million total vaccine doses have been administered since the start of the state’s rollout, and 2,602,414 people are fully vaccinated, according to the daily vaccine report on Sunday.

Overall, the 6,223,093 total doses administered breaks down to: 3,620,679 people who have received one dose of either the Pfizer or Moderna vaccine; 2,392,242 people who have received both doses of Pfizer or Moderna; and 210,172 people who have received the single-dose Johnson & Johnson vaccine.

Mask Restrictions Loosen; Not Everyone Feels Safe

WWLP – It is the first weekend since Governor Charlie Baker issued an order that masks are no longer required outdoors, but not everyone is comfortable with the decision.

“I think it’s not the right time yet,” David Martinez from Lawrence told 22News. “I’m really scared of COVID-19.

Just because the outdoor mask mandate has ended, it doesn’t mean you can put away those face coverings just yet. If you are outside and are unable to stay six feet apart from others, you must wear a mask.

“I am not ready and that is why I am wearing this mask. I mean I have had people die in my family from COVID-19. So this is my message to everyone, just a little bit more, keep using your mask please,” Martinez told said.

Masks or face coverings will only be required outside in public when it is not possible to socially distance.

Masks will still be required at all times in indoor public places, such as a grocery store.

Masks will also continue to be required at all times at events, whether held indoors or outdoors and whether held in a public space or private home, the exception is for when eating or drinking.

At smaller gatherings in private homes, face coverings are encouraged but not required.

The $300 fine that had been put in place as enforcement for mask-wearing has also been eliminated.

Restaurants Can Apply for Funds to Cover COVID Losses

MassLive – A host of Massachusetts restaurants and service businesses can now apply for up to $10 million in COVID-19 relief to help cover losses brought on by the pandemic, Rep. Ayanna Pressley’s office announced.

“Our restaurants are the backbones of our local economies and among the hardest hit by this public health and economic crisis — and that is especially true for restaurants here in the Massachusetts 7th,” Pressley said in a statement. She noted the fund will provide much-needed relief to local restaurants “owned by women, Black, brown, immigrant and other historically underrepresented communities,” helping businesses “get back on track and set us on a path to an equitable recovery.”

About 93 percent of restaurant staff were laid off or furloughed last spring — more than 211,000 workers in Massachusetts, according to the National Restaurant Association. The industry in Massachusetts generates about $19 billion in annual sales. Stephen Clark, vice president of government affairs for the Massachusetts Restaurant Association, told MassLive earlier this year that sales were likely down between 20 percent and 25 percent in 2020.

The $28.6 billion Restaurant Revitalization Fund is part of President Joe Biden’s $1.9 trillion American Rescue Plan. Pressley and the Massachusetts delegation had pressed for substantial relief to restaurants hit hard by the pandemic; lawmakers previously sought about $120 billion through the RESTAURANTS Act last year. But the funding in the latest COVID-19 relief package will still bolster impacted businesses just as increased vaccinations and lower case counts have prompted state officials to relax guidelines on dining, social distancing and masks.

Indoor Water Parks, Hot Tubs to reopen on August 1

MassLive – Aug. 1 will be the magic date for many Massachusetts businesses.

The start of August will mark the final stretch of Massachusetts’ coronavirus reopening plan, when the last remaining businesses – indoor water parks and facilities within health clubs among them – will be able to open their doors at full capacity.

Gov. Charlie Baker laid out the spring and summer timeline for the state’s reopening plan. Some outdoor industries will be allowed to re-open as part of the second step of Phase 4 of the reopening plan beginning May 10, and plans have been put in place for further business re-openings on May 29 and Aug. 1.

The state will also no longer require the use of face masks outdoors where social distancing is possible, according to Baker. The governor noted public health data amid the pandemic continues to trend in a positive direction and Massachusetts remains first in the nation for total vaccine doses administered per capita among states with more than 5 million people.

“The administration continues to take steps to reopen the commonwealth’s economy with public health metrics continuing to trend in a positive direction,” the governor’s office said in a statement. “This includes drops in average daily COVID cases and hospitalizations.”

Business Groups Hope for Full Re-Opening before August

Boston Business Journal – Some Massachusetts business leaders are calling on Gov. Charlie Baker to consider lifting all Covid-19 restrictions before the Aug. 1 date announced Tuesday or to allow for a greater loosening of capacity limits ahead of a full reopening.

The Baker administration laid out a roadmap to the elimination of all COVID-related limits on businesses this summer. Next month, event venues can host more people, bars and breweries can reopen without needing to serve food, and amusement parks can welcome customers for the first time since the pandemic started. Then, on Aug. 1, all COVID restrictions are expected to be lifted.

The announcement was cause for celebration and relief, especially among owners of businesses that have not been allowed to operate for more than a year. But it also sparked dismay among those hoping to get back to normal a lot sooner than August, especially since Massachusetts has been more effective at vaccinating its residents than a lot of states.

Some types of businesses will see little to no changes to their operations for more than three months. Retailers, for instance, have operated at 50 percent of maximum capacity since March 1. As it currently stands, they won’t be able to allow any more customers inside their stores until August. Restaurants can seat a maximum of 10 at a table on May 29, up from the current six, but tables must continue to be six feet apart through the end of July. Other types of workplaces, from corporate offices to gyms, also face the 50 percent capacity limit.

Employers Begin Grand Experiment by Shifting Offices to Hybrid Model

Boston Globe – A grand experiment is about to take place in office buildings across Greater Boston, as many businesses begin reopening their offices to employees with newfound expectations around working from home.

What that means isn’t quite clear. Will all workers be required to come in a certain number of days a week? On the same days, or different days? How will sharing desks work? And how much office space will everyone really need?

The answers may vary widely. But a significant majority of office employers are poised to move away from mandating the five-day, in-person workweek.

A soon-to-be-released survey of about 50 large corporate members of the Massachusetts Business Roundtable, conducted by McKinsey & Co., confirms that the typical routine has been turned on its head.

Pre-pandemic, 90 percent of members expected employees to show up in person five days a week, while 10 percent had some form of a “hybrid” model.

Post-pandemic? Those numbers will flip. Nearly 80 percent of the respondents said they will embrace the hybrid approach. Only about 20 percent said they’ll return to five days a week in the office.

Employers Still have Options to Vaccinate Workers On-Site

Boston Business Journal – Gov. Charlie Baker is still not giving the green light to Massachusetts businesses to vaccinate their employees using the state’s supply of COVID-19 vaccines. But employers are finding other ways to deliver shots into arms.

Walgreen Co. is ramping up a program that allows employers to offer COVID -19 vaccination clinics at their workplaces using vaccines the pharmacy receives directly from the federal government. CVS Health is offering a similar program. One major local business group, the Massachusetts High Technology Council, is notifying its members about a new Walgreen partnership on Tuesday, its top executive told the Business Journal.

Amazon.com Inc. is making plans to vaccinate its Massachusetts workers. Executives at other companies are interested in doing the same to help boost still-low workforce vaccination levels.

The Baker administration announced major changes to its vaccination strategy on Monday, with a goal of making it easier for harder-to-reach residents to get a shot. It is shutting down four of its mass-vaccination sites and shifting more of the supply to physician offices.

US Government has Now Paid Moderna $6 Billion for Vaccine Effort

Boston Globe – The federal government has now invested about $6 billion in the COVID-19 vaccine from Moderna, the Cambridge biotech that few outside the scientific and investment worlds had heard of a couple of years ago.

Moderna said in a filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission on Wednesday that under a change in its government contract on April 18, it will receive as much as $236 million in additional reimbursement for costs associated with its late-stage vaccine trial on about 30,000 volunteers, including safety monitoring.

The additional money is on top of the $5.75 billion that the government already poured into Moderna to help it develop, test, and manufacture the messenger RNA vaccine ― as well as to secure 300 million doses.

Moderna Commits up to 500 Million Vaccine Doses to COVAX

Politico – Moderna will supply COVAX with up to 500 million doses of its coronavirus vaccine starting at the end of the year, the U.S. drugmaker announced Monday, just as Sweden pledged it would send 1 million doses via the vaccine-sharing mechanism.

Under the deal, Moderna will work with Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance, to supply 34 million doses to COVAX — a mechanism established with the World Health Organization and Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations (CEPI) to provide vaccines for low- and middle-income countries — in late 2021.

The vaccines will be offered at Moderna’s “lowest tiered price,” and Gavi will be able purchase an additional 466 million doses in 2022.

FDA Expected to Authorize Pfizer Vaccine for Adolescents within a Week

Boston Globe – The U.S. Food and Drug Administration is expected to authorize Pfizer’s COVID-19 vaccine for adolescents ages 12 to 15 by next week, according to a federal official and a person familiar with the process, setting up shots for many before the beginning of the next school year.

The announcement is set to come a month after the company found that its shot, which is already authorized for those age 16 and older, also provided protection for the younger group.

The federal official, speaking on the condition of anonymity to preview the FDA’s action, said the agency was expected to expand its emergency use authorization for Pfizer’s two-dose vaccine by early next week, and perhaps even sooner. The person familiar with the process, who spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss internal matters, confirmed the timeline and added that it is expected that the FDA will approve Pfizer’s use by even younger children sometime this fall.

The FDA action will be followed by a meeting of a federal vaccine advisory committee to discuss whether to recommend the shot for 12- to 15-year-olds. Shots could begin after the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention adopts the committee’s recommendation. Those steps could be completed in a matter of days.

The New York Times first reported on the expected timing for the authorization.

Pfizer in late March released preliminary results from a vaccine study of 2,260 U.S. volunteers ages 12 to 15, showing there were no cases of COVID-19 among fully vaccinated adolescents compared with 18 among those given dummy shots.

Kids had side effects similar to young adults, the company said. The main side effects are pain, fever, chills and fatigue, particularly after the second dose. The study will continue to track participants for two years for more information about long-term protection and safety.

Walk-in Vaccines Would Appeal to Younger People, Baker Says

NECN – More walk-in vaccine clinics could appear in Massachusetts in the coming months, which Gov. Charlie Baker believes will appeal most to younger people with less concrete schedules.

“I do think you’ll see more walk-ins, which for young people in particular might be a more effective way of getting them vaccinated since they tend not to keep — let’s just say they’re not as rigorous about their schedule as some of the rest of us and leave it at that,” Baker said.

Anyone younger than 16 remains ineligible for COVID vaccines under federal guidelines, though Pfizer and Moderna have both conducted trials for children as young as 12 and are also running trials for even younger groups. Earlier this month, Pfizer requested emergency use authorization for its vaccine in those 12 to 15 years old, which the U.S. Food and Drug Administration is still reviewing.

“It’s likely going to be at some point that there’s going to be an EUA from the FDA for kids over the age of 12,” Baker said Friday, though he stressed he does not know when eligibility might change.

The governor said he did not want to speculate on when children in school will be able to stop wearing masks because it depends in part on guidance from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and on how the next few months go in Massachusetts.

Reaching ‘Herd Immunity’ is Unlikely in the US, Experts Now Believe

Boston Globe – Early in the pandemic, when vaccines for the coronavirus were still just a glimmer on the horizon, the term “herd immunity” came to signify the endgame: the point when enough Americans would be protected from the virus so we could be rid of the pathogen and reclaim our lives.

Now, more than half of adults in the United States have been inoculated with at least one dose of a vaccine. But daily vaccination rates are slipping, and there is widespread consensus among scientists and public health experts that the herd immunity threshold is not attainable — at least not in the foreseeable future, and perhaps not ever.

Instead, they are coming to the conclusion that rather than making a long-promised exit, the virus will most likely become a manageable threat that will continue to circulate in the United States for years to come, still causing hospitalizations and deaths but in much smaller numbers.

How much smaller is uncertain and depends in part on how much of the nation, and the world, becomes vaccinated and how the coronavirus evolves. It is already clear, however, that the virus is changing too quickly, new variants are spreading too easily and vaccination is proceeding too slowly for herd immunity to be within reach anytime soon.

Next Generation of COVID-19 Vaccines Could Be Pill or Spray

Wall Street Journal – The next generation of COVID-19 vaccines in development could come as a pill or a nasal spray and be easier to store and transport than the current handful of shots that form the backbone of the world-wide vaccination effort.

These newer vaccines, from U.S. government labs and companies including Sanofi SA, Altimmune Inc. and Gritstone Oncology Inc., also have the potential to provide longer-lasting immune responses and be more potent against newer and multiple viral variants, possibly helping to head off future pandemics, the companies say.

Vaccines currently authorized for use in the U.S. from Pfizer Inc. and its partner BioNTech SE, as well as Moderna Inc., must be transported and stored at low temperatures and require two doses administered weeks apart.

New vaccines could “constitute some improvement” over those limitations and more easily accommodate vaccination efforts in rural areas, said Gregory Poland, professor and vaccine researcher at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minn. “You will see second-generation, third-generation vaccines,” he said.

There are 277 Covid-19 vaccines in development globally, of which 93 have entered human testing, according to the World Health Organization. Most of the vaccines in clinical testing are injected, but there are two oral formulations and seven nasal-spray formulations.

Why Lagging COVID Vaccine Rate At Rural Hospitals ‘Needs To Be Fixed Now’

WBUR – President Biden this week announced new steps to reach rural Americans in the push to get as many people as possible vaccinated for the coronavirus. This emphasis comes as rural hospitals are raising alarms about the pace of vaccination — even among their own employees.

The Biden administration is moving into a new phase of its vaccination campaign, one where it knows doctors and health care professionals are often more persuasive than the government.

It has prioritized a list of doctors enrolled in the vaccine system based on a “social vulnerability index” used by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention — including doctors in many rural communities — and has been asking state government to send vaccine doses to those doctors, the official said.

The administration also plans to work with states to enroll more pediatricians and family doctors in their vaccine systems so they can begin giving people vaccines, a step that becomes “particularly critical” if the Food and Drug Administration gives emergency authorization for adolescents ages 12-15 to start getting the Pfizer vaccine, the official said.

The administration also is working with provider groups to encourage their members to sign up to give the vaccines and will be providing technical assistance to help practices get ready for vaccination, the official said.

Employers, Insurers Push to Make Virtual Doctor Visits Regular Care

Boston Herald – Make telemedicine your first choice for most doctor visits. That’s the message some U.S. employers and insurers are sending with a new wave of care options.

Amazon and several insurers have started or expanded virtual-first care plans to get people to use telemedicine routinely, even for planned visits like annual checkups. They’re trying to make it easier for patients to connect with regular help by using remote care that grew explosively during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Advocates say this can keep patients healthy and out of expensive hospitals, which makes insurers and employers that pay most of the bill happy.

In Massachusetts, Gov. Charlie Baker in January signed a health care bill that requires insurance companies to cover telehealth visits the same way they cover in-person care. That legislation also provides a short-term model for how those services will be paid.

April 26

Baker Administration, Lawmakers, Seek Options on Unemployment

MassLive – Baker administration officials and lawmakers are working with the federal government to address the jump in unemployment insurance taxes stemming from the state’s historic number of jobless claims during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Asked about the jump in UI taxes, Gov. Charlie Baker said state and legislative officials are in contact with the federal government and with Massachusetts business leaders.

“I think everybody knows that, given the amount of unemployment we had last year it would be a challenge to come up with what I would describe as the perfect solution,” Baker said Tuesday afternoon, “but we do have some ideas about how to mitigate some of the hit.”

Massachusetts postponed the first quarter employer contribution deadline from April 30 until June 1, which gives legislators and Baker administration officials time to find a fix.

“One of the reasons we asked for the delay in making payments was so that we can process some of these ideas,” the Republican governor told reporters.

Employers are seeing thousands of dollars in increases to their unemployment taxes due to a nearly 16-fold jump in the solvency fund rate, one of several factors that can affect a business’ overall employer contribution rate.

Typically, an employer’s unemployment taxes can rise if the company lays off employees. But the onslaught of COVID-related jobless claims prompted Congress to divert COVID-related unemployment claims to a different fund so business owners who laid off employees during the pandemic wouldn’t face penalties for closing to deter community spread or abide by non-essential business closures.

House Debates Budget as Pandemic Shows Signs of Abating

Boston Herald – House lawmakers on Monday are set to open debate on a $47.6 billion proposed budget for the coming fiscal year.

The House’s fiscal year 2022 budget avoids any new broad-based taxes while also avoiding service cuts. To square a nearly $1.2 billion boost in spending, lawmakers have proposed drawing $1.9 billion from the state’s shrinking rainy-day account — an amount in line with other pandemic-era budgets.

The spending plan finds lawmakers still reluctant to “declare any sort of victory” over the pandemic and hesitant to cash in on the billions of federal relief dollars headed to the state.

The plan is higher than Gov. Charlie Baker’s $45.6 billion fiscal 2022 budget proposed in January and represents a nearly $1.2 billion boost in spending over the current year.

House lawmakers pad jobs spending and give a 3.5% boost to local aid and other programs considered important to the state’s recovery. Charitable deductions would remain off the table for taxpayers for a second year, a move that will keep about $64 million in the budget. Unlike Baker, the House doesn’t rely on any new revenues from a yet-to-be passed sports betting bill.

Education spending is also up, with House lawmakers making a commitment to fund one-sixth of the Student Opportunity Act, which sought to inject $1.5 billion into public schools by 2027.

Warren, Clark Press Biden to Up Child-Care Funding

Boston.com – President Joe Biden is planning to unveil a new bill next week to invest hundreds of billions of dollars in childcare, paid leave, and education.

According to Sen. Elizabeth Warren and Rep. Katherine Clark, it needs to include more money for childcare.

The two Massachusetts Democrats led a letter Friday urging Biden to include “at least $700 billion for long-term, structural investments in child care” as part of the upcoming American Families Plan, which they called a “generational opportunity” to invest in a system that many families struggled to afford even before the sector was hit hard by the COVID-19 pandemic. “We urge you not to let it go to waste,” the letter said.

While the legislation has yet to be officially released, the $700 billion that Warren and Clark are calling would be more than triple the amount of money that is reportedly in the bill for childcare. As the Washington Post reported this week, the American Families Plan is expected to include roughly $225 billion for child-care funding, along with $225 billion for paid family and medical leave, $200 billion for universal prekindergarten instruction, and other funding for education, including tuition-free community colleges, and nutritional assistance.

However, the letter Friday — which was also signed by Sens. Tina Smith (D-MN), Alex Padilla (D-CA), Ron Wyden (D-OR), Bernie Sanders (I-VT), Cory Booker (D-NJ), and 33 House Democrats — suggested that $225 billion would not be enough to “transform this broken system into one that is sustainable for families and providers over the long run.”

The group proposed increasing existing subsidy programs to cap out-of-pocket childcare costs for families at no more than 7 percent of their income. They also called for raising payment rates for providers — most of whom make less than $13 an hour — to ensure they make a “living wage with benefits, equivalent to other educators with similar credentials.”

Calls Grow to Relax Outdoor Mask Mandate; Governor Not Ready to Commit 

Boston Herald – The push is on to relax the outdoor mask mandate.

But Gov. Charlie Baker wouldn’t commit to any time frame as more people get the coronavirus vaccine.

When people are not crowded outside, there is “barely any risk at all” to contracting COVID-19, epidemiologists say. But under the Bay State mask mandate, people are supposed to wear a mask at all times in public.

“I really question whether people have to wear them outside while they’re walking, while they’re running and biking,” said Dr. Paul Sax, clinical director of the division of infectious disease at Brigham and Women’s Hospital. “That’s a different risk. There’s barely any risk at all.”

When a family of five goes to the park, they’re supposed to wear masks while gathering together at the park after being maskless inside all day.

“That doesn’t make any sense, and there are a lot of situations like that,” Sax said.

It’s still important to wear masks outside in crowded settings, when there are face-to-face encounters with people in close range, he said. Sax also still strongly supports a mask mandate for indoor activities.

The governor on Tuesday said he’s not ready to make any commitments either way even as public health experts signal it could soon be time to ditch masks outdoors.

“This is obviously something we’re not just talking to local folks about we’ve also been talking to the feds, as well,” Baker said during a press conference.

Combating COVID Vaccine Hesitancy May Be Next Battle For Massachusetts

WBUR – All Massachusetts residents age 16 and older can now sign up for a COVID-19 vaccine, but that doesn’t mean everyone eligible will want the shot.

In the coming weeks, state public health officials expect demand to slow down, and the hardest push, many believe, will be reaching out to those who are reluctant. That includes Republican men, who were some of the most hesitant in recent national polling.

Town clerk and librarian Jodie Paradis has seen this hesitation in Russell, a town of just under 2,000 residents in southwestern Massachusetts. Russell is 96 percent white and mostly Republican. In 2020, nearly 60% of voters there supported Donald Trump in the presidential election, the largest percentage in the commonwealth.

“I think a lot of Russell residents will choose not to get the vaccine,” Paradis said. “They truly either believe that it [COVID] is not real or that it’s no worse than the common cold.”

Paradis says she hears many concerns from residents about the vaccine.

“That the vaccine was created much too quickly and may not be reliable at all,” she explained, “but also just a suspicion of what we could be injected with.”

These concerns are not unique to Republicans or Trump voters. Misinformation about the vaccine abounds online. But national polling suggests they are some of the most likely to say they won’t get the COVID vaccine.

A recent NPR/PBS/Marist poll found 49 percent of Republican men and 47 percent of voters who supported Trump don’t plan to get the shot. And respondents from rural areas were also more reluctant.

There are outreach efforts underway across the state to urge as many residents as possible to get vaccinated, including even a video from former Red Sox all-star David Ortiz.

But celebrity videos and advertising campaigns likely won’t work for everyone, according to Anthony Dell’Aera, an assistant political science professor at Worcester State University. Dell’Aera says concerns that come from an ideological mistrust of government will be very hard to change.

“If anyone can persuade them it’s likely to be people in their own immediate circles, like family or friends, or clergy or their own doctor,” he said, not public figures.

Dell’Aera thinks a more personal touch is likely to have a bigger impact. That’s the approach Tom Mountain, vice chair of the Massachusetts Republican Party, has embraced. He says many of his conservative friends are skeptical, and he was too, until he got COVID last December. Since then, Mountain says he has been telling everyone in his circle to get vaccinated. His pitch: “The COVID virus is lethal, it’s real, it’s out there, and it is not going to go away unless everybody gets vaccinated.”

White House Offers Tax Credit to Spur COVID-19 Vaccinations

Boston Globe – The White House is trying to overcome diminishing demand for COVID-19 shots by offering businesses a tax incentive to give employees paid leave to get vaccinated. The move comes as the United States is set to meet President Joe Biden’s goal of administering 200 million coronavirus doses in his first 100 days in office.

With more than 50% of adults at least partially vaccinated and roughly 28 million vaccine doses being delivered each week, demand has eclipsed supply as the constraining factor to vaccinations in much of the country.

In a White House speech on Wednesday, Biden acknowledged entering a “new phase” in the federal vaccination effort that relies on increased outreach to Americans to get their shots, both to protect them and their communities.

“Vaccines can save your own life, but they can also save your grandmother’s life, your co-worker’s life, the grocery store clerk or the delivery person helping you and your neighbors get through the crisis,” Biden said. “That’s why you should get vaccinated.”

Booking COVID-19 Vaccination Appointments Gest Easier

WCVB – All Massachusetts residents age 16 and older are now eligible to receive a COVID-19 vaccine.

After people have struggled to book a vaccination appointment, the process has appeared to become a bit easier since eligibility has expanded.

“It was terrible,” a Brookline resident said of the early days of the booking process. “I went on the website for, like, three hours or four hours.”

“My wife tried once and got it on the first try,” said a Waltham resident, who admitted that he struggled to find an appointment before the past few days.

In the past few days, online appointments have popped up regularly on pharmacy websites such as CVS and Walgreens.

For those who preregistered on the Massachusetts COVID-19 vaccine website, thousands of appointments are up for grabs at the state-run vaccination sites.

Vaccine alerts have been sent via text, and tweets tell of hundreds of vaccination appointments at community sites throughout the state.

Dr. Daniel Kuritzkes, chief of the division of infectious diseases at Brigham and Women’s Hospital, says the jump in vaccine availability is a combination of steady supply and slowing demand.

Massachusetts residents 16 years and older became eligible to book their COVID-19 vaccine beginning Monday.

This opened up vaccines to another 1.7 million people in the Bay State and Gov. Charlie Baker says it could take weeks to get everyone their shot.

Residents can book their spot at a mass vaccination site by pre-registering on the state’s website.

State leaders say 300,000 people have already taken their names off that list, meaning they may have gotten a shot sooner at a non-mass vaccination site or out of state.

“It feels like relief, it feels like there is an end in sight,” said Suzanne Wright, who was eager to get a vaccine. “It feels like optimism, really it’s exciting to see people around me get vaccinated and know that I’m next.”

Sean Wenzel added, “Being able to see my grandmother even though she already got vaccinated, it’ll be nice to kind of just relax and know that it’s a safe environment wherever I go.”

Four regional collaboratives have been added to the preregistration system in Northboro, West Springfield, Palmer, and Northampton.

“Our tech team continues to work hard to improve our website and user experience and is prepared for the influx in traffic that will occur before and on the 19th,” Baker said.

Is Boston Ready for In-Person Events?

Boston Business Journal – After a year of virtual conferences, Zoom networking sessions and shuttered venues, are businesspeople ready to return to in-person events?

Nationally, it’s a 50-50 proposition now and looking brighter in the next two months, according to an exclusive survey by The Business Journals, which surveyed 8,299 past event attendees across its 44 markets, including Boston. The survey was conducted April 5-7.

Nationally, 50 percent of respondents said they are now ready to return to in-person events with proper Covid-19 safety precautions in place. Another 21 percent said they’ll be ready in a month or two. Only 10 percent of respondents said they’ll need six months or more before they are comfortable.

But a lower percentage of respondents are ready for in-person events in large metros along the coasts, such as Boston (31 percent), Washington, D.C. (32 percent) and San Francisco (29 percent).

In Boston, 17 percent said they could be ready in a month or two, while 27 percent said they are likely to be ready in three to six months. Twenty-two percent said they needed more than six months before they’re comfortable. Just 3 percent said they would need a year before they are comfortable.

Overall, the survey offers some encouraging signs for a live-events industry that lost an estimated $30 billion in 2020 due to the Covid-19 pandemic, leaving many venue operators scrambling for federal assistance, adapting their business models and, in some cases, closing their doors permanently.

K-8 Students Return to In-Person Learning in Boston

Boston.com – Boston students from kindergarten to 8th grade returned to fully in-person learning on Monday. The reopening included high schoolers in Boston’s special education schools.

Students who are sick or test positive for COVID-19 can still attend class remotely, even if they were initially slated to attend in person. They will be marked present regardless, but they might not be in the same classes.

Boston students began hybrid learning in phases throughout March: Grades K through 3 on March 1, grades 4 through 8 on March 15, and high schoolers on March 29. Priority students, such as those with disabilities or those learning English, have been in Boston schools since February 1.

Gov. Charlie Baker’s administration ordered elementary schools to fully reopen by April 5 last month, with middle schools set to open by Wednesday, April 28. The administration allowed districts to submit requests for more time to prepare their classrooms, and Boston Public Schools and dozens of other districts were issued waivers to delay reopening.

Other public school districts also started full in-person learning for grades K through 8 Monday, including Somerville, Lynn, and Brockton. Some districts like Natick, Belmont, and Billerica have followed the state’s timetable except for 5th graders, who will return along with the rest of the middle schoolers.

Pandemic Drives Population Growth in the Berkshires

Berkshire Eagle – Berkshire County has been losing population since 1970, but new data compiled by the U.S. Postal Service suggests that trend is slowing and might even be in the early stages of reverse.

Population shifts due to the coronavirus pandemic have left the Pittsfield metro area, which includes all of Berkshire County, with the sixth highest change in net in- migration among the 926 similar areas in the country between 2019 and 2020, according to 30 million change-of-address requests compiled by the U.S. Postal Service. The Postal Service defines net change as the difference in number of in-bound change-of-address requests and out-bound requests in a metro area, compared with all residential addresses.

“It makes intuitive sense that if people are moving out of densely populated urbanized areas that the Berkshires would be a place where folks would go. I mean, why not?” said Tom Matuszko, executive director of the Berkshire Regional Planning Commission. “A lot of New Yorkers have been coming to the Berkshires for years. They’re familiar with the area and comfortable coming up here.”

The data was recently analyzed by The New York Times, which reported there has been an unusually large exodus of people from major urban areas like New York and San Francisco, two regions that have a high percentage of jobs that can be done remotely even after the pandemic ends. The beneficiaries have been smaller regional metro areas, like the Berkshires, and areas that are vacation hubs.

In the Berkshires, the percentage of people moving into the county went from minus 1.4 percent in 2019 to plus 2.5 percent last year, an increase of 3.9 points, according to the Postal Service figures. Six of the seven metro areas with the highest plus migration shifts are located in the Northeast, and the top three are very close to Berkshire County. The Hudson and Kingston, N.Y. metro areas are ranked first and second followed by Torrington, Conn. in third place. Barnstable Town (Cape Cod) is ranked fourth, and Lebanon, N.H. seventh.

Although the data is intriguing, it provides more of a snapshot than a complete picture of the issue. According to The Times, not everyone files a change-of-address form when they move.

Young adults making their first move out of college are mostly absent from the statistics, as are households moving to the U.S. from abroad.

Although the census is expected to release data later this spring that is supposed to tell a fuller story of U.S. population shifts due to the pandemic, Matuszko said the planning commission also has very little data to back the Postal Service’s findings.

“We don’t have any quantifiable numbers,” said Matuszko, who has reviewed the figures.

“Whatever this study looked at, Postal Service data was one source. But so far we haven’t been able to find anything else.”

However, sales of single-family homes in the Berkshires have been incredibly brisk in the year since the pandemic began, an indicator that people are moving to the Berkshires. According to the National Association of Realtors, the median sales price for single-family homes in the Berkshires rose 32.2 percent during the fourth quarter of 2020 on a year-over-year basis, the second largest increase among the country’s metro areas during that time span.

April 21

AIM Survey

AIM remains committed to sharing the perspective of employers and workers as we continue to work with state officials to re-open the economy and simultaneously care for public health. In our latest survey on the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on Massachusetts businesses, we discovered that almost 40 percent of respondents are still not operating their business at full capacity.

House Budget Proposes Spending $1.8 Billion more than Gov. Charlie Baker’s Plan

The Sun – The $47.65 billion spending plan the House proposed Wednesday for fiscal 2022 includes none of the roughly $4.5 billion in federal aid coming to Massachusetts and attempts to give the state a solid foundation for its post-pandemic rebound, House leaders said.

The House Ways and Means Committee’s budget recommendation, which is expected to be debated the week of April 26, would increase spending by $1.189 billion, or 2.6 percent, over the current year’s budget, and proposes to spend $1.792 billion, or 3.9 percent, more than Gov. Charlie Baker recommended in his January budget filing.

House Speaker Ronald Mariano said his first budget does not include tax hikes on individuals, does not cut services and makes investments “where we think they will have the greatest impact in benefitting our residents.”

Notably, the House proposal would boost funding for tourism promotion and does not include Baker’s plan to penalize pharmaceutical companies for excessive drug-price increases, which Baker promoted last week with Connecticut Gov. Ned Lamont.

“In this budget, we try to balance two priorities,” Mariano said. “We’re trying to take care of the residents’ immediate needs that are created by dealing with the pandemic and trying to chart the course of the commonwealth’s future by looking at some ways we can change job training and create some jobs here in Massachusetts.”

The House budget plan is built on a base of $30.12 billion in state revenue (about 3.5% growth over fiscal 2021), which has been supplemented by billions in unrestricted federal revenue unrelated to the American Rescue Plan Act, revenue generated by state departments and agencies, fees and other sources.

COVID Variants Raising Questions About Re-Opening, Safety

NBC Boston – Lawmakers on Tuesday dug into the details of the various COVID-19 variants that have been spreading around the globe and here in Massachusetts, and began to probe the ramifications the mutations could have on the economic re-opening, the return to in-person schooling and more.

The COVID-19 and Emergency Preparedness and Management Committee and the Committee on Public Health jointly pulled together a roster of local epidemiologists, researchers and experts to highlight information about the COVID-19 variants and to gain a sense of what could be on the horizon.

“The questions that many of us are asking are, how do the variants impact our lives already? Do we actually pivot with new emerging variants or mutations of COVID-19? Does it impact our ability to continue moving forward with school openings, with re-opening our economy, with visiting families? How do the variants or these mutations impact our overall safety?” said Public Health Committee Co-chair Rep. Marjorie Decker. “When it comes to vaccinations, what does it mean to be fully vaccinated when we know that variants continue to emerge?”

As of Saturday, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control said its sampling of cases had identified 1,100 cases of the B.1.1.7 variants in Massachusetts, making up 5.26% of the 20,915 cases the federal agency identified across the country.

More than 2 million to be Fully Vaccinated in Massachusetts by Week’s End

Boston Herald – Massachusetts is expected to hit another major vaccine milestone as Gov. Charlie Baker said he “fully expects” more than 2 million residents will be fully vaccinated against coronavirus by the end of the week, despite a dramatic drop in supply of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine.

Baker boasted during a Monday press conference in Worcester that Massachusetts also holds the distinction of being the first state with at least 5 million people to deliver at least one dose to more than half of its eligible residents.

After Massachusetts received a huge boost in the supply of Johnson & Johnson doses with roughly 100,000 last week, the state will see just 12,000 doses of the single-shot vaccine this week, Baker said. The drop in doses comes after reports of a factory mix-up that led to 15 million doses being dumped down the drain.

Baker said he expects to learn more about what to expect in terms of vaccine supply in a Tuesday call with President Biden’s administration.

Next Monday, the state opens up vaccine eligibility to everyone age 16 and older, but the Republican governor on Monday again warned that appointments could be in scarce supply as the federal supply continues to be restricted.

“I’ve said several times that, you know, supply will be an issue, but I do believe that if supply is there, by the time we get to Memorial Day a significant number of people in Massachusetts will have been vaccinated,” Baker said.

Mobile Clinics Help Deliver Coronavirus Vaccine To Hard-To-Reach People

WBUR – More than one and a half million people in Massachusetts are now fully vaccinated against the coronavirus.

But with an uptick in positive coronavirus tests and the spread of variants, there’s increased urgency to get shots administered to as many people possible, as quickly as possible. So the state and several health groups are taking vaccines directly into the community and setting up mobile vaccine clinics.

For the past two months, UMass Memorial Medical Center in Worcester has held mobile clinics twice a week at sites around central Massachusetts where people might have a tough time traveling to get a shot.

“A lot of people here have difficulties going out to a mass site to get vaccinated and that’s why we came to them,” said Michelle Muller, a family nurse practitioner who works in community benefits at UMass Memorial. “It’s a little more difficult to come out into the community, but we’re very proud of what we’ve been able to do for underserved populations in Worcester County. Every vaccine in an arm gets us closer to being done with this pandemic.”

Booster Vaccines Show Promise Against Variants, Moderna Says

Boston Business Journal – New vaccines designed to boost protection against new variants of the coronavirus have shown promise in preclinical studies, increasing the number of antibodies to a level comparable to that afforded by Moderna’s original Covid-19 vaccine, the company said in a release on Tuesday.

Moderna announced in February that it was developing variant-specific booster candidates both as specifically targeted booster shots, for patients who have already received the two-dose regimen that protects against ancestral Covid-19, and as a multivalent vaccine that combines Moderna’s original vaccine with the targeted booster. Now, the company says preclinical studies reveal that both vaccines have resulted in increased levels of neutralizing antibodies — comparable to the immunity provided by the original vaccine.

The multivalent vaccine provides the “broadest level of immunity,” the company said, producing the same level of antibodies that it the original vaccine did when given as a booster after six months. The preclinical study evaluated the booster candidates’ efficacy against B.1.351, the strain first identified in South Africa, in mouse models.

The data has been submitted to the scientific journal bioRxiv and has yet to be peer-reviewed.

Kids and Herd Immunity

WWLP – Pfizer could soon seek an amended emergency use authorization from the federal government to make its COVID-19 vaccine available to people as young as 12 years old, Dr. Anthony Fauci said Monday.

“I think that is imminent. I know they’re going to be putting in for that,” the head of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases and the president’s top COVID-19 advisor said during a press briefing. No vaccine has yet been approved for use in people younger than 16.

“We would hope that children in high school will be able to be vaccinated by the time we get to the early fall season,” Fauci said Monday.

If Pfizer’s vaccine is given emergency use authorization for people as young as 12, it would expand the pool of people who could become inoculated against the coronavirus by means of a vaccine.

That would help drive up the overall percentage of Americans who are vaccinated, but Fauci cautioned Monday that people should stop focusing on reaching an estimated threshold for herd immunity.

“I would like to get people away from this concept of referring to something that is very elusive in its definition,” he said. Fauci said officials have estimated that 70 to 85 percent of the American public would need antibodies — either from a COVID-19 infection or a vaccine — for the country to reach herd immunity, but he added that there is no way to know for sure. “Rather than concentrating on an elusive number, let’s get as many people vaccinated as quickly as we possibly can,” he said.

Massachusetts Unemployment Claims hit Pandemic Low

Boston Globe – The number of Americans applying for unemployment benefits tumbled last week to 576,000, a post-COVID low and a hopeful sign that layoffs are easing as the economy recovers from the pandemic recession.

The Labor Department said Thursday that applications dropped by 193,000 from a revised 769,000 a week earlier. Jobless claims are now down sharply from a peak of 900,000 in early January and well below the 700,000-plus level they had been stuck at for months.

The decline in unemployment claims coincides with other evidence that the economy is strengthening as vaccinations accelerate, pandemic business restrictions are lifted in many states, and Americans appear increasingly willing to travel, shop, eat out, and otherwise spend again. In March, employers added a healthy 916,000 jobs, the most since August, and the unemployment rate fell to 6 percent, less than half the pandemic peak of 14.8 percent.

In Massachusetts, about 14,460 individuals filed new claims for unemployment benefits, down about 5,780 from the week prior at a pandemic low. A decrease was also seen in the number of people applying for the Pandemic Unemployment Assistance program, which provides aid to those not eligible for traditional benefits. Last week, about 2,120 individuals filed new PUA claims, down about 1,150 from the week prior.

Another 13,390 individuals filed new claims for extended benefits programs, meaning they exhausted regular aid and are still out of work, a decrease of roughly 2,400.

Senate President Pressed on Big Fee for Unemployment Benefits

Boston Globe – Senate President Karen Spilka said that state lawmakers are preparing to address an abrupt hike in an unemployment insurance surcharge that has blindsided the business community.

Massachusetts businesses are facing sticker shock after seeing significant increases in one portion of their unemployment insurance bills this month — what’s known as the solvency assessment. The fee could cost many employers more than $1,000 extra for each full-time worker this year, largely because of the torrent of pandemic-related layoffs in 2020.

Many businesses had believed the state put off higher charges to replenish the insurance fund when the Legislature froze rates in March. While that headed off a 60-percent increase, lawmakers did not freeze the solvency surcharge to fund benefits that are not covered by the main unemployment insurance charges that are typically tied to a company’s recent layoff history.

Spilka Calls for Major Investment in Caregiving to Help Women Return to Workforce

The Sun – Senate President Karen Spilka is warning of a “caregiving crisis,” as women have been ripped from the workforce to care for children and sick relatives amid the pandemic, and vowed to make Massachusetts a national leader in supporting caregivers by using federal stimulus funds.

“Many people — mostly women — who work in non-caregiving professions but are sandwiched between aging parents and growing children, have dropped out of the workforce in alarming numbers to care for those who rely on them,” Spilka said in a speech to the Greater Boston Chamber of Commerce.

Spilka proposed using federal and state dollars to create an affordable and accessible system of “intergenerational care,” but said she’s still “not entirely sure” what it will look like.

President Biden’s $1.9 trillion American Relief Plan includes $500 million for child care.

Spilka said she has “been particularly struck” by the statistics on the devastating effects COVID-19 has had on women in the workplace, noting their participation in the labor market last October was the lowest since 1988.

“Child care is just one piece of what many are calling a ‘caregiving crisis’ — a storm that has been brewing on our horizon for a few years, but which COVID-19 has turned into a full-blown tsunami,” Spilka said.

Board of Education Waives MCAS Graduation Requirement for Class of 2022

Boston Globe – For the first time since 2003, when the MCAS became a graduation requirement in Massachusetts, state education leaders have decided to exempt an entire class of high-school juniors from having to pass the exam to graduate.

State Education Commissioner Jeffrey Riley proposed earlier this month that the state exempt the Class of 2022 from having to pass the MCAS exams, a change Riley said would be necessary because of the disruptions caused by the coronavirus pandemic. The board approved the change unanimously.

The change was necessary “to adjust to this pandemic,” Riley said before the vote.

If not for the pandemic, current juniors would have taken most of their MCAS exams last year. Officials explained that these 11th graders would not have at least three chances to take the MCAS test and receive academic support if needed before graduation, so that requirement wouldn’t be fair to them.

Food Insecurity Rates Remain High In Massachusetts Because Of The Pandemic

WGBH – As the pandemic continues on, the number of families lacking access to healthy food is increasing.

According to the organization Project Bread, the number of families who are food insecure in the state has doubled. For Black and Latino residents, that rate is higher.

Project Bread president and CEO Erin McAleer said there are many factors that lead to food insecurity. Many food insecure families aren’t aware they can pull themselves out of it through help from the federal government, she said, and surveys show that benefits like SNAP are drastically underutilized in Massachusetts.

McAleer and other advocates are making a push this week to inform people who might be eligible for those benefits to check all their options.

Meanwhile, organizations like the Massachusetts Military Support Foundation are working to help ease food insecurity in the Commonwealth. According to foundation president and CEO Don Cox, the Food4Vets program originally served just veterans and their families. But like many of the foundation’s programs, it has expanded aid to everyone in need in the state.

Retailers Anticipate a Post-Pandemic Consumption Boom

Boston Globe – First it was bedroom slippers, sold by the pallet last year during lockdown. Then sheets and comfy pillows. As the weather warmed, patio furniture flew off the blocks, followed by the outdoor recreation gear: kayaks and, when the temperatures turned back to winter, snowshoes.

Consumers have been on a pandemic buying binge for stuff that provided comfort in a time of fear and alienation. And L.L.Bean has the receipts to prove it: All those boots and bedsheets helped the company’s revenue jump by 5 percent last year, to $1.59 billion. All told, L.L.Bean added a million customers in 2020.

April 13

FEMA Offers to Reimburse Families for COVID-19 Funeral Costs

WWLP – The Federal Emergency Management Agency, FEMA is now offering reimbursement for funeral costs due to COVID-19.

Secretary of the Commonwealth William Galvin is encouraging those who have lost loved ones to COVID-19 to visit his official website for information on applying for assistance with funeral costs.

“So many people have lost loved ones to this pandemic and coping with the loss of a family member is hard enough without needing to worry about the costs of laying that person to rest,” Galvin said in a statement Wednesday. He said help may be available “even if the funeral has already been paid for.”

It was announced this week that FEMA will reimburse up to $9,000 in funeral expenses for those who lost a loved one to COVID-19 after January 20, 2020.

The agency will begin accepting applications this month. Information on eligibility and how to apply is available through the secretary of state’s website.

Massachusetts Employers Still Face Unemployment Tax Increases

MassLive – When the state Department of Unemployment first updated its employer contribution rates for 2021, Suzanne Murphy thought she spotted a mistake.

The solvency fund assessment, one of several factors used to calculate a business owner’s unemployment insurance contribution rate, jumped from 0.58% to 9.23% for 2021. For Murphy, CEO of Unemployment Tax Control Associates in Springfield, that meant an employer contribution rate that’s twice as high and a tax increase of thousands of dollars.

“I said it’s got to be an error,” said Murphy, CEO of Unemployment Tax Control Associates in Springfield. “It must not have reconciled everything based on the latest UI legislation that was passed.”

Despite the passage of an unemployment insurance law that legislators praised as a relief package for employers, business owners are getting hit with higher tax bills due to what some call an unintended consequence or a loophole of the pandemic-era unemployment crisis.

The state’s unemployment levels have stabilized since they hit record-high levels in the first months of the pandemic, but the million-plus claims swallowed the state’s UI trust fund. The fund is expected to face a roughly $4 billion deficit by the end of 2021 — in big part due to federal advances that the state has to repay.

Democrats Insist on Keeping Municipal Workers in COVID Leave Program

MassLive – Putting them at odds with Gov. Charlie Baker and a municipal trade group, House Speaker Ron Mariano and Senate President Karen Spilka intend to preserve eligibility for municipal employees in an emergency COVID-19 sick leave program that the Legislature is working to finalize and return to the governor’s desk.

Baker has proposed several amendments to the sick leave program that the Legislature tried to include in a larger unemployment tax relief package, most of which the governor signed off on last Friday.

Many of the recommended changes remain under review, but Democratic legislative leadership said late Wednesday they do not intend to go along with Baker’s proposal to change employee eligibility for the leave program.

One of the governor’s amendments would exclude municipal workers, including teachers, public works employees, police and others. The administration said the change would align COVID-19 sick leave with the state’s Paid Family and Medical Leave program, which allows cities and towns to opt in instead.

Democratic leaders on Beacon Hill told the State House News Service that municipal employees deserve to take advantage of the program, which would provide up to five days of paid time off for full-time employees who are sick with COVID-19, isolating, taking time off to get vaccinated or caring for a family member ill with the virus.

”Our municipal employees, including our teachers and first responders, have been essential to the state’s COVID-19 response. We were disappointed to see Governor Baker’s amendment to exclude them from paid sick leave benefits,” Mariano and Spilka told the News Service in response to questions about the program.

Lawmakers Seek to Boost Post-Pandemic Public Education Funding

MassLive – The Massachusetts Legislature’s top budget writers have reached an agreement on school funding, proposing allocating more money than what Gov. Charlie Baker included in his fiscal 2022 budget plan.

The House and Senate Ways and Means committees propose a $219.6 million increase in Chapter 70 funds from fiscal 2021, bringing the total amount to $5.503 billion.

The state’s landmark education law that took effect in November 2019 requires that budget writers approve funding increases over seven years to prepare for full implementation in fiscal 2027. Under the new law, the state will provide $1.5 billion more annually for public education once it is fully implemented with more funds going to school districts with high concentrations of poor students and higher numbers of English language learners.

Massachusetts budget writers never funded the first year of the phase-in period, citing economic uncertainty due to COVID-19. Instead, the Baker administration and Legislature agreed to keep funding level, allowing for only inflationary increases.

Before the pandemic hit, Baker had proposed a budget that would have increased Chapter 70 aid by more than $303 million. A year later, he said he would fully fund the first year of the landmark education law. He proposed a $197.7 million increase of Chapter 70 funds. Education experts attributed the lower figures to the 37,000-student drop in enrollment for the 2020-21 school year.

House Chairman Aaron Michlewitz and Senate Chairman Michael J. Rodrigues said in a statement the money accounts for one-sixth of the funding phase-in needed before the state’s education reform law fully takes effect in fiscal 2027.

Working Mothers Derailed by Pandemic Face a Tough Road

Wall Street Journal – Before the Covid pandemic erupted, Brooks McCoy made $103,000 a year as a regional director for a commercial cleaning franchise in North Carolina. After being laid off last March, the mother of two resorted to selling Pampered Chef cookware to friends of friends. In August, after months of looking, she found a full-time job selling copiers and printers to businesses.

The company has given her the childcare flexibility she needs now, letting her work from home when her two daughters don’t have in-person school. But it pays $40,000 a year.

“I made that coming out of college,” says Ms. McCoy, 40 years old. She hasn’t been able to get a better-paying job.

After a brutal year of layoffs, parenting struggles, and juggling jobs and schooling under one roof, many working mothers are trying to regain their career momentum—and hitting new obstacles.

Stimulus Spending gets Scrutiny from Lawmakers

Eagle Tribune – The state has seen a windfall of pandemic relief funds, with billions of dollars more on the way from Washington, but lawmakers say they’re cut out of decisions on how the money gets spent.

On Thursday, members of the House Committee on Federal Stimulus and Census Oversight grilled Finance Secretary Mike Heffernan over what they described as a lack of communication from the Baker administration when it comes to parceling out more than $2.2 billion in federal stimulus.

“It’s frustrating and I almost feel like we’re being left out of the process,” state Rep. John Barrett, D-North Adams, during the live-streamed hearing. “This (federal aid) was all rushed out the door and we didn’t have any oversight.”

Barrett singled out allocations of federal Paycheck Protection Program loans, which he said are dispersed in many places with “little or no input” from state lawmakers or officials. He said some of the funds went to “questionable” recipients, and little was spent on oversight.

“We want to play a role in this,” Barrett said. “This is taxpayers’ money, any way you look at it, and there has been a lack of oversight.”

Rep. Colleen Gary, D-Dracut, said she’s headed off constituents who joke that lawmakers don’t have any authority under “King Charles,” a reference to Gov. Charlie Baker’s unilateral powers during the pandemic.

Fact Sheet: The American Rescue Plan

US Treasury – The current public health crisis and resulting economic crisis have devastated the health and economic wellbeing of millions of Americans. From big cities to small towns, Americans – particularly people of color, immigrants, and low-wage workers – are facing a deep economic crisis. More than 9.5 million workers have lost their jobs in the wake of the pandemic, with 4 million out of work for half a year or longer.

The American Rescue Plan will change the course of the pandemic and deliver immediate and direct relief to families and workers impacted by the COVID-19 crisis through no fault of their own. This law is one of the most progressive pieces of legislation in history and will build a bridge to an equitable economic recovery.

Economic Impact Payments

Through this third round of Economic Impact Payments, the U.S. Department of the Treasury (Treasury Department) and the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) are ensuring that Americans will receive fast and direct relief during the final phase of the COVID-19 crisis.

As of yesterday, approximately 90 million Economic Impact Payments had been disbursed, thereby ensuring that more than $242 billion of much-needed relief will be received by millions of Americans and their families within days of enactment of the American Rescue Plan.

Unlike the prior rounds of Economic Impact Payments, the American Rescue Plan requires a 2021 “true-up” additional payment, when applicable, based on information (such as a recently filed 2020 tax return) that the IRS receives mid-year during 2021. This additional Economic Impact Payment will ensure that Americans and their families receive greater amounts of financial assistance during 2021, rather than waiting to claim a Recovery Rebate Credit on a tax return in 2022.

Those eligible will automatically receive an Economic Impact Payment of up to $1,400 for individuals or

$2,800 for married couples, plus $1,400 for each dependent. Unlike the prior rounds of Economic Impact Payments, families will get a payment for all their dependents claimed on a tax return, not just their qualifying children under 17.

Normally, a taxpayer will qualify for the full amount if they have an adjusted gross income of up to

$75,000 for singles and married persons filing a separate return, up to $112,500 for heads of household, and up to $150,000 for married couples filing joint returns and surviving spouses. Payment amounts are reduced for filers with incomes above those levels.

The Treasury Department and the IRS continue to expand outreach to the millions of homeless, rural poor, and other disadvantaged Americans to ensure that they receive Economic Impact Payments. This includes new and continued relationships with homeless shelters, legal aid clinics, and providing Economic Impact Payment information in more than 35 languages.

Read a Summary of ARPA

Beacon Hill weighs post-pandemic policies

BOSTON  –  The pandemic has caused major changes in employment, transportation, childcare and myriad other areas. On Beacon Hill, policymakers are trying to decide how the state should prepare for a post-pandemic world.

On Tuesday, members of the Senate’s newly created Committee on Reimagining Massachusetts Post-Pandemic Resiliency huddled for the first time – virtually– to discuss how the state government can respond to the profound changes.

Sen. Adam Hinds, D-Pittsfield, who chairs the committee, said the panel will initially look at the impact on housing and technology.

The committee heard from several analysts who addressed the hurdles of planning for a post-pandemic world.

Evan Horowitz, executive director of the Center for State Policy Analysis at Tuft’s University, said the challenge for policymakers is planning “for a world in flux.”

“The new normal is going to be different from the old normal,” he told the panel. “We don’t yet know the extent or nature of those differences. And that’s a challenge for crafting sound, responsible public policy.”

Horowitz said the pandemic has further exposed a “digital divide” between wealthy and low-income communities that has affected schooling and work.

Baker Administration Looks Toward Summer School

WWLP – Summer school is still on this year despite a slight rise in COVID-19 cases across the state.

Governor Charlie Baker still believes that summer school is vitally important, especially after many students were out of the classroom for the past year. The Baker Administration expects to put in tremendous efforts to keep schools open throughout the summer.

The governor said there are two reasons behind the push for keeping summer school in session. One is to address learning loss after a pandemic-driven school year and second, to use federal funds aimed at supporting summer school.

While COVID-19 case number rise slightly, health experts still think we can avoid shutting down if cases continue to increase.

“I do not think we are going to have to get there where you are going to want to lock down if we get those surges. I think we can avoid those surges,” Dr. Anthony Fauci, NIAID Director said.

Governor Baker said the state will be putting out resources and supplement the money that’s going to be available for school districts.

Editorial: Vaccine ‘Passports’ — with Protections — Can Help get America through Herd Immunity Limbo

Boston Globe Editorial Board – A traveler shows up at an airline gate, claiming that she’s been fully vaccinated against COVID-19 and thus can fly safely to a country that requires that visitors be inoculated.

How, exactly, can an airline — or hotel, or any number of other businesses that need to worry about the vaccination status of their customers — be sure?

Solving the problem is one of the key steps on the road to reopening the global economy. And as controversial as they’ve become, “vaccine credentials” that allow individuals to show they’ve been vaccinated should be part of the answer — as long as careful safeguards are included.

How, or if, to certify vaccinations has become a more pressing concern as more Americans get vaccinated against COVID-19. Uncertainty remains about whether and when the country will reach herd immunity — the point at which a large enough percentage of people become immune that transmission of the virus peters out.

The lack of clear data about how coronavirus immunity works, the emergence of new variants, and lingering reluctance among some Americans to get vaccinated are among the factors that may stand in the way of achieving herd immunity. Until then, the reality may be that Americans will have to learn how to travel, fully reopen the economy, and live with the virus before we’re able to live without it.

Climbing Tax Revenues, Federal Aid Leave Massachusetts in Improving Financial Place

Boston Herald – State economists are telling taxpayers to keep an eye on the state budget — and the rainy-day fund — as tens of billions in federal aid and tax collections beyond expectations flow into Massachusetts.

A Tuesday memo from the Massachusetts Taxpayers Foundation points out that “much has changed” in the 10 weeks since Baker released his $45.9 billion fiscal 2022 budget.

Baker’s budget relies on drawing $1.6 billion from the state’s shrinking stabilization fund — a trend that emerged last year as the Legislature pushed off the passage of the FY 2021 budget for nearly seven months amid an uncertain financial picture as much of the state’s economy remained in lockdown throughout 2020.

Reliance on one-time funding sources like the rainy-day fund has irked economists. Marie-Frances Rivera, MassBudget president, at the time warned it sets the state up for a “short-sighted recovery.”

“The combination of action at the federal level, changing assumptions on the state’s Medicaid program and the public health and economic response to COVID-19 all have altered the fiscal landscape for budget writers,” according to the memo.

In addition to more than $8.1 billion in direct aid coming to Massachusetts, the state continues to outpace estimates on tax revenue collections. The state Department of Revenue reported more than $3 billion in tax revenue for March. That’s $402 million — 15.1% higher — than revenue collected the prior year during March and $648 million or 26.8% over the state’s benchmark.

April 6

AIM Alert:  Paycheck Protection Program Extended to May 31

President Biden signed an extension to the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) created last year to assist small businesses recover from the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic.  The deadline to apply for the PPP loan has been extended from March 31 to May 31.

Biden, CDC Director:  Don’t Let Up Now on Coronavirus Safety Measures

President Biden and the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) director are sounding the alarm on rising coronavirus cases across the country, urging people to not let their guard down and “just hold on a little longer” amid the vaccine rollout.

Virus case counts in the past week spiked by 10 percent across the country, and cases in Massachusetts have surged by more than 40 percent since the start of March. More contagious variants have been circulating as states ease restrictions and unvaccinated people gather without wearing masks.

“I’m going to reflect on the recurring feeling I have of impending doom,” Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Director Rochelle Walensky said during a White House COVID-19 Response Team press briefing, later adding, “Right now I’m scared.”

As virus cases jump, COVID hospitalizations and deaths are also now starting to rise.

A day later, Massachusetts Governor Charlie Baker was joined by Walenskyat the Boston vaccination site.

Walensky, a former Massachusetts General Hospital infectious disease specialist, would not say whether she thought Baker moved too quickly this month to reopen parts of the economy, encouraging larger gatherings of people at weddings and in places like theaters and ballparks.

“I’m not going to comment on individual states. What I will say is I’m really pleased to see everybody here is masked. Everybody outside is masked and people are doing their part to try to contain the virus here in Massachusetts,” Walensky said.

Walensky had a call with governors on Tuesday morning, and she said she urged those who had dropped their mask mandates to restore them. The public mask-wearing mandate remains in place in Massachusetts.

Thousands of Students Return to Full-Time, In-Person Learning on Monday

WGBH – On Monday, thousands of elementary students headed back to classrooms full-time, many for the first time in months.

For parents and students, it’s a mixed bag of emotions — especially as coronavirus cases tick back up.

Dr. Fatima Watt is the director of behavioral health services at Franciscan Children’s in Boston. She said talking to kids about what may be different in school and role playing, especially with younger kids, will help put their minds at ease.

“If a child is getting too close to them and they feel uncomfortable, if someone doesn’t have a mask on and they’re feeling uncomfortable, sort of problem solving and helping them navigate how to manage those difficult situations,” Watt said. “For younger kids, role playing can be really helpful. The more we practice and feel confident, the less stress we’re under and the more we’ll be able to enjoy and be relaxed for learning.”

Sharon Wolder is executive director of student support services in the Brockton Public School district. Brockton was granted a waiver from the state to delay all elementary school students coming back full-time until later this month. But Wolder said students are back in the classrooms one day a week, which she thinks will help make the transition back to full-time classroom learning easier.

“We approached it with the reality that in order to be prepared to learn, you have to feel safe and comfortable,” Wolder said.

More Massachusetts Residents Now Eligible for COVID-19 Vaccine

Boston Globe – The universe of Massachusetts residents eligible for the COVID-19 vaccine dramatically expanded on Monday as appointments opened to people 55 and older and those with one qualifying health condition, which now includes anyone who qualifies as overweight.

Massachusetts health officials on Friday added being overweight to the list of health conditions that allow someone to book an appointment, directing residents to a body mass index calculator from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to determine whether they qualify.

The state had previously said opening appointments to the new age group and those with one health condition would open up appointments to more than 1 million additional residents. It is not clear how many Massachusetts residents are now eligible under the overweight designation, though it had the potential to significantly increase the number of people who can now book slots. According to CDC data, about 74 percent of American adults age 20 and older are overweight or obese.

Pfizer Says COVID-19 Vaccine 100% Effective in Kids 12 To 15

CBS Boston – Pfizer says that its COVID-19 vaccine is 100-percent effective in children ages 12 to 15.

Right now their two-shot vaccine is approved for people 16 and older. But the company now hopes to expand that to ages 12 and up after preliminary results from this small study.

Pfizer said 2,260 children ages 12 to 15 took part in the phase three trial. The company said preliminary data shows 18 cases of COVID-19 in the placebo group and zero cases in the vaccinated group.

“We plan to submit these data to FDA as a proposed amendment to our Emergency Use Authorization in the coming weeks and to other regulators around the world, with the hope of starting to vaccinate this age group before the start of the next school year,” Pfizer CEO Albert Bourla said in a statement Wednesday.

“We knew Pfizer did very well starting at age of 16 and now they’re telling us the response is even better in children 12 to 16 which I think is excellent news,” Dr. Rick Malley, a physician in the Division of Infectious Diseases at Boston Children’s Hospital, told WBZ-TV.

He is eager to see the specifics of the study, but he says Wednesday’s announcement is exciting.

UI Rate Freeze is Step Toward Recovery

AIM Blog – Governor Charlie Baker last week signed a two-year Unemployment Insurance rate freeze, along with a tax benefit for small companies that borrowed money under the federal Paycheck Protection Program. The governor returned to the Legislature proposed changes to a COVID leave program for workers.

Boston implements Vaccine Equity Grant Initiative

The Daily Press – Boston Mayor Kim Janey announced a Vaccine Equity Grant Initiative Friday that is designed to increase access and awareness among communities disproportionately affected by the COVID-19 pandemic.

The program — a joint effort between Janey, the Boston Public Health Commission and the Office of Health and Human Services — includes $1.5 million in available funding for nonprofits, according to a Friday press release. Grant applications will open Wednesday and close April 9.

“We are proud to be part of this grant initiative that will help us increase our current efforts to make sure residents in  our hardest hit communities have access to the vaccine and the support to get vaccinated when it is available to them,” Caitlin McLaughlin, director of media relations for BPHC, wrote in an email.

Applicants’ programs should target minority communities, those with disabilities, individuals over 65 and residents of Chinatown, Dorchester, East Boston, Hyde Park, Mattapan, Roslindale and Roxbury, the release stated.

Maddie Ribble, director of public policy and campaign strategy for the Massachusetts Public Health Association, said the effects of COVID-19 “have not been born equally.”

To Re-Open High Schools Faster, Vaccinate Teens, says BPS Superintendent

Boston Globe – Teenagers 16 and older should be prioritized for a coronavirus vaccine and schools should hold vaccination clinics, Boston Superintendent Brenda Cassellius told US Education Secretary Miguel Cardona.

“High school students are struggling,” Cassellius said. “They’re isolated.” The vaccine “would bring some normalcy to their lives.”

Cassellius made her appeal during a visit with Cardona at the Joseph P. Tynan Elementary School in South Boston. It was Cardona’s first stop on a multistate listening tour to understand the challenges of re-opening schools as President Biden’s administration pushes for the majority of elementary and middle schools to fully reopen in-person during his first 100 days in office.

“There is no substitute for in-person learning,” Cardona said. “And you’ve shown you can do it.”

Cardona did not publicly respond to the superintendent’s suggestion for a teen vaccination initiative. The Biden administration is urging all educators to be vaccinated, but has not made any special plans to vaccinate students.

Testing Shows COVID Positivity Below 1 Percent In Schools

WGBH – There is little transmission of COVID-19 in the state’s schools, according to Gov. Charlie Baker.

The Baker Administration released a report that found a 0.76 percent test positivity rate in schools throughout Massachusetts that took part in the state’s pooled testing program, which screens samples from students and staff to determine if the virus is present.

“The science is clear that it is safe for kids to be in the classrooms, and this initiative has proved to serve as an invaluable tool for schools throughout the Commonwealth as they return to in-person learning,” Baker said in a statement accompanying the findings.

Baker said the findings reinforce his support of the program offered free to school districts, which he’s extending through the end of the school year. The program was originally set to terminate April 18. The extended pool testing program is funded by approximately $207 million in federal testing funds.

The program has tested almost 159,000 individuals representing 22,679 pools of students and staff in the more than 1,000 schools that participate.

“Of the collected pooled tests, Massachusetts is not aware of any in which there was more than one positive individual, suggesting that there is extremely little evidence of in-school transmission of COVID-19 in Massachusetts,” Baker’s office wrote in a statement.

CDC Extends Eviction Moratorium through June

Boston Globe – Struggling renters just got more time to sort out their finances.

The Biden administration has extended a ban on many evictions for another three months, just days before it was set to expire. Citing the ongoing pandemic, the Centers for Disease Control said it will continue the moratorium until the end of June.

“The COVID-19 pandemic has presented a historic threat to the nation’s public health,” the agency said in a statement. “Keeping people in their homes and out of crowded or congregate settings — like homeless shelters — by preventing evictions is a key step in helping to stop the spread of COVID-19.”

The federal ban has probably kept millions of Americans from facing eviction since it was put in place by the Trump administration in September, particularly as even stricter state moratoriums, such as the one in Massachusetts, have expired. It prohibits courts from ordering the eviction of most households if they have lost income in the pandemic and would face homelessness.

Rescue Act Steers Nearly $400 Million to Massachusetts Counties

State House News – County commissioners in parts of Massachusetts where they still exist are used to managing relatively modest budgets, using funds collected through local taxes and fees to maintain courthouses, support regional schools or to manage pensions for employees.

But with $1.3 billion earmarked in the federal stimulus law for counties around the state, this vestige of local government in Massachusetts is about to become flush with cash, creating an unprecedented dilemma for some county officials: Do we keep the money and try to spend it or give it to someone else?

“All the stakeholders are looking for more clarity. I’m advocating for a real close look at this to determine what is the best way for the counties to approach this,” said Norfolk County Treasurer Michael Bellotti.

Norfolk County has an annual budget of about $32 million, but some estimates of the “American Rescue Plan” show the county in line to receive $137 million in relief funding that would have to be spent by the end of 2024.

“They’re trying to figure out what this means and what are the strings attached to this money,” Bellotti said, referring to Norfolk’s three county commissioners.

Unlike in other parts of the country where counties are an integral part of the local government ecosystem, in Massachusetts the county lines are more geographic than jurisdictional. Only six of the state’s 14 counties still have a government apparatus, and residents of those counties mostly depend on the state or their city or town to deliver services.

Health-Care Providers Can Now be Paid More Than $45 per COVID-19 Shot

Boston Globe – After garnering national attention for its decision to pay unusually high rates to health care providers for administering COVID vaccines, Massachusetts is no longer an outlier.

Governor Charlie Baker’s administration in January decided to reimburse providers about $90 for each two-dose vaccination they gave to people covered by MassHealth, the state Medicaid program for low-income individuals. It also required private insurers to pay at least that amount — which was twice what federal officials were paying for vaccines in the national Medicare program.

But in March, federal officials significantly raised Medicare payments to almost the same high rate Massachusetts had set. Baker administration officials then tweaked their own rates to match the updated national payments.

Baker Advocates Post-Pandemic Housing and Infrastructure Push

WGBH – With an end to the pandemic in sight, Gov. Charlie Baker has his eyes on shoring up the state’s housing stock and infrastructure for the post-pandemic world.

Baker said the most recent round of federal funding in the American Rescue Plan Act included about $475 million dollars for rental assistance in Massachusetts, which will help programs like Father Bill’s and MainSpring in Quincy provide housing for those affected by the virus. Baker was in Quincy to announce a grant for the homeless shelter.

March 30

Biden Economic Plan to Focus on Infrastructure

Boston Globe – President Joe Biden will lay out the first part of his multitrillion-dollar economic recovery package this week, focusing on rebuilding roads, bridges and other infrastructure, followed by a separate plan later in April addressing child and health care.

White House press secretary Jen Psaki confirmed on Sunday the administration’s plans to split the package into two legislative proposals, part of an effort to get support from congressional Republicans. But she adds that “we’ll work with the Senate and House to see how it should move forward.”

Biden will release details in a speech Wednesday in Pittsburgh about his proposal for federal investments in physical infrastructure, an issue that has drawn Republican support despite wariness over a pricey package so soon after passage of the $1.9 trillion COVID-19 relief plan.

Lynch: Big Rounds of Aid Arriving in Massachusetts by May 

State House News – The check will be in the mail.

State and local governments in Massachusetts are set to receive about $7.9 billion in direct aid from the latest round of federal stimulus, and U.S. Rep. Stephen Lynch said Monday that the state should see that cash around the second week of May.

“The $350 billion for cities, towns, states, counties and tribal governments should be going out within, I would say, 45 days, thereabout,” he told the New England Council.

“And those checks go out to the states, just for efficiency reasons. But the amounts are given to each city and town by formula … so it is merely an administerial function on the part of the state.”

In Massachusetts, counties, cities and towns are expected to get about $3.4 billion in federal aid through the American Rescue Plan Act on top of $1.8 billion in assistance for K-12 education.

Lynch said the mayors and town administrators in his district are eager to get the federal funding. While state government has not cut its share of aid to cities and towns, indicating that “tax revenues have dropped off precipitously in the cities and towns, so they are in desperate need of funding just for first responders, just for the core costs of dealing with the pandemic.”

On Tuesday, deputy director of the National Economic Council, Bharat Ramamurti, will brief the new House Committee on Federal Stimulus on how Massachusetts and its municipal governments stand to benefit from the American Rescue Plan Act.

Virus Cases Up 20 Percent in 11 Days

The Department of Public Health’s projection of active COVID-19 cases crept above 30,000 on Sunday, reflecting the increase in new cases in Massachusetts that has drawn attention from health experts.

Sunday’s estimate of 30,772 active cases, roughly equivalent to the population of Needham, is the highest since Feb. 26 and an increase of more than 20 percent from the low point of 25,397 reported on March 17. DPH recorded 2,362 new confirmed cases from 108,411 tests in Saturday’s report and 1,817 new cases from 75,179 new tests in Sunday’s report.

With another 64 confirmed deaths reported across Saturday and Sunday, the cumulative toll counting both those with confirmed and probable COVID-19 infections now stands at 17,115. The seven-day average positive test rate fell slightly over the weekend from 2.41 percent in Friday’s report to 2.28 percent in Sunday’s, while the number of patients in Massachusetts hospitals with confirmed COVID-19 cases climbed by 35 over the weekend to 657.

Former U.S. Food and Drug Administrator Scott Gottlieb, a member of Gov. Charlie Baker’s COVID-19 Advisory Board, took notice of the Bay State’s growth in cases.

“Michigan, Massachusetts, and the New York tri-state region remain some of the areas of greatest concern, where Covid cases are beginning to surge again,” Gottlieb tweeted Sunday.

Massachusetts entered the fourth phase of the Baker administration’s reopening plan one week ago, increasing gathering limits for event venues and public settings as well as allowing ballparks, arenas and stadiums to host some fans for games.

U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Director Dr. Rochelle Walensky warned states on March 1 against “rolling back” public health precautions too quickly, and since then she has noted that infection numbers nationally are again on the rise. – Chris Lisinski/SHNS

Baker Hesitant to Mandate Vaccines in Public Sector

State House News – Massachusetts “should not necessarily head down” the road of requiring COVID-19 vaccinations for state troopers and other public workers at this point, Gov. Charlie Baker said, voicing an interest in first seeing more “normalization to the whole idea of getting vaccinated.”

Asked during a radio interview if he believes the shots should be required for State Police and correctional officers, Baker brought up issues of vaccine hesitancy.

“I think the important thing is to recognize and understand that not everybody is jumping to the front of the line, and some people have some very good reasons for doing that,” Baker said on GBH radio.

“There are a lot of folks in the health-care space who you would think, given everything that went on with COVID in the health-care community, would have jumped to the front of the line, too, and many of them did but many of them didn’t, for all kinds of reasons, and I don’t think you should put somebody in a position where they have to choose between a vaccine that they may be very concerned about taking for some very good reasons, and their job, at least not at this point in the process.”

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has authorized three vaccines – from Pfizer, Moderna and Johnson & Johnson – for emergency use. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention describes the vaccines as safe and effective, as has state Public Health Commissioner Dr. Monica Bharel, who said all three prevent severe illness, hospitalization and death.

Baker said that polling data indicates that people who are hesitant, in many cases, do plan to receive a vaccine at some point but “just don’t want to go first” and would like to hear from their own doctor, a trusted community member, or a relative who got the shot.

Legislators Left with Lingering Questions After Vaccine Hearing

State House News – The chairs of a legislative oversight committee came out of a lengthy hearing convinced that they need to “dig deeper” into why the Baker administration felt local public-health experts and the emergency plans they’ve fine-tuned for decades were not viable during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Sen. Jo Comerford of Northampton and Rep. Bill Driscoll of Milton, who are leading the Committee on COVID-19 and Emergency Preparedness and Management’s probe into the vaccine rollout, said in a joint statement Wednesday that the hours of testimony presented during the second oversight hearing “exposed two completely different sets of beliefs about our public health system” and how well-equipped it is to handle crises.

Gov. Charlie Baker and his top deputies defended their decision not to use local disaster plans and to emphasize the role of mass vaccination sites, telling the committee that the pandemic presented unique challenges that could not be met with the preparations already in place.

Comerford and Driscoll, both Democrats, pushed back on that characterization in their response on Wednesday.

“If private companies that have only recently entered into the world of emergency preparedness and vaccine coordination, can be trusted to find a pathway to scale COVID-19 vaccination efforts, then certainly the local public-health teams that have spent decades training and developing plans specifically on pandemic response can be as well,” they said.

“The complexities and barriers to entry to effectively administer doses of the vaccine are not insurmountable for local and regional public health teams and efforts to address any gaps identified during the hearing would serve only to build lasting capacity and capability within local and regional infrastructure.”

The chairs flagged several “unanswered questions” they will continue to pursue, including the pace of economic reopening amid constraints in vaccine supply. They did not specifically announce another hearing, but said the committee “will certainly follow up on these vital concerns.” – Chris Lisinski/SHNS

Pfizer, Moderna Vaccines up to 90% Effective at Preventing Infections 

Bloomberg – Covid-19 vaccines from Pfizer Inc. and Moderna Inc. effectively prevented coronavirus infections, not just illness, with substantial protection evident two weeks after the first dose, government researchers said.

Two doses of the vaccines provide as much as 90 percent protection against infection, according to data from U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention study published Monday. Earlier clinical trials had established that the shots also prevent illness, hospitalizations, and deaths.

The study adds to evidence that new vaccines made with messenger RNA technology actually reduce the spread of the virus in real-world conditions. An earlier study in Israel found a single dose of the Pfizer vaccine reduced infections by as much as 85 percent.

The CDC studied a group of about 4,000 front-line workers, including health-care personnel, first responders, teachers and service workers from mid-December to mid-March as vaccines rolled out widely. These groups were among the first to be vaccinated, along with the vulnerable elderly, because of their risk of exposure to the virus.

Final Person Vaccinated at Fenway Park

MassLive – As Fenway Park’s role as a Massachusetts COVID vaccination site came to a close, the vendor running the location posted a video celebrating the last person to receive a shot at the Boston stadium.

CIC Health posted a video showing Frannie Chan leaving Fenway Park.

Workers clapped as Chan walked out of the stadium. She was first handed a button noting she received the COVID vaccine. Chan then waved to a person taking the video.

The vaccine site at Fenway Park took appointments up until March 27, Saturday, before shutting down ahead of the Boston Red Sox opening day game against the Baltimore Orioles, which is on April 1.

The Fenway Park location moved to the Hynes Convention Center. CIC Health said it was contacting people who scheduled second-dose appointments past March 27 at Fenway Park so they can get their second shot of the vaccine at Hynes.

CIC Health reports 56,228 people were given vaccines at Fenway Park. 

Boston Mass Vaccination Site to Get more Doses through Federal Partnership 

WHDH – The Hynes Convention Center in Boston will see a boost in COVID-19 vaccine doses this week thanks to a partnership with the Federal Emergency Management Agency.

The federal agency will allocate 6,000 doses a day to the site, for a total of 7,000 doses per day when combined with the state’s current allocation, the Baker Administration announced Friday.

A portion of the federal doses will be designated for mobile units in Chelsea, Revere, and Boston.

The Community Vaccination Center program will be open to the public, with additional services available for the most disproportionately impacted communities in Suffolk County, starting Wednesday.

FEMA and its federal partners will provide support through staffing, operations, logistics, and vaccine allocations over eight weeks.

Even with the additional vaccines coming to the convention center, Gov. Charlie Baker says supply continues to remain a big challenge.

“The feds are continuing to build their channels, and we now have here in Massachusetts far more capacity than we have supply,” he said. “I would love to see the two of those things align.”

Baker ‘Pleased’ With Vaccine Progress After ‘Lumpy And Bumpy’ Start 

CBS – Massachusetts Gov. Charlie Baker said he is “pleased” with the adjustments the state has made to its COVID vaccine rollout, despite early struggles.

Baker told WBZ-TV political analyst Jon Keller that despite a rocky start with issues on the state’s vaccine website, he is happy the state was able to make adjustments.

“I am pleased about the fact that we made adjustments as we went along here. We said it would be lumpy and bumpy to begin with and it was,” Baker said.

“We’re now performing as well as any state in the country with respect with shots in arms and people fully vaccinated. In the end I do believe by the time you get the end of May, beginning of summer, Fourth of July, whichever particular milestone you want to pursue, we’re going to be as good as or better than any other state in the country and that’s what the people of Massachusetts deserve.”

Cape Cod Official Calls for Emergency Vaccine Site

Boston Globe – Cases of COVID-19 are rising on Cape Cod, causing alarm from local health officials and illustrating the continued threat posed by the virus and its variants even as vaccinations ramp up across the state.

Both COVID-19 case numbers and positivity rates have increased in recent weeks on the Cape, with about half of the region’s communities now considered to be at high risk for the spread of the virus, according to the state’s latest town-by-town report. In some towns, the increase is threatening to erase progress made in the wake of the winter surge, even as the Cape leads the state in the share of its population that has been vaccinated.

In response to the rising numbers, Yarmouth Health Director Bruce Murphy warned the region could be witnessing a “third wave” outbreak and called on state officials to redistribute some doses from mass vaccination sites to community clinics on the Cape and set up an emergency vaccination site in the region.

Boston Hotels Could Take Years to Recover

Boston Globe – Normally at this time of year at the Omni Parker House, anticipation is in the air. Wedding banquets are being planned, graduation dinners are being booked, and tourists are snapping up rooms at the elegant property, a fixture in downtown Boston since 1855.

This year, however, is anything but normal.

Even as the pandemic starts to ease its grip, the return of visitors to the city —particularly those flying in from other parts of the world or traveling on business — remains in doubt, which could stall what otherwise appears to be a promising recovery. And nowhere is the impact more evident than at the area’s struggling hotels.

The lodging market in Boston and Cambridge was steamrolled by the pandemic, with the area’s occupancy rate plunging to less than 26 percent last year, driving revenue per available room — the performance measure used in the hospitality industry — down more than 80 percent, according to the hotel consultancy Pinnacle Advisory Group. The region fared only slightly better than New York, which had the biggest drop in the country.

Massachusetts Unemployment Rate Falls to 7.1 Percent

State House News – Massachusetts employers added 14,100 jobs in February as the state’s unemployment rate fell to 7.1 percent, labor officials announced Friday.

The joblessness rate dropped 0.7 percentage points from January, and it now stands at the lowest level since the COVID-19 pandemic hit more than a year ago. February’s rate was 0.9 percentage points higher than the national rate of 6.2 percent.

The Massachusetts unemployment rate remains more than twice as high as the 2.7 percent joblessness rate reported in March 2020, according to Bureau of Labor Statistics data based on a household survey.

Using a separate survey of employers, labor officials estimated that the private sector in Massachusetts gained 22,300 jobs in February while government employment dropped by 8,200. The leisure and hospitality industry, one of the hardest hit by the COVID-19 pandemic and the changes to business that came with public health precautions, reported the largest gain with 10,300 jobs over the month.

Professional, scientific and business services added 9,400 positions, followed by trade, transportation and utilities with 2,000, education and health services with 1,300, manufacturing with 1,200 and financial activities with 800. Overall employment in Massachusetts remains about 325,000 jobs below February 2020 levels.

March 23

State Moves to Phase 4, Step 1 Re-Opening

AIM Blog – Ballparks, arenas and indoor and outdoor stadiums will be able to open with a 12.5 percent capacity limit when Massachusetts moves to Phase 4, Step 1 of its economic re-opening plan next Monday, Governor Charlie Baker announced today.

State Easing Travel Rules with Next Re-Opening Step

State House News – The fourth and final phase of the state’s economic and social reopening plan began Monday, and rules around out-of-state travel were also relaxed.

The July 2020 travel order that required people entering Massachusetts from most states to fill out a form and quarantine for 10 days, test negative for COVID-19, or face fines of up to $500 per day will be replaced with an advisory that instead encourages people to quarantine upon arrival in Massachusetts if they have been away for 24 hours or more.

The advisory, Baker’s office said, will not apply to those returning after trips shorter than 24 hours, those who tested negative for COVID-19 up to 72 hours before arriving in Massachusetts, or fully vaccinated travelers. Last month, Baker and Lt. Gov. Karyn Polito said they planned to loosen gathering-size restrictions and transition to Phase 4 of the reopening plan allowing stadiums, arenas and ballparks to operate at 12.5 percent capacity after submitting plans to the Department of Public Health.

The administration reaffirmed that timeline and said capacity limits for large venues “are expected to be adjusted over time if favorable trends in the public health data continue.”

Gathering limits for event venues and public settings rose to 100 people indoors and 150 outside. For private residences, the caps remain at 25 people outside and 10 people inside.

Overnight summer camps will be allowed to open, exhibition and convention halls will be able to operate subject to the gathering limits, and dance floors will be permitted at weddings and other events. Businesses like bars and nightclubs will remain closed until a later point in Phase 4, for which a date has not been announced.

Boston Taking Modified Approach to Next Re-Opening Phase

State House News – As most of Massachusetts shifted into Phase 4 of the state’s reopening plan Monday, Boston adopted a modified version with lower caps on most indoor and outdoor events.

“This is consistent with the cautious approach that we’ve taken throughout the pandemic,” Mayor Martin Walsh said Friday during a City Hall press conference.

“It’s not a lot of changes but there are some changes that we are not going to be moving forward with as much as the state.”

Instead of allowing up to 100 people to gather indoors and up to 150 people to gather outside, Walsh said Boston will only allow indoor gatherings of up to 60 people and outdoor gatherings of up to 100 people until the city’s positive test rate stays below 2.75 percent for two consecutive weeks.

For private residences, the gathering limits will remain at 25 people outside and 10 people inside.

The city’s positivity rate is currently at 3.5 percent, the mayor said.

The city’s more stringent restrictions will not apply to indoor or outdoor stadiums, arenas or ballparks, meaning that Fenway Park and TD Garden will still be able to host fans up to 12 percent of their maximum capacity, Walsh said. He said the city will also wait for its positivity rate to stay below 2.75 percent for two weeks before allowing Fenway or TD Garden to increase the number of fans allowed at games.

“The case numbers have stayed below our thresholds of concern for about a month now. We are ready to move forward to reopening, so we’re happy in the trend we’re going. We’re obviously not where we completely want to be, but we’re getting to a better place,” Walsh said. But he added: “The trend has been flat for several weeks. So, we did see a decline, but it’s been flat for the last several weeks. So, we know that we still have work to do to make sure that we combat this virus.”

After a Year on Front Lines, Massachusetts Grocery Workers Want Vaccine Eligibility  

NBC Boston – They remained open when most businesses were closed during the worst of the pandemic, and now, grocery store workers in Massachusetts are fighting to get the vaccine.

As it stands, grocery store workers are next in line to receive the vaccine, but they are in a group with a bunch of other workers. After seeing teachers get moved up in priority, they would like to be moved up, too.

“I think everyone is really anxious for the shot. It provides a level of safety for everyone, and we’ve been here feeding everyone during this,” said Tony Russo, the owner of Russo’s in Watertown.

The store has plexiglass dividers, and gloves are handed out to every customer, but Russo said some employees are still fearful coming to work due to the risk of exposure.

Kim Brookmire works behind the deli counter at Russo’s and regularly wears two masks and a face shield just to protect herself.

“It’s just the paranoia of being close to everybody. We should 100% get the vaccine. I would feel so much more comfortable coming to work,” Brookmire said.

State Rep. Carmine Gentile, D-Sudbury, heard their plea and wrote a letter Gov. Charlie Baker that was signed by 35 lawmakers. In the letter, Gentile makes the case for why he believes grocery store workers should be eligible for the vaccine now.

“They’ve gotten sick. They’ve gotten COVID. Some of them have died, and it’s not right. They should be prioritized by getting the vaccine yesterday,” Gentile said.

Baker Plans to Fully Open Vaccine Eligibility April 19

State House News – All Massachusetts residents ages 16 or older will become eligible for a COVID-19 vaccine by April 19, the Baker administration announced.

Residents 60 or older and certain workers became eligible yesterday. Residents 55 or older and those with one qualifying health condition will become eligible April 5 and the general public will become eligible April 19.

“The Administration has received assurances from the federal government that an increased vaccine supply will be available to states soon,” Baker’s office wrote in a press release.

“Depending on supply, it could take weeks for people to be notified that an appointment is available at a mass vaccination site.”

President Joe Biden said last week that he was directing all states to make all adults eligible to be vaccinated no later than May 1. Baker’s administration had planned to make the general public eligible for vaccine doses sometime in its final rollout phase, which has long been scheduled to begin in April.

Baker’s office also announced a new $24.7 million investment in its Vaccine Equity Initiative meant to “increase trust, vaccine acceptance and administration rates … and to meet the needs of priority populations.”

Jobless May Need Help Transitioning to Post-Pandemic Work

State House News – The state must invest in workforce development programs to help people transition into technical trades and other in-demand industries if they are unable to return to their old jobs eliminated during the pandemic, a new report from several statewide workforce organizations recommends.

The paper, presented Monday at a virtual policy briefing for legislators, recommended five steps to ensure “a full equitable and sustainable recovery,” including expanded technical training, funding for programs for speakers of other languages, investments in digital access, and the ramping up existing workforce system capacities.

“With a new influx of federal stimulus dollars expected this spring, it is imperative that efforts be targeted to people who have been hurt the most during the pandemic; and ideally, to help them thrive beyond pre-COVID levels,” the paper said.

The report was written by Kathie Mainzer of Workforce Solutions Group, Tonja Mettlach of Massachusetts Workforce Association, and Anne Calef of Boston Indicators.

Some unemployed workers will need to switch to new occupations but may not have the necessary access to training required for positions, the report states. As a result, Massachusetts should scale up and fund effective job training in sectors with high employer demand, offer on-the-job paid training, and allocate funding for retaining instructors, the report recommends.

The paper says funding should head to existing organizations that identify talent needs and create joint training ventures like the Workforce Competitiveness Trust Fund and Learn to Earn, both offered by the Commonwealth Corporation.

“The Workforce Competitiveness Trust Fund is a major one. It’s a competitive grant program around the state,” Mainzer said. “You must have employers at the table that have vacant jobs, and the employers partner with a community college or [vocational technical] school or training organization to help people get their CDL driver’s license or a CNA certification or early childhood education certification.”

The pandemic’s impact on the state’s accomodations and food services sectors topped all other industry areas in job loss between February 2020 and January 2021, according to the report. Roughly 103,300 people lost employment during that time period in accommodations and food services, with health care and social assistance coming in second at about 49,900.

Forced shutdowns and capacity restrictions meant to curb the spread of the virus also brought on an economic downturn that silenced bustling downtown areas. The effect of staying at home, the report said, created a “slightly counterintuitive effect” of further job losses in the service sector.

“Many Massachusetts workers are now working remotely, which almost paradoxically, has led to even more service sector job loss in downtown areas as there’s fewer workers to frequent those businesses, services,” Calef said. “All of this has translated to the high unemployment rate … which has been above the national rate for most of the pandemic.”

With the shift to remote working, the need for stable internet connectivity and devices has skyrocketed. Access to online learning, the report said, is one of the largest equity gaps that keep some populations from “opportunity and prosperity.”

“Every child and adult needs reliable, affordable internet and technology to participate in basic education, upskilling and career preparation/ongoing learning,” the paper said.

SkillWorks Executive Director Andre Green said access to digital resources is one of the largest pre-existing inequities with roughly 16 percent of workers statewide in hard-hit industries lacking access to high-speed internet. That number, he said, rises to 26 percent in communities like Fall River and Springfield.

Taken together, the report notes the state had an unemployment rate below the national rate every month from July 2007 to March 2020 but jumped above the national average in April 2020 “and continues to exceed that national benchmark.”

The effects of job loss were not experienced equally across economic, racial, and gender lines, the report said, as lower-wage workers, women, workers of color, and young adults felt the effects disproportionately. Job loss “has been especially pronounced for women and even more so for women of color, because of the sectors they tend to work in, and because they are often the primary caregivers at home,” the authors wrote.

“This translates to a large setback for women in the workforce” – as of December 2020, there were roughly 2.1 million fewer women in the labor force than in February 2020,” the report said. “Because of their heavy representation in hard-hit sectors and care constraints, women of color have been particularly impacted.”

Facebook, Boston Children’s Hospital offer new way to find COVID shots

Boston Globe – Next time you’re searching for places to get a COVID-19 vaccination shot, don’t forget to check out Facebook. The social network on Monday announced a partnership with Boston Children’s Hospital to provide US residents with information about vaccine availability in their neighborhoods. The organizations are working to add the ability for users to make an appointment directly from the Facebook app.

John Brownstein, chief innovation officer at Boston Children’s Hospital, said that Facebook’s huge audience — over 220 million in the US and two billion worldwide — makes for an ideal way to spread the word. “That’s where people are,” Brownstein said. “We want to make sure we’re arming that platform with the best possible data on where vaccines are.”

But the listings at Facebook’s COVID-19 Information Center are less comprehensive than at other websites, including the State of Massachusetts’ Vaxfinder site. For instance, the Facebook listings don’t include the state-run mass vaccination sites at places like Fenway Park. The Facebook listings mainly feature pharmacies at CVS, Walgreens, and Walmart stores. However, the new Facebook service does include a link to the Massachusetts COVID-19 information page, where users can run a more thorough search. And Brownstein said more sites will be added over time, in Massachusetts and nationwide. At present, the Facebook page also offers vaccination site information for Alaska, Tennessee, Indiana, Iowa, Oklahoma, Utah, and New York State outside of New York City.

Massachusetts is Getting Another Modest Increase in Vaccine Supply

Boston.com – Massachusetts is set to see another modest increase in vaccine supplies for next week, including thousands of unexpected doses of the single-shot Johnson & Johnson vaccine.

Gov. Charlie Baker’s administration said Monday night that Massachusetts is receiving 170,000 first doses of the COVID-19 vaccines this week, after getting 155,000 last week through the federal government.

The coming shipment includes 8,000 doses of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine, which officials say was a surprise after previously being told to expect a pause in deliveries until the end of March after the state’s initial shipment, as the company ramps up production.

The rest of the shipment for next week is comprised of doses of the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines.

Officials noted that the increased allocation does not include doses that are shipped through federal programs, such as the federal government’s vaccine partnership with retail pharmacies, which in Massachusetts received 95,000 first and second doses last week.

Massachusetts has seen its weekly supply of first doses slowly build over the last few weeks, after President Joe Biden’s administration increased the state’s shipment to roughly 100,000 first doses for the first week of January. However, officials have stressed that the demand for the vaccines continues to far outmatch available supply — and available appointments have been booked quickly.

The relatively small increase comes as officials in neighboring Connecticut announced plans Monday to accelerate their rollout to all residents over the age of 16 on April 5, after the officials said the Biden administration told them to expect a “significant” increase in doses over the next several weeks from Pfizer, Moderna, and Johnson & Johnson.

While Massachusetts has sped up the pace of its overall rollout, Baker has not hinted at any similar plans.

Moderna Testing New Vaccine that Does Not Require Ultra-Cold Storage

Boston Herald – Cambridge biotech company Moderna is testing a “next generation” coronavirus vaccine with the potential to remain stable at standard refrigerator temperatures instead of requiring ultra-cold storage.

The first participants have already been dosed with the new vaccine candidate, called mRNA-1283, the company announced on Monday.

“We are pleased to begin this Phase 1 study of our next generation COVID-19 vaccine candidate, mRNA-1283,” said Stephane Bancel, CEO of Moderna.

The vaccine candidate is being developed as a potential refrigerator-stable shot, which Bancel said, “could facilitate easier distribution and administration in a wider range of settings, including potentially for developing countries.”

The study will assess the safety of the vaccine at three dose levels and will be given to healthy adults either as a single dose, or in two doses 28 days apart, according to Moderna.

The candidate will also be evaluated in future studies as a booster dose for previously vaccinated people.

UMass President Proposes In-State Tuition Freeze

MassLive – University of Massachusetts President Marty Meehan will propose that the UMass system keep in-state undergraduate tuitions the same for the second straight year as a way of helping students and their families during a difficult economy brought on by the pandemic.

Meehan said he intends to recommend a tuition freeze for the 2021-2022 academic year to the university’s Board of Trustees. The board in July followed Meehan’s recommendation on a tuition freeze for the current school year.

He made his remarks Monday in a presentation at the UMass Medical school in Worcester.

“To lessen the financial burden on our students and their families, many of whom have suffered from job losses, business closures and other impacts of the COVID-19 crisis, I intend to recommend to the UMass Board of Trustees that we freeze tuition for in-state undergraduate students for the second consecutive year,” he said.

He said the freeze is possible by the state’s congressional delegation, which helped pass the American Rescue Plan legislation. He also thanked the support of the state legislature and Gov. Charlie Baker.

U.S. Treasury Gives Green Light to State Tax Cuts

State House News – The U.S. Treasury has given state lawmakers some breathing room as they consider a tax relief package worth as much as $350 million, indicating that states may cut taxes without being penalized under the new federal stimulus law.

The Treasury told the Associated Press that tax cuts are allowed under the stimulus bill as long as state money is used to pay for the tax breaks.

The stimulus bill signed by President Joe Biden last week included a provision preventing a state like Massachusetts from using any of the $4.5 billion in direct aid it will receive “to either directly or indirectly offset a reduction” in net tax revenue. The restriction could apply through 2024.

Some tax experts expressed concern that this could wind up doubling the cost of certain proposed tax breaks in the unemployment insurance rate relief bill. Experts and lawmakers were particularly interested in how the federal restriction might impact a tax credit proposed for low-income workers on unemployment benefits collected over the last year.

While the House capped the credit at $50 million over two years, the Senate reworked the credit and said it could cost $126 million. The chairmen of both the House and Senate Ways and Means Committees told the News Service last week they were awaiting guidance from the Treasury but believed the state would not be penalized for the tax relief bill because legislators had not proposed to use stimulus money to pay for it.

“However, because tax revenue collections for this fiscal year have been trending positively and performing better than benchmarks, the relief package currently moving through the Legislature, which was in development prior to the federal legislation being finalized, does not rely on expected federal funds to pay for the provisions relative to PPP and the unemployment tax credit,” Sen. Michael Rodrigues said.

And Rep. Aaron Michlewitz said, “I’m confident the moves we are making, A, we can afford and, B, are the right ones for the commonwealth in terms of the COVID relief discussion.”

Legislature Plans Tax Deadline Delay, Mirroring IRS

State House News – With the Internal Revenue Service moving the federal tax filing deadline back about a month, the Massachusetts Legislature folded a matching extension for the state tax deadline into the unemployment insurance, paid leave and tax relief bill that passed the Senate on Thursday.

The U.S. Treasury and IRS announced Wednesday that the federal income tax filing due date for individuals for the 2020 tax year would be automatically extended from April 15 to May 17.

Commonwealth Conversations

Please join AIM on April 13 for a Commonwealth Conversation with House Ways and Means Chairman, Representative Aaron Michlewitz, moderated by Brooke Thomson, AIM’s Executive Vice President of Government Affairs.  Register here.

March 16

“Timely” Aid Bill Likely to Clear Senate Thursday 

State House News – On the heels of House action last week, the Massachusetts Senate plans on Thursday to advance a bill laying out new unemployment system costs and tax breaks for businesses, a new emergency paid sick leave benefit, and new tax relief for low-income workers.

“We are aware of the timely and sensitive nature of this bill,” Senate Ways and Means Committee Chair Michael Rodrigues said Monday. His panel was still “putting the final touches on the language” of the bill with the goal of opening a poll vote to committee members Monday evening.

The final text will become available to the full Senate on Tuesday morning, Rodrigues said, with amendments due by 5 p.m. ahead of debate during a formal session on Thursday. The committee’s rewrite will “stick to the broad outline” that House and Senate leaders announced last week, he said.

“Those parameters include unemployment insurance rate freeze and relief for businesses based upon the governor’s bill, (Paycheck Protection Program) tax treatment changes to create equity and mirror what is done at the federal level, unemployment insurance targeted tax relief for low-income workers making less than 200 percent of the federal poverty level, and the creation of COVID-19 emergency paid sick time program for employees who need to be absent from work due to COVID.”

The House unanimously approved its version of the bill last week, a smaller-scope version of which Gov. Charlie Baker first proposed in December. It would reduce the scheduled increase in unemployment taxes that employers pay, impose a surcharge on businesses to pay back federal interest, and authorize borrowing to keep benefits flowing.

Businesses across Massachusetts face a nearly 60 percent increase in the taxes they pay to fund the state unemployment system without action from the Legislature after the unprecedented surge in joblessness during the pandemic depleted the fund.

FAQ On Stimulus, Unemployment and Tax Rebates

New York Times – President Biden signed the American Rescue Plan on Thursday, enacting a nearly $1.9 trillion pandemic relief package with benefits including another round of stimulus payments, an extension of unemployment benefits and generous tax breaks to low- and moderate-income people.

When will my stimulus check arrive?

The Treasury Department said that stimulus payments began arriving in bank accounts by direct deposit this weekend.

Treasury and Internal Revenue Service officials said the payments will be released in batches over the next several weeks, with some coming in the mail in the form of checks or debit cards.

The Treasury Department has been working with financial institutions to try to ensure that payments arrive more quickly this time around than they did last year.

As before, you should be able to track the status of your payment via the I.R.S.’s Get My Payment tool. Be aware that the volume of users sometimes overwhelms the site.

What should I do if I still haven’t gotten a payment from a past round of stimulus?

If you were in fact eligible to receive it, you can try to recover it through the so-called Recovery Rebate Credit when filing your 2020 return. Make your claim on Line 30 of Form 1040 or 1040-SR.

How big are the stimulus payments, and who is eligible?

The stimulus payments will be $1,400 for most recipients. Those who are eligible will also receive an identical payment for each of their children.

To qualify for the full $1,400, a single person must have an adjusted gross income of $75,000 or below. For heads of household, adjusted gross income must be $112,500 or below, and for married couples filing jointly that number has to be $150,000 or below.

To be eligible for a payment, a person must have a Social Security number.

Is there a partial payment for higher earners? 

Yes. But payments phase out quickly as adjusted gross income rises.

For single filers, the checks decrease to zero at $80,000. For heads of household, the cutoff is $120,000. And for joint filers, the checks stop at $160,000.

Payments for children decrease in the same way. 

Do college students count as eligible dependents? 

College students whom qualifying taxpayers claim as dependents are eligible. (They weren’t for past payments.) The payment goes to the parent taxpayer, not the child. 

Do older relatives who live with us count as eligible dependents? 

Good news here, too. If claimed as dependents, these relatives are also eligible this time. The payment goes to the qualifying taxpayer, not the dependent adult. 

Which year of income determines eligibility?

The most recent year on record at the Internal Revenue Service. If you’ve already filed your taxes this year, it would be 2020. If not, it would be 2019. 

What if I receive a stimulus payment based on my 2019 tax return, but the income reported on the 2020 return that I haven’t filed yet will be too high to qualify? 

You will not have to return the money. 

What if I am newly eligible for a stimulus payment based on my 2020 income, but I haven’t filed my 2020 return?

You could try to file it quickly, in hopes of receiving your payment faster. But there’s no guarantee your return will be processed quickly enough, and haste can lead to errors.

And you don’t have to rush: The law includes a provision for the Treasury Department to make supplemental payments by September. If you don’t get one then, you can claim the $1,400 when you file your 2021 taxes. 

If I have a baby anytime in 2021 and meet the income qualifications, will I get a $1,400 payment for the child, too? 

Any baby born in 2021 (or before) is eligible. 

How does the stimulus package affect unemployment payments? 

If you’re already receiving unemployment benefits, payments will generally be extended for another 25 weeks, until Sept. 6. The weekly supplemental benefit, which is provided on top of your regular benefit, will remain $300 but run through Sept. 6.

Although unemployment benefits are taxable, the new law made the first $10,200 of benefits tax-free for people with incomes of less than $150,000. This applies to 2020 only.

If I already filed my 2020 taxes, how do I claim that new tax break? 

It’s not yet clear, but you may have to file an amended return, according to a Senate aide. The Internal Revenue Service has not issued formal guidance yet. (But here’s hoping they figure out a way to make it happen automatically.) 

How do the benefit extensions work?

The extended payments will continue to be delivered through different federal programs, largely based on the type of work you did and for whom.

Benefits through the Pandemic Unemployment Assistance program, which covers the self-employed, gig workers, part-timers and others who are typically ineligible for regular unemployment benefits, will be available for a total of 79 weeks, up from 50, and run through Sept. 6.

And benefits through the Pandemic Emergency Unemployment Compensation program, which essentially extends benefits for people who exhaust their regular state benefits, will be available for a total of 53 weeks, up from 24, also lasting through Sept. 6.

What happens to the supplemental payments?

If you qualify for any benefits, you will also receive the full $300 supplemental payment for weeks ending after March 14 and through Sept. 6. Known as F.P.U.C., it’s called the federal pandemic unemployment compensation.

The stimulus package also extends an extra $100 weekly payment, called the mixed-earner supplement, through Sept. 6. This payment helps people who have a mix of income from both self-employment and wages paid by other employers, because they are often stuck with a lower state-issued benefit based on their (lower) wages.

The legislation also clarifies that the $300 federal supplement will not be counted when calculating eligibility for Medicaid and the Children’s Health Insurance Program. The mixed earner supplement, however, will be counted.

Will payments be uninterrupted? 

Experts said there may be a gap for beneficiaries in many states because it usually takes a couple of weeks for agencies to program any benefit extensions.

What student loan changes are included in the stimulus package?

There is a big one for people who already have debt.

You wouldn’t have to pay income taxes on forgiven debt if you qualify for loan forgiveness or cancellation — for example, if you’ve been in an income-driven repayment plan for the requisite number of years, if your school defrauded you or if Congress or the president wipes away $10,000 of debt for large numbers of people.

This will be the case for debt forgiven between Jan. 1, 2021, and the end of 2025.

What kind of housing help is coming?

The stimulus package provides billions of dollars in rental and utility assistance to people who are struggling and in danger of being evicted from their homes.

Nearly $22 billion will go toward emergency rental assistance. The vast majority of it replenishes the so-called Coronavirus Relief Fund, created by the CARES Act and distributed through state, local and tribal governments, according to the National Low Income Housing Coalition. That’s on top of the $25 billion in assistance provided by the relief package passed in December.

To receive financial assistance — which could be used for rent, utilities and other housing expenses — households have to meet several conditions. Household income cannot exceed 80 percent of the area median income, at least one household member must be at risk of homelessness or housing instability, and individuals have to qualify for unemployment benefits or have experienced financial hardship (directly or indirectly) because of the pandemic.

Lower-income families that have been unemployed for three months or more will be given priority for assistance.

Is there anything for homeowners?

The legislation provides nearly $10 billion to help homeowners struggling with mortgage payments, utility bills and other housing costs.

Roughly $100 million will be dedicated to housing counseling, which will help both homeowners and renters remain in their homes. 

How about homeless people?

About $5 billion will be allocated to help the homeless, including the conversion of properties like motels into shelters.

Another $5 billion will be used for emergency housing vouchers to help several groups of people find stable housing. 

What does the relief package do about health insurance? 

Buying insurance through the program known as COBRA becomes a lot cheaper, but only temporarily.

COBRA, for the Consolidated Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act, generally lets someone who loses a job buy coverage via the former employer. But it’s expensive: Under normal circumstances, a person may have to pay at least 102 percent of the cost of the premium.

But under the relief legislation the government would pay the entire COBRA premium from April 1 through Sept. 30 for people who have lost a job or had their hours cut.

A person who qualified for new, employer-based health insurance someplace else before Sept. 30 loses their eligibility for the no-cost coverage. And someone who left a job voluntarily is not eligible, either. 

Will the cost of health insurance I buy through an exchange be affected?

The legislation lowers the cost of health insurance in many instances for people who bought their own coverage via a government exchange. And the premiums for those plans will cost no more than 8.5 percent of your modified adjusted gross income.

These changes will last through the end of 2022 and do not require people to re-enroll to access the lower prices.

How do I sign up for health insurance?

If you don’t already have health insurance but would buy it if the price was right, an open enrollment period is already in effect through May 15. You can also switch plans to try to lower the price you’re paying already or get more generous coverage. The Kaiser Family Foundation maintains a calculator that estimates your premiums based on your income and any available government subsidies. 

Are there any changes to health care flexible spending accounts? 

None this time, though there were some in the last stimulus bill. 

What is happening with the earned-income tax credit? 

For 2021 only, the stimulus package will increase for childless households the size of the earned-income tax credit, which helps those at the lower end of the income scale, and make more taxpayers eligible.

The maximum credit amount for childless people increases to $1,502, from $543.

The age range is also broader: People without children will be able to claim the credit beginning at age 19 instead of 25, with the exception of certain full-time students. The upper age limit, 65, will be eliminated.

How are separated spouses affected? 

Married but separated people can be treated as not married for the purpose of the credit if they don’t file a joint tax return.

This applies only if the taxpayer lived with a qualifying child for more than half of the taxable year and didn’t have the same principal home as the spouse at least six months of the year. A separation decree or agreement would also suffice, as long as the individual didn’t live with the spouse by the end of the taxable year.

This change will be permanent. 

Are there any other changes?

• For the purposes of calculating the credit in the 2021 tax year, taxpayers could choose to use their 2019 income if it was higher than 2021, according to a Senate aide.
• People who otherwise would be eligible but whose children do not have Social Security numbers will be permitted to claim the version of the credit available to childless households. This change is permanent.
• Taxpayers won’t be disqualified for the credit in 2021 until they have investment income of $10,000, up from $3,650. This change will be permanent, with the $10,000 threshold indexed to inflation.

How does this change the child tax credit?

The credit is more generous for 2021, particularly for low- and middle-income people.

Usually, the credit is worth up to $2,000 per eligible child. This year, it will increase to as much as $3,000 per child ($3,600 for ages 5 and under). The age limit for qualifying children also rises to 17, from 16.

Does it change how the credit works?

Here’s where it gets interesting: You could receive some of the credit as an advance on your 2021 taxes. (You can also opt out of advance payments if you wish.)

The legislation makes the credit fully refundable, which means you can receive money from it as a tax refund even if your tax bill is reduced to zero. And half of that money can be advanced to households over the next six months (based on their 2020 tax information, or 2019 if that was unavailable). It’s not clear how frequently payments would be made — perhaps monthly — but they should begin in July.

The changes are effective for 2021 only, though at least some Democrats would like to make it permanent.

Who is eligible?

Married couples who have modified adjusted gross income up to $150,000 (or heads of household up to $112,500 and single filers up to $75,000) receive the full value of the new benefit.

But after that, the extra amount above the original $2,000 credit — either $1,000 or $1,600 per child — is reduced by $50 for every $1,000 in modified adjusted gross income that exceeds those levels. (For joint filers with one child age 6 to 17, the extra amount will be phased out at about $170,000.)

At that point, the tax credit levels out at $2,000, and is subject to the usual income limits: It begins to phase out when married filers have adjusted gross income of $400,000 ($200,000 for singles).

How do the advance payments work? 

The advance payments would total up to half the value of the credit the household is eligible to receive. (The other half would be claimed on its 2021 return.) But exactly how often the payments would be sent out depends on what the Treasury Department decides is feasible.

Here’s how it might work for a couple earning $150,000 or less: With two children, ages 7 and 9, they would be eligible for a $6,000 credit ($3,000 per child). If the payments were made monthly, the family would receive $500 per month starting in July and lasting through the end of the year. The remaining $3,000 would be claimed in 2021 on their tax return.

Could I end up having to pay any of it back? 

Conceivably, yes.

A taxpayer may receive too much money from the advance payments in certain situations, such as a change in income or filing status, or if they no longer claim a child as a dependent. (Single parents may run into this situation if the other parent claims the child as a dependent in some tax years.)

This could cause you to owe money at tax time or reduce your refund.

But the legislation mitigates the danger in a couple of ways.

First, only half of the credit is paid in advance. And the law also says that if the wrong amount was paid because of changes in the number of qualifying children, up to $2,000 per child would not need to be paid back by taxpayers who fall below certain income thresholds: $40,000 for a single taxpayer, $50,000 for a head of household, and $60,000 for joint filers. People whose income is above those thresholds may receive partial protection, which phases out as they earn more, tax experts said.

The stimulus package requires the establishment of an online portal to allow taxpayers to opt out of receiving advance payments and update information about their income, marital status and number of qualifying children.

What is changing about the child and dependent care tax credit?

This credit, which helps working families offset the cost of care for children under 13 and other dependents, will be significantly expanded for a single year. More people are eligible, and many recipients will get a bigger break.

The legislation also makes the credit fully refundable, which means you can collect the money as a refund even if your tax bill is zero.

“That will be helpful to people at the lower end” of the income scale, said Mark Luscombe, principal federal tax analyst at Wolters Kluwer Tax & Accounting. 

How much is the credit worth? 

For this year only, the stimulus legislation makes the credit worth up to $4,000 for one qualifying individual or $8,000 for two or more. The credit will be calculated by taking up to 50 percent of the value of eligible expenses, up to certain limits, depending on your income. (The more you earn, the lower the percentage you can claim.)

Usually, the credit is generally worth between 20 and 35 percent of eligible expenses with a maximum value of $2,100 for two or more qualifying individuals.

The stimulus package also significantly increases the income level at which the credit begins to be reduced. In past years, that started at an adjusted gross income of $15,000, but for this year the full value of the credit will be available to households making up to $125,000.

Previously, the credit was not further reduced below 20 percent, regardless of income, Mr. Luscombe said. But for this year, the legislation will begin to reduce the credit below 20 percent for households with income of more than $400,000.

What about dependent care flexible spending accounts?

The stimulus package makes one big change. For 2021 only, you can set aside $10,500 in a dependent care account instead of the normal $5,000. But employers have to allow the change: You can’t adjust the withholdings from your paycheck yourself if your employer declines to provide the option.

Are paid sick and family leave provisions being extended?

The legislation extends through September tax breaks to employers who voluntarily provide their workers with paid sick and family leave if they need to take time off because of the virus. But it does not mandate that employers provide the leave — that requirement expired on Dec. 31, and was not renewed in the legislative package signed at the end of last year.

Under the new stimulus package, self-employed people will also continue to receive leave-related tax breaks through September.

The paid leave provisions also cover time taken to receive a Covid-19 vaccine, or to recover from any illness or condition related to the immunization.

More than 400,000 Residents Sign Up for Vaccine through New Pre-Registration System

Boston Globe – More than 400,000 Massachusetts residents pre-registered for COVID-19 vaccine appointments by Friday evening, even as the state sought to do more to reach people of color and immigrant communities.

Launched around 3 a.m. Friday, the state’s new preregistration site prompts users with a series of questions to sort eligibility, and takes just a few minutes to fill out. Once the preregistration is complete, people receive a confirmation through their delivery method of choice — text, e-mail, or phone call — as well as a weekly update on their status.

No immediate problems were reported Friday, a positive development after weeks of complaints about a balky sign-up process. It could still take weeks for the actual vaccine appointments to arrive.

The new service signs up users for shots at the mass vaccination sites such as Fenway Park and Gillette Stadium. “I think we’re up to about 200,000 people preregistered at this point, which is great,” said Governor Charlie Baker during a briefing around 9:40 a.m., hours after the new system went live.

Meanwhile, criticism continued to mount about the fairness of the vaccine progress. The Boston-based Lawyers for Civil Rights said in a statement that “people of color and immigrants remain effectively locked out of equitable vaccine access.”

Legislature calls Baker to Second COVID-19 Oversight Hearing

Boston Globe – Governor Charlie Baker has been called to testify at a second legislative oversight hearing exploring Massachusetts’s COVID-19 rollout, according to state lawmakers, who intend to drill down into his administration’s decision to entrust a handful of private companies with running its seven mass vaccination sites.

The March 23 hearing will explore what lawmakers called the rollout’s “technology infrastructure” as well as the public health and emergency response plans the state had spent two decades and millions of dollars creating ahead of the pandemic, legislators said Friday.

The blueprint hinged on mobilizing the state’s vast network of local public health departments to respond in an emergency situation. But shortly after federal drug regulators authorized the first COVID-19 vaccine in mid-December, the state abandoned essential elements of the plan and turned over its largest vaccination sites to three private providers, the Globe has reported.

News of the hearing came on the same day that a survey showed a significant drop in public approval for Baker’s handling of the coronavirus crisis. Baker’s approval rating fell from 80 percent a year ago to 59 percent today, according to a report from Northeastern, Harvard, Rutgers, and Northwestern universities.

David Lazer, a Northeastern political science and computer science professor who worked on the survey released Friday, said researchers found that approval ratings for governors’ handling of the pandemic had declined across the country.

Billions in Additional Fed Aid Coming to Massachusetts

State House News – The new federal stimulus is expected to funnel billions of dollars to Massachusetts for state and local government aid, education and transportation funding, and direct payments to more than three million families.

Passage of the American Rescue Act that will provide state governments with direct federal aid for the first time since the pandemic began happened on the one-year anniversary of Gov. Charlie Baker declaring a state of emergency around the coronavirus that has since gone on to kill more than 16,000 people here and infect almost 550,000 others.

The version of President Joe Biden’s bill that cleared the U.S. Senate over the weekend was approved by a 220-211 vote of the U.S. House with only Democratic Rep. Jared Golden of Maine crossing the aisle in either direction. Biden is expected to sign the bill into law Friday.

Democratic leadership in the U.S. Senate projected that Massachusetts state government and municipalities would receive more than $8.1 billion in direct government aid, including $4.513 billion for the state, $3.415 for city, county and other local government aid, and $174 million in capital project funding.

Baker has described state and local government aid as “critical” to helping states like Massachusetts rebuild their economies as more of the public becomes vaccinated against COVID-19 and he has been calling on Congress to approve state aid for months.

“When we began our work, hundreds upon hundreds of community leaders reached out to us asking for help. They told us the relief in this bill would mean recovery instead of recession,” New York Rep. Carolyn Maloney, who chairs the Oversight Committee responsible for the bill’s $362 billion in dedicated aid to state and local governments, said.

“It can be used for vaccines, increased testing and countless jobs. Cities across this nation, states, have lost billions in expected tax revenue. This bill helps.”

Massachusetts is among the states that have not seen their tax collections live up to pre-pandemic revenue estimates, but the Bay State has nonetheless collected $1.123 billion or 6.1 percent more in taxes through two-thirds of fiscal year 2021 than it did during the same eight pre-pandemic months of fiscal year 2020.

Using Department of Revenue benchmarks for the remaining four months of fiscal 2021, Massachusetts is on track to collect $29.878 billion in taxes this year. While that would be $788 million more than DOR’s most recent estimate and $282 million more than what was collected throughout fiscal 2020, it would still be $1.27 billion less than the pre-pandemic consensus revenue estimate of $31.15 billion for fiscal 2021.

Massachusetts is also in line for more than $1.039 billion in transit assistance and $2.68 billion in total education aid, according to Senate estimates. And that’s on top of other stimulus spending that would flow to schools, businesses, testing and vaccination programs, the unemployed and more than $7.3 billion in direct checks to more than 3.1 million families in Massachusetts.

Baker said Wednesday that the extension of unemployment benefits is “a big deal for a lot of people who are in a pretty crummy place with respect to COVID generally,” and that the money for vaccination and testing “will also make a big difference.”

As Baker’s administration continues to prod communities to resume full-time in-person learning, the governor said Wednesday that the federal education aid “should make it possible for every school district and every municipality to find a way to do whatever they think they need to do as we go forward to either support summer schools or acceleration academies or additional work around building construct and all the rest to support that stuff going forward.”

As of March 3, the federal government had already sent more than $61 billion in aid to Massachusetts since the pandemic began, according to the Peter G. Peterson Foundation. Much of that money went directly to businesses, families, non-profits and public entities like regional transit authorities.

And while much of the federal money is earmarked for specific purposes, Democratic leaders on Beacon Hill have shown a desire this session to play a more active role in deciding how Massachusetts spends the billions in general government aid included in this round of federal relief.

The House this session created a new Committee on Federal Stimulus and Census Oversight that will be tasked with reviewing federal spending, including stimulus bills and block grants, and recommending ways Massachusetts can tap into additional federal resources. Rep. Daniel Hunt of Dorchester was named chairman.

With stimulus, Federal Government Makes a Massive Investment in Child Care

Boston Globe – Child-care providers, whose shoestring survival has been tested by the pandemic conditions of the past year, are not only getting a belated lifeline from the $1.9 trillion American Rescue Plan but also a sudden show of appreciation for their essential role to the economy.

The beleaguered Massachusetts child-care system is expected to reap more than $500 million, according to the office of Representative Katherine Clark, the assistant speaker of the US House, including money that can be used to stabilize budgets, hire additional staff, or boost pay for overworked employees.

William J. Eddy, the executive director of the Massachusetts Association of Early Education and Care, called the investment a “game-changer,” and said it “will just give a jolt to our system.”

Massachusetts’ private day-care providers have received almost no government help to survive the pandemic, save any paycheck protection act loans they were able to obtain. Until now, state government directed the limited federal aid available to providers who care for children with government-subsidized care. (The state only recently began offering all providers personal protective equipment and COVID testing.)

In the meantime, many providers have buckled under the burdens of COVID-era care and constraints. According to the Department of Early Education and Care, 922 family child-care providers and 450 child-care centers have not reopened.

State Unemployment Rate Dips Below 8 Percent

State House News – The unemployment rate in Massachusetts fell to 7.8 percent in January, and revisions to 2020 estimates have pinpointed the highest spike of pandemic-era joblessness to last April, labor officials announced Friday.

The January rate dropped 0.6 percentage points from the revised December rate of 8.4 percent, and it stands 1.5 percentage points higher than the U.S. joblessness rate, the state Executive Office of Labor and Workforce Development said.

Despite continued improvement from double-digit figures in the early months of the COVID-19 crisis, the unemployment rate in Massachusetts remains more than two and a half times higher than it was before the virus upended public life. Businesses reported adding 35,500 jobs in January, according to federal data based on a survey of employers.

From May to January, the state added slightly more than half of the roughly 690,000 positions that evaporated last March and April.

Friday’s release also revised the monthly data estimates for 2020. Labor officials now say the unemployment rate peaked in Massachusetts at 16.4 percent in April, a change from the previously reported high of 17.7 percent in June. The revised unemployment rates steadily declined from April to 15.3 percent in May, 14.8 percent in June, 9.8 percent in July, 9.3 percent in August, 8.9 percent in September, 8.5 percent in October, 8.4 percent in November and 8.4 percent in December.

Massachusetts Reports 1,508 New COVID Cases; 908,553 Residents Vaccinated

MassLive – Massachusetts public health officials on Sunday reported that 1,508 more residents have tested positive for COVID-19 and another 30 have died from the virus.

Since the pandemic hit the U.S. about a year ago, at least 568,616 Bay State residents have tested positive for the coronavirus and 16,311 have died, according to the state Department of Public Health.

DPH officials estimate there are at least 26,459 active cases in Massachusetts as of Sunday.

The latest case totals are based on 90,244 new molecular tests. The state’s seven-day average rate of positive tests is 1.67 percent, which remained steady this past week after dropping following a winter peak. The rate reached a low of 0.8 percent in September.

Currently, 636 residents are hospitalized with COVID-19, including 169 in intensive care and 95 who are intubated. Like the daily new case counts, hospitalizations have declined for weeks.

So far, a total of 2,522,847 vaccine doses have gone out across Massachusetts. At least 908,553 residents are fully vaccinated as of Sunday, according to a daily vaccination report from DPH.

The state recently launched a website to help streamline vaccine access. Anyone who lives or works in the state can use the site to pre-register to get the vaccine, whether or not they are currently eligible.

Dr. Anthony Fauci, one of President Joe Biden’s top pandemic advisors and director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, said Sunday that case counts are still too high across the country to declare a “victory,” even if trends are “in the right direction” a year after the pandemic began.

Phase 4 Expected to Start Next Week in Massachusetts; Here’s What Can Reopen

NBC Boston – In one week, Massachusetts is expected to move into the final phase of its reopening following last year’s coronavirus shutdowns.

The state moved into Phase 3, Step 2 of the four-phased reopening on March 1, and Gov. Charlie Baker has said that provided public health metrics continue to improve all communities in Massachusetts will move into Phase 4, Step 1 on Monday, March 22.

This includes a range of previously closed business sectors under tight capacity restrictions that are expected to be adjusted over time if the public health data continues to trend in the right direction.

The following industries will be allowed to operate at a strict 12 percent capacity limit after submitting a plan to the state Department of Public Health:

• Indoor and outdoor stadiums
• Arenas
• Ballparks

Also effective March 22, gathering limits for event venues and in public settings will increase to 100 people indoors and 150 people outdoors. Outdoor gatherings at private residences and in private backyards will remain at a maximum of 25 people, with indoor house gatherings remaining at 10 people.

Additionally, dance floors will be permitted at weddings and other events only, and overnight summer camps will be allowed to operate this coming summer.

Exhibition and convention halls may also begin to operate, following gatherings limits and event protocols. Other Phase 4 sectors must continue to remain closed.

The COVID-19 Vaccine Distribution Plan in Massachusetts
AARP

Who can get the vaccine now? 

Adults age 65-plus and people with two or more serious medical conditions. People who accompany those 75 and older to one of the state’s mass vaccination sites can also be immunized if they make an appointment. Each older resident is limited to one guest who can receive a vaccine.

Health care workers, long-term care facility residents and staff, first responders and people living or working in congregate care settings like homeless or domestic violence shelters.

Where can I get vaccinated?

Mass vaccination sites, including Gillette Stadium in Foxborough, Fenway Park in Boston, the Doubletree Hotel in Danvers, the Natick Mall in Natick, the Reggie Lewis Center in Boston and the Eastfield Mall in Springfield. You can pre-register for an appointment or use the state’s vaccine finder tool. Or you can call 2-1-1 to use a toll-free scheduling hotline. Use the prompt “for help with a vaccine appointment.” The hotline is staffed by English and Spanish speakers, and additional translations services are available.

Certain hospitals, health centers and vaccine clinics. Use the interactive map on the state’s COVID-19 vaccine website to find a location near you and book through the vaccine finder tool or by calling 2-1-1.

Certain retail pharmacies. Check the websites of Wegmans, Walgreens or CVS to see if vaccines are available. You can also get a CVS appointment at some Target stores with CVS pharmacies inside.

Check the state’s COVID-19 vaccine website for more information. You can also keep up with Massachusetts vaccine data, sign up for vaccine alerts or call 877-211-6277 for appointment questions.

Vaccine supplies are limited everywhere and available only to those now eligible under each state’s phased plan. Most vaccine sites require you to schedule an appointment online or by phone. Appointments can be very hard to get, as available time slots are booked quickly, and you may experience long wait times on the phone. If a time slot is not available, you may be put on the site’s waiting list. Some people are signing up at multiple sites to increase chances of getting an appointment. Once you have a confirmed appointment, public health officials ask that you don’t schedule or confirm another with any other provider so that vaccine appointments stay open for others.

What should I bring to my vaccination appointment?

Some vaccination sites ask for proof of identity or eligibility. Officials recommend that you bring a driver’s license or other state-issued ID that shows your name, age and state residency, and your health insurance card, if you have one. You will not be charged, but the vaccine provider may bill your insurer a fee for administering the vaccine.

If you are eligible due to an underlying medical condition or comorbidity, you may need a note from your doctor or some other form of proof. If you are eligible on the basis of your work, bring proof of employment such as a pay stub, badge or letter from your employer.

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) says to wear a mask at your appointment.

Who will be eligible to get vaccinated next?

Teachers, food and agriculture workers, sanitation and public health employees, judges and other court system workers are also grouped in Phase 2, though they’re further down the priority list. Teachers and education staff will be able to get a vaccine starting on March 11. The general public will be able to get a vaccine in Phase 3. According to the state’s vaccine timeline, Phase 3 could begin in April.

How will residents of nursing homes and other long-term care facilities get vaccinated?

Most residents and staff of long-term care facilities are being vaccinated through a federal program that has contracted with CVS and Walgreens to administer the two-dose COVID-19 vaccines at three free on-site clinics at the facilities.

Almost all nursing homes, which were given first priority, have completed their first and second clinics, and most have also finished their final clinics, according to data from CVS and Walgreens. Many assisted living and other long-term care facilities are also taking part in the program. Almost all of them have completed their first clinics, and most have completed their second. All the vaccination clinics are slated to be complete by late March.

I’ve heard that some vaccines require a second shot.

The COVID-19 vaccines from Pfizer and Moderna require two doses. If you get one of these, you’ll need a follow-up dose to be effectively immunized. The recommended second-shot date is three weeks after a first dose of the Pfizer vaccine and four weeks for Moderna’s, but the CDC says an interval of up to six weeks is acceptable. You should get a card from your provider saying when and where to return for the second dose. The state says it will send reminders via text, emails and phone calls.  Johnson & Johnson’s vaccine requires just one shot.

It’s not yet known how long immunity from a coronavirus vaccine lasts and whether it needs to be administered on a regular basis like a flu shot.

Do I have to pay for the vaccination?  

You should not have any out-of-pocket cost for getting the vaccine. AARP fought to make sure the federal government is covering the cost of the vaccine itself. Providers can recoup a fee for administering the shot, but not from consumers. They would be reimbursed by the patient’s insurance company or the government (in the case of Medicare and Medicaid beneficiaries and the uninsured, for example).

Should I still wear a mask after getting vaccinated?  

Yes. Experts still need to learn more about the protection the vaccines provide under “real-world conditions,” the CDC says. It could take your body a few weeks to build up immunity after the second dose.

The vaccine is just one tool that can help slow the spread of the coronavirus. The CDC says it could take months for the population to build up immunity and continues to recommend preventive measures such as face masks and social distancing.

In addition, it’s not yet clear how effective the vaccines are against new, more contagious strains of the coronavirus initially identified in the United Kingdom, South Africa, Brazil and elsewhere, although they would still provide some protection.

Moderna Partners with Baxter BioPharma Solutions to Supply 60-90 million Vaccine Doses this Year

Boston Herald – Moderna is bolstering its coronavirus vaccine manufacturing efforts with an agreement with Baxter BioPharma Solutions to provide fill and finish services for 60-90 million vaccine doses this year.

“We have seen a remarkable demonstration of scientific and health-care expertise in the effort to develop vaccines for COVID-19,” said Marie Keeley, vice president of Indiana-based Baxter BioPharma Solutions.

“Baxter is honored to provide our deep expertise in vaccine manufacturing to help partners like Moderna bolster the supply of their vaccine.”

Baxter will provide manufacturing services and supply packaging for about 60 to 90 million Moderna doses from its Indiana facility, the company announced on Monday.

“We welcome the opportunity to work with Baxter BioPharma Solutions on fill/finish manufacturing for the Moderna COVID-19 Vaccine in the U.S.,” said Juan Andres, Moderna’s chief technical operations and quality officer. “This additional production will help us continue to scale up our manufacturing capacity in the United States.”

Baxter BioPharma Solutions employs more than 700 people at its 600,000-square-foot campus and has expertise in vaccines.

As coronavirus vaccination demand continues to far outweigh supply, Moderna isn’t the only company forging partnerships to ramp up production.

As Teacher Vaccinations Ramp up in Boston, a Full Return to School in Sight for Fall

Boston Herald – Nearly one year after Massachusetts schools closed their doors to students and teachers as the coronavirus pandemic took hold in the state, Boston Public Schools staff visited a vaccination clinic to get their shots, prompting administrators to say a full return to school is finally in sight.

“We keep saying better days are ahead and we do really see the light at the end of the tunnel here,” Boston Public Schools Superintendent Brenda Cassellius said after greeting teachers at the Boston Centers for Youth and Families Gallivan Community Center in Mattapan on Sunday.

The site will inoculate 2,000 BPS teachers and staff with the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine over the next two weeks as the district ramps up in-person learning. K-3 students are already back in class and fourth- through eighth-graders return part-time on Monday.

The relief among teachers, staffers and bus drivers — many of whom have been working at least part-time with students throughout the pandemic — was palpable as they exited the clinic on Sunday.

Mattahunt Elementary School special education teacher Molly Norton called the experience “so easy and awesome.”

Bus driver John Sullivan of Hyde Park said he “felt a sense of relief in his core” after watching four co-workers die of the virus this past year.

High school social worker Patricia Valdez who works to connect needy families with rent relief and food assistance said, “I’ll feel a little more comfortable going into the building to provide for them.”

Gov. Charlie Baker on March 15, 2020, issued an executive order shuttering all schools for three weeks effective March 17. Students and teachers would ride out the remainder of the turbulent school year on screens. Remote learning would remain the norm last fall and as of this March, 20 percent of Massachusetts public schools are taught entirely online. Nearly all the rest continue with hybrid learning models where students split time between in-person and remote learning.

Boston last month became one of the first urban districts to forge ahead with a phased plan to bring students back to class under the hybrid model. Cassellius said a return to traditional schooling “is starting to feel more real” with students in the classrooms. High school students return on March 29.

When are We Going Back to the Office? Big Employers Set Timelines but Remain Cautious

Boston Globe – After scrambling to shut down their offices last March, many top executives told their staffs that normal commutes would probably resume by sometime in September, if not earlier. But Labor Day 2020 eventually turned into New Year’s Day 2021, as the coronavirus surged and return-to-office timelines kept getting extended.

Some of the area’s biggest companies now have June or July circled on their calendars. Many others are talking about Labor Day again. And many aren’t giving any return dates, no matter how tentative, just yet. They’ve been burned before.

A year into the COVID-19 pandemic, the timeline for our return to the office is still hazy.

The uncertainty doesn’t just weigh on commuters and employers. It’s vexing everyone from state policy makers to the cobblers, clothiers, and café owners who make downtown office districts hum. Complicating matters: A newfound embrace of remote work will continue in some form once it is deemed safe to head back.

The uncertainty doesn’t just weigh on commuters and employers. It’s vexing everyone from state policy makers to the cobblers, clothiers, and café owners who make downtown office districts hum. Complicating matters: A newfound embrace of remote work will continue in some form once it is deemed safe to head back.

Baker Seeks Tax Break for Business Owners

Salem News – Gov. Charlie Baker wants to tax certain businesses to help their owners skirt a federal cap on deductions of state and local taxes.

Tucked into Baker’s preliminary budget is a proposed “workaround tax” allowing pass-through corporations — partnerships, limited liability companies, and S corporations — to get around the $10,000 federal cap on deductions for state and local taxes.

The measure looks to aid small businesses owners, many of whom report and pay taxes on their business income as part of their personal income taxes.

“There are businesses that would definitely see this as a beneficial way to be taxed,” said Chris Carlozzi, state director of the National Federation of Independent Businesses. “Many of these business owners have struggled greatly during the pandemic.”

Carlozzi said the changes would put Massachusetts “on a competitive playing field” with neighboring states, such as Connecticut and Rhode Island, which have already approved similar changes.

Baker’s plan would create an optional “pass-through entity tax” allowing eligible business owners to pay income taxes separately from their personal tax returns. In turn, partners and shareholders of those entities would get refundable credits for federal income taxes, equal to the amount paid.

Did You Take our Survey Yet?

During the last quarter of 2020, AIM fielded a pulse survey to gather data on the effects of COVID -19 to businesses in Massachusetts. We used that data to advocate on behalf of our members and drive public policy. We are revisiting that work so we can continue to collect data and share these stories. With your help, we can gather the data we need to tackle the issues that matter most as we come together on the road to economic recovery. Thank you in advance for your time and attention.  Take our “5 minute business reopening survey” here.

March 9

What’s in the Senate Stimulus Package?

On Saturday, March 6, 2021, the U.S. Senate passed the Coronavirus Relief Bill.  The bill now goes back to the House, where a vote is expected on Tuesday. It is expected to pass and head to the President this week.

The total amount of the stimulus is $1.9 trillion made up of the following:

• Stimulus checks – $1,400 checks for individuals making less than $75,000 annually or $150,000 for married couples. Payments would phase out at $80,000 for individuals and $160,000 for married couples. Children and adult dependents would be eligible for the full $1,400.
• Unemployment payments – $300 a week through September 6, 2021 with the first $10,200 of the benefits for 2020 nontaxable for those making less than $150,000.
• Vaccines and testing – $8.75 billion to federal, state, local, territorial, and tribal public-health agencies for distributing, administering, and tracking vaccinations, with some funds specially dedicated to making sure the vaccination process reaches underserved communities.
• Vaccine development -$20 billion going to federal biomedical research for vaccine and therapeutic manufacturing and procurement; $3 billion for a strategic national stockpile of vaccines and $25 billion for testing, contact tracing and reimbursing hospitals for lost revenue related to the pandemic.
• Tax credits for children – For one year only, increase the $2,000 Child Tax Credit to $3,000, set the credit at $3,600 for parents of children under age 6 and make parents of 17-year-olds eligible. It would also make the credit fully refundable, so low-income households would get the full benefit, no matter how little they earn.
• Student loan forgiveness: Student-loan forgiveness free from income taxes for 2021-2025.
• Minimum-wage increase – $15/hour minimum wage not included.
• Schools – $130 billion in funds for K-12 schools to reduce class sizes, improve social distancing, improving ventilation, and provide more PPE.
• State and local aid – $350 billion to state and local governments. $10 billion of the state and local aid for infrastructure projects. Details on state disbursements TBD.
• Health care – Expands eligibility for subsidies to purchase insurance to people of all incomes and caps the maximum premium at 8.5 percent of a person’s income. It also takes steps to lower, or even zero out, premiums for people making less than 150 percent of the federal poverty line.
• Medicaid – Encourages the expansion of Medicaid by having the federal government pay for new recipients. Employees who lose their jobs or lose benefits because of working fewer hours qualify for 100 percent Cobra health-insurance subsidies.
• Other – Federal workers, including postal workers, may take as many as 600 hours of emergency paid leave related to COVID-19. The restaurant industry will receive $25 billion in relief targeted at small and midsize restaurants and chains.

Top House, Senate Leaders Agree on Relief to Workers, Employers

State House News – Top legislative Democrats announced Monday they’d reached a deal on a COVID-19 recovery bill that aims to help workers and employers.

The deal includes tax relief for certain unemployed workers, paid leave related to COVID-19 and vaccinations, relief from planned hikes in unemployment insurance rates, and waiving state taxes on Paycheck Protection Program grants.

Senate President Karen Spilka, House Speaker Ronald Mariano and Ways and Means Committee Chairs Rep. Aaron Michlewitz and Sen. Michael Rodrigues announced the bill in a joint statement, in which they said they’d seek to pass legislation quickly but did not lay out a timeline for action.

The four Democrats said they’d agreed on “targeted tax relief to unemployed workers whose income falls below 200 percent of the poverty line,” a waiver of penalties for missed tax payments on unemployment insurance benefits received in 2020, and access to paid leave for workers who need time off because they contract COVID-19, are ordered to quarantine or need time off to get vaccinated.

“Finally, the bill will prevent increases in the UI rate schedule for 2021 and 2022, providing employers with needed stability and relief as the Commonwealth continues to recover,” the statement said.

“The agreement also allows for state borrowing, secured by a temporary employer assessment, to ensure the solvency of the UI trust fund. In addition to UI relief, to help many small businesses and employers who received PPP loans to stay afloat and save jobs, we have agreed to conform to the current federal tax code to exclude forgiven PPP loans from gross income for small businesses organized as pass-through entities.”

Earlier in the day, a group of mostly Republican lawmakers joined the Massachusetts Fiscal Alliance for a press conference calling for quick action to waive state PPP taxes. The House is scheduled to meet next in an informal session on Wednesday: the Senate next meets in an informal on Thursday.

Spilka Downplays Outlook for New Taxes

Senate President Karen Spilka said Thursday she is not planning to raise taxes this session but left open the possibility of increases if the pandemic persists and worsens.

The $45.6 billion budget Gov. Charlie Baker filed for fiscal year 2022 cuts overall state spending and does not include new taxes on individuals. House Speaker Ronald Mariano said last month that taxes “are not on the table.” Asked on Bloomberg Baystate Business if she could make the same statement Thursday, Spilka equivocated.

“I think that that we’ll have to see how the year progresses,” she said as she recounted the last year of Beacon Hill budget management, which included a wait-and-see approach on the state spending plan and use of the state’s rainy day fund.She talked about the potential that another federal stimulus bill could be passed soon.

“At this point, I am not planning on anything, but I think we could, we have to see what happens with COVID,” she said. “I am hoping with my fingers crossed that we’re on a downward slide, a downward trend, but you just don’t know what will happen. And with the new strains and with some states in particular loosening the reopening guidelines, or no masks and people traveling, I mean, it’s so important that people continue to be vigilant and wear their mask and use the hand sanitizer.”

The Senate president pointed out in her response that the House raised taxes last session – in an $18 billion transportation bond bill and a revenue package passed in early March 2020 – and said the Senate resisted tax hikes last year. Notably, Spilka did not cite the work of the Senate’s revenue working group that Sen. Adam Hinds has led with the idea of bringing forth possible changes to the state tax code. Hinds plans to offer recommendations this budget season.

In November, when the Senate debated the fiscal year 2021 budget, Ways and Means Committee Chairman Sen. Michael Rodrigues said his committee would not support tax amendments, but said all signs indicated “a robust debate on revenue in the new year, and I for one look forward to that.”

Tax collections over the first eight months of fiscal 2021 have beat expectations by nearly $2 billion and the state could receive another $4.5 billion in aid under the American Rescue Act moving through the Congress. In addition, Spilka also did not mention a roughly $2 billion increase in income taxes on the wealthiest Massachusetts households that could move to the November 2022 ballot if it receives a favorable vote at a Constitutional Convention that she will oversee.

State Gearing Up For Rescue Act’s Cash Windfall

State House News – With Congress on the verge of passing an economic stimulus bill more than twice the size of the recovery bill used to help America claw out of the Great Recession, Massachusetts is bracing for a massive windfall, and with it the inevitable debate over how it gets spent.

“We are, like everyone, still figuring out what this means and what this means for Massachusetts but it’s pretty apparent that this is going to have a pretty significant impact on a number of areas in the state and on the state budget,” said Doug Howgate, executive vice president of the Massachusetts Taxpayers Foundation.

A week after the House passed a version of President Joe Biden’s $1.9 trillion COVID-19 relief package, the U.S. Senate on Saturday voted for a slightly altered package that includes $350 billion for state and local government, $170 billion for schools and $20 billion for vaccine administration and distribution.

The House will vote on the new version Tuesday, and Biden is expected to sign the stimulus bill before the end of the week, when enhanced unemployment benefits are otherwise set to expire.

“This package will also help get more Americans vaccinated, including providing our state and cities $350 billion to distribute the vaccine, balance their budgets and keep teachers, firefighters and bus drivers on the job,” U.S. Sen. Ed Markey said during a press conference Sunday.

The latest estimate from the House Oversight Committee projects that Massachusetts state government and municipalities will receive more than $7.96 billion in direct government aid, including almost $4.55 billion for the state.

The aid comes with challenges: making sure it gets spent responsibly and in ways that are needed most and ensuring it doesn’t bloat government budgets with one-time funds, which could create problems in out years.

Senate Ways and Means Chairman Michael Rodrigues told the Baker administration last week that he wanted the Legislature to play a “highly constructive and meaningful role” in determining how billions in potential new federal stimulus funding gets spent.

“With the American Rescue Plan on the brink of becoming law, we need to think carefully how to best use additional federal assistance to continue supporting our residents during the public health emergency and position our Commonwealth for long-term success,” Rodrigues said in a statement to the News Service on Monday.

Baker late last year tried to amend a section of the state budget that created a new federal COVID-19 response fund in order to retain control over how future non-earmarked federal relief for Massachusetts got spent, but he was overridden by the Legislature.

Rodrigues said that law was intended to “increase transparency on the use of federal COVID-19 relief funds.”

“Working with the Senate President and our partners in the House, I look forward to building off of those efforts and ensuring that the Legislature plays a more meaningful and direct role in determining the fate of these additional federal resources,” Rodrigues said.

The timing of the latest federal relief effort comes at the start of the fiscal 2022 budget process on Beacon Hill, but one House official recently told the News Service that the Legislature may look to put the annual budget and stimulus spending on separate tracks, especially considering the budget may not be resolved until at least July.

The administration did not say if or when it planned to file a separate budget bill seeking legislative authority to spend any of the federal stimulus money headed its way, but with past COVID-19 relief bills the administration has exercised broad discretion in how federal funding gets used.

For instance, last year the governor leveraged Coronavirus Relief Fund aid to create a $668 million business recovery grant program.

Administration and Finance Secretary Michael Heffernan has said that one priority the administration has for federal aid is to use it to reduce the state’s reliance on its “rainy day” fund to balance the budget. The administration has estimated it will need $1.35 billion in fiscal 2021 and $1.6 billion in fiscal 2022 from the stabilization account, though tax collections continue to outperform expectations.

The state’s education system is also in line for a big infusion of federal assistance at the exact time Baker and Education Commission Jeff Riley are amplifying the pressure on schools to return to in-person learning.

The stimulus bill includes $170 billion for education, including $125.8 billion for K-12 schools $40 billion for colleges and universities, and $2.75 billion for governors to share with private schools.

The K-12 school money, according to the Alliance for Excellent Education, will be distributed based on relative Title 1 funding for states, which could put Massachusetts in line to receive nearly $1.9 billion in additional funding for elementary and secondary education.

The Senate bill requires that at least 87.5 percent of a state’s allotment go straight to local districts, with 20 percent required to be spent on programming, including summer school, to address learning loss over the course of the pandemic.

The Senate bill also includes $7 billion for a program created by Markey to help equip students with the technology they need to connect to the internet and learn from home.

“We don’t know how long it’s going to take for every child to be back in class every day so that’s why this is critical funding,” Markey said.

The federal package also includes $30.5 billion for transit, though transit officials said Monday they don’t yet know how much the cash-strapped MTBA will receive, and $25 billion for restaurants and bars that will be administered as grants through the Small Business Administration.

The direct payments of $1,400 will be coming to individuals earning up to $75,000 and married couples earning $150,000. The benefit will be phased out for individuals earning more than $80,000 and couples earning more $160,000 a year.

The child tax credit will increase from $2,000 to $3,000 for minors age 6 to 17 and $3,600 for children under 6, and the maximum deduction for child care will climb to 50 percent of qualifying expenses up to $4,000 for one child, or $8,000 for two or more children, and make families at higher income levels eligible.

Current law allows for a credit of up to 35 percent of child-care expenses of $3,000 for one child or $6,000 for multiple children.

The Senate bill also sets aside $86 billion for about 185 multi-employer pension funds that are at risk of collapse, which has been a priority for Congressman Richard Neal and would likely wind up supporting the retirements of some Teamsters unionized truck drivers, warehouse workers, roofers and New Bedford fishermen in Massachusetts.

Business: Recovery ‘is not going to be flicking a switch’

Boston Globe – After a year of hunkering down, the country is about to bask in the biggest boom in nearly four decades. But the scars of the pandemic linger.

By summer, most American adults should be vaccinated, and life is expected to return to something approaching normal as people eat in restaurants, hop on a plane, or catch a game at Fenway Park. Getting out of the house for work and recreation will swell the economy, juiced by another big federal stimulus program and trillions of dollars in savings that consumers are eager to spend.

Yet that rosy outlook isn’t reflected in the sentiments of many local employers who would benefit greatly from a post-pandemic resurgence. Hammered by COVID-19 shutdowns, they remain wary after earlier forecasts about the trajectory of the disease proved too optimistic.

Instead of the rapid rebound projected by economists, these employers — from small business owners to big institutions such as hospitals and universities — expect a more gradual recovery marked by fits and starts. So, they’re ramping up slowly and delaying hiring decisions until the picture is clearer.

Massachusetts is digging out of an especially big hole. We were among the first states to shutter our economy last March to contain the coronavirus. And now, as other states such as Connecticut and Texas lift most pandemic restrictions, we’re likely to be among the last to reopen. The state ended 2020 with 335,000 fewer jobs than the year before, a 9.1 percent decline that was the fourth-largest in the country.

When Are the Stimulus Checks Coming? And Who Will Get One?Wall Street Journal – Another round of stimulus checks is almost certain to happen now that the Senate has approved President Biden’s coronavirus relief legislation.

A House vote is expected Tuesday, to be followed shortly afterward by Mr. Biden’s signature.

When are the payments coming?

Mr. Biden said Saturday that the checks would start coming this month. The Internal Revenue Service will likely provide more details once Mr. Biden’s signature turns the bill into a law.

The IRS has recent experience sending out payments, and that is a good guide for what to expect now. Last year, when former President Donald Trump signed the first big relief bill in March, the bulk of direct deposits arrived within about two weeks. The second round of payments, approved in December, hit bank accounts within a few days after Mr. Trump signed them into law.

CDC Says Fully Vaccinated People Can Gather in Small Groups Without Masks

People who are fully vaccinated against the new coronavirus can gather privately in small groups without masks or physical distancing, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said, relaxing safety guidelines for inoculated individuals under some circumstances.

The CDC said Monday that fully vaccinated people should continue to take precautions in most circumstances to prevent the spread of the virus that causes Covid-19. People who are fully immunized should continue to wear masks and keep their distance from others in public or while visiting unvaccinated people at higher risk for severe cases of Covid-19, the CDC said.

It is possible that vaccinated people could still get infected by the virus and transmit it to others who are at risk for severe disease, public-health experts say. But early research suggests that in addition to protecting against severe cases of Covid-19 that could lead to hospitalization or death, authorized vaccines likely also make people less vulnerable to infection and potentially less likely to spread the virus, the CDC said.

“There are some activities that fully vaccinated people can begin to resume now in the privacy of their own homes,” CDC director Rochelle Walensky said in a statement. “Everyone—even those who are vaccinated—should continue with all mitigation strategies when in public settings.”

The CDC released its guidance for vaccinated people as more than 90 million Covid-19 shots have been administered across the U.S., allowing people who have been vaccinated to navigate life during the pandemic with that added layer of protection against the virus. More than 17% of the U.S. population has received at least one dose of a Covid-19 vaccine, according to CDC data, and just over 9% of the population has gotten two shots.

A person is considered fully vaccinated two weeks after receiving the second dose of the two-shot vaccines made by Pfizer Inc. and BioNTech SE as well as by Moderna Inc., or two weeks after getting the single dose of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine.

The CDC said people who are fully vaccinated against the virus can visit with unvaccinated members of a single household without wearing masks or maintaining social distancing as long as those people are at low risk for severe cases of Covid-19. Vaccinated individuals don’t need to quarantine or receive a Covid-19 test after being exposed to the virus if they don’t have any symptoms, the CDC said.

Vaccinated people are also less likely to get infected during activities such as eating indoors at restaurants or going to the gym, the CDC said, though people should still follow safety precautions in those circumstances.

“We know that people want to get vaccinated so they can get back to doing the things they enjoy with the people they love,” Dr. Walensky said.

For now, the CDC said, everyone should avoid gatherings larger than small groups of individuals regardless of their vaccination status. The CDC didn’t update its travel guidance for vaccinated individuals, which includes avoiding nonessential travel and wearing masks on planes, buses, trains and other public transportation.

COVID Hospitalizations Plummet in Massachusetts with Vaccine Rollout

Boston Herald – Coronavirus hospitalizations in Massachusetts have plummeted since the state prioritized the most vulnerable populations in the vaccine rollout, prompting one leading doctor to tell the Herald that “the worst is behind us” for Bay State hospitals that have been slammed for much of the last year.

The peak of COVID-19 hospitalizations in Massachusetts’ second surge was 2,428 patients on Jan. 4, which came a couple weeks into the start of the vaccine rollout for health-care workers and nursing home residents and staff.

As of Sunday, two months and more than 2 million vaccine doses later, the number of coronavirus patients has plunged to 665. Cases and deaths in long-term care facilities have also dramatically decreased.

A key early on in the vaccine rollout was targeting the population that is most likely to be hospitalized, said Massachusetts Medical Society President David Rosman.

Massachusetts Explores The Advantages, Challenges of Johnson & Johnson Vaccine

WBUR – Massachusetts received 58,000 doses of the Johnson & Johnson coronavirus vaccine this week, the first shipment of what could be a substantial boost in vaccination efforts here and across the country. But it’s not clear how that boost will play out or when it will start. Gov. Charlie Baker says he’s not expecting any more J&J deliveries until late March or early April.

And Baker hasn’t spelled out how Massachusetts might target the J&J vaccine given its unique advantages: it’s a single dose shot, and it can be moved around a lot — even jostled — without risking stability.

Seventy-two percent of Americans who received the J&J vaccine in trials were protected from a mild to moderate case of COVID-19, as compared to more than 90 percent for the vaccines from Moderna and Pfizer-BioNTech. The three are similar at preventing the worst outcomes: hospitalizations and death. Public health and medical experts are urging people to get any vaccine offered.

“If someone offered me any one of those three vaccines, I absolutely would be comfortable and would be very willing to take any one of those three,” said Dr. Paul Biddinger, who chairs the vaccine advisory board in Massachusetts.

Spilka: State Should Allow Health Departments To Vaccinate Teachers

CBS Boston – Massachusetts Senate President Karen Spilka said that while she believes Gov. Charlie Baker did the right thing by following President Biden’s directive to vaccinate educators, she added the state needs a better strategy to quickly get shots in the arms of teachers.

Last week, Spilka called for the state to designate a portion of its shipment of Johnson & Johnson single dose vaccines for teachers. The state did not respond to the request.

Baker announced that teachers will be eligible to sign up for COVID vaccines at any of the state’s vaccination sites starting March 11. Teachers are currently eligible to sign up through CVS following President Biden’s directive.

Spilka discussed the state’s vaccination plan with WBZ-TV political analyst Jon Keller.

“I think we need to make sure the support services and resources are given to the schools. First and foremost are vaccinations for teachers and staff,” Spilka said. “I believe we need to follow the science and listen to the experts, who seem to be saying let’s get at least one vaccination into the arms of teachers. I believe the most efficient way to do that is to bring the vaccination into the communities.”

Rather than making teachers compete for vaccine appointments with other eligible residents, Spilka said local health departments should be allowed to give shots to teachers.

State Orders Elementary Schools To Re-Open Classrooms By April 5

WBUR – Public schools in Massachusetts will have to begin offering in-person learning to elementary school students five days a week next month.

It’s the first decision education Commissioner Jeff Riley made under new authority approved by the Board of Elementary and Secondary Education Friday afternoon, by a vote of 9-3. Under the regulation change, Riley can determine when remote-only education will no longer be an option for districts.

“The time is now to bring our kids back to school,” said Riley during Friday’s meeting.

State officials said the plan to open classrooms for elementary students would allow districts who have been remote-only for most of the school year to take a more graduated approach to fully reopening their buildings. Parents would still have the option to choose remote learning for their children through at least the end of this school year.

CDC Director: ‘Now is not the time to relax’

WWLP – CDC officials are warning people to not let down their guard when it comes to staying safe during the pandemic.

Many states, including Massachusetts, have been loosening and lifting restrictions. However, not everyone is comfortable with the speed of reopening.

“We are going too fast for a pandemic that is currently still active,” Richard Serrano from Belchertown, told 22News.

Officials from the CDC said they are deeply concerned about the COVID-19 virus.

“Now is not the time to relax the critical safeguards that we know can stop the spread of COVID-19 in our communities, not when we are so close,” CDC Director, Rochelle P. Walensky said.

Massachusetts is now in Phase 3, Step 2 of the reopening plan. The plan has raised capacity limits to 50 percent in most of the commonwealth’s businesses. And there are no capacity limits for restaurants.

If the state’s health metrics continue to improve, Phase 4 is slated to begin by the end of March. However, the CDC is raising concerns about COVID-19 variants, and the decline of COVID-19 cases and deaths in the country is showing signs of stalling.

The CDC is urging people to double their efforts in all COVID-19 safety measures. That includes social distancing, maintaining proper hygiene, and wearing a well-fitted mask.

“Do whatever you can to make sure your children are safe, and that you are safe too because mentally it’s really wreaking havoc on a lot of people,” Serrano said.

Vaccine-Finder Website Could Cost State up to $250,000

Boston Herald – The state’s Vaxfinder website — whose failure last month prompted that ubiquitous octopus graphic — is powered by a tool that could cost up to $250,000.

“If it actually helps speed shots into arms, that’s a price I’ll take,” state Sen. Eric Lesser, D-Longmeadow, said. “But that’s an awful lot of money to pay for a picture of an octopus.”

After technical glitches plagued vaccine signups for those ages 75-plus on Jan. 27 and drew sharp criticism, the state inked an emergency contract with Project Beacon on Feb. 1 for a maximum of $250,000 for an online “scraper platform” that would find and amalgamate open appointments scattered across various providers’ websites.

The tool was first used internally at the state’s call center for vaccine appointments, which launched on Feb. 5 to help connect seniors to shots. The state pays $10,000 a month for its use by the call center, according to contracts provided to the Herald.

Essential Workers Feel Left Behind by Massachusetts Vaccine Rollout

Boston Herald – Grocery and other essential workers who have toiled for a year on the front lines of the coronavirus pandemic are feeling left behind in the state’s vaccine rollout and say the powers that be are making “value judgments” in prioritizing other groups ahead of them.

Their frustrations have been growing in the days since President Biden essentially forced Gov. Charlie Baker’s hand in opening up vaccine eligibility to teachers ahead of the rest of the essential workers’ group in Massachusetts — which still lacks a definitive start date for access.

“There is a sense of relief that teachers are getting vaccinated. But we also think that the governor needs to understand that exposure is exposure and it goes across the board in many different industries,” said Gabe Camacho, political director for the United Food and Commercial Workers Union Local 1445. “It seems that the governor is making value judgments that are beyond the control of anything that makes sense.”

Essential workers — a group that ranges from teachers, to food and agriculture workers, to public health workers, to public transit employees and rideshare drivers — are the next to gain access to potentially life-saving coronavirus vaccines in Massachusetts.

Pink Slip: Assessing the Impact of COVID on Women in the Work Force

In Massachusetts, women account for nearly 80 percent of all workers over the age of 20, who left the workforce in January related to COVID-19.  2.5M women in the U.S. lost jobs or dropped out of the workforce during the pandemic.  Learn more about the effects COVID-19 has had on women in the workforce.

Join AIM on March 18 for a panel discussion with Colleen Ammerman, Director of the Gender Initiative at Harvard Business School, Paige Fetzer-Borelli, Lead, Corporate & Community Affairs at Dell Technologies, Robert Lewis Jr., President and Founder at The Base, and Brooke Thomson, EVP of Government Affairs for AIM as they shed light on why women are leaving the workforce and how employers can act now to prevent this talent loss.  Register here.

March 2

What’s in the $1.9 Trillion House Stimulus Plan?

Washington Post – The House on Saturday approved President Biden’s $1.9 trillion stimulus package, marking a crucial step toward passage of the White House’s first major piece of legislation.

Biden unveiled his proposal, the American Rescue Plan, last month, with hundreds of billions of dollars going to vaccination programs, expanded unemployment insurance, $1,400 stimulus checks, state and local governments, school re-openings and more.

Biden’s sprawling proposal set off an immediate debate among Republicans and Democrats over how best to heal the economy — or if another stimulus package is needed at all. Some issues, like raising the minimum wage to $15, have been especially fraught.

Many Democrats are backing Biden’s message that it is better to go too big on a relief bill than too small. Republicans, meanwhile, say the bill is much too large and is full of provisions that have little or nothing to do with responding directly to the pandemic.

The bill now heads to the Senate. Democratic leaders have said they hope to get a final version to Biden’s desk by mid-March, when expanded unemployment benefits expire for millions of Americans.

Stimulus Checks

• The House bill provides $1,400 stimulus checks, on top of the$600 payments issued through the stimulus bill passed in December. The Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget puts the price tag of this next wave of checks at $422 billion.
• The vast majority of Americans who received an earlier stimulus payment will get one again. But the most affluent families would be left out. Republicans and more moderate Democrats argue that this next round of payments should only go to thehardest-hit households.

Here’s the new Democratic plan for $1,400 stimulus payments

• Under the plan released by House Democrats, earlier this month, individuals earning less than $75,000 would receive $1,400 and married couples earning less than $150,000 would receive $2,800.

Expanded unemployment insurance and child tax credit

• The$900 billion stimulus package passed in December provided the unemployed an extra $300 per week in unemployment benefits. But that program expires in mid-March, raising concerns about a looming cliff facing its recipients. Nineteen million Americans were on some form of unemployment insurance for the week ending Feb. 6.
• The House legislation increases the weekly benefit from $300 to $400 per week through August 29. That’s one month shorter than Biden’s original proposal.
• The House law alsoexpands the Child Tax Credit to $3,000 per child, and $3,600 for children under age 6. The bill also expands the Child and Dependent Tax Credit so families can claim up to half of their child care expenses on their taxes.

Minimum wage

• The House bill would increase the hourly minimum wage to $15, up from the current level of $7.25.
• But whether it remains in the final version sent to Biden’s desk is still unclear. On Thursday,Senate parliamentarian Elizabeth MacDonough, a nonpartisan official, ruled that the wage increase cannot remain in the coronavirus bill as written. Senate Majority Leader Charles E. Schumer (D-N.Y.) issued a statement Thursday night saying “we are not going to give up the fight,” and many liberals are urging Schumer to challenge the ruling. White House press secretary Jen Psaki said in a statement that Biden was “disappointed in this outcome” but “respects the parliamentarian’s decision and the Senate’s process.”

Minimum-wage increase imperiled in covid relief bill by Senate official’s ruling

Pandemic response

• About $50 billion will fund coronavirus testing and contact tracing. Another $19 billion will go to increase the size of the public health workforce. And another $16 billion will fund vaccine distribution and supply chains.
• Economic policymakers, including Federal Reserve Chair Jerome H. Powell, havesaid that vaccinations are the most important tool for the economy. Biden on Thursday marked the 50 millionth coronavirus vaccine administered in the United States — the halfway mark to the administration’s goal of 100 million vaccines in the first 100 days.

Aid for state and local governments and transit

• The House law sets aside $350 billion for state and local governments, territories and tribes.
• Facing deep budget shortfalls,state and local governments have shed 1.3 million jobs since the pandemic began last year. While tax revenue grew in some states last year, the majority — at least 26 states — were hit with declines.
• That has divided somemoderate Senate Democrats over how best to target aid to governments that need it most. Senior Democratic lawmakers have become concerned that some states would use federal aid to cut local taxes.
• About $90 billion would go toward various transportation and infrastructure causes. About $47 billion would increase funding for the Disaster Relief Fund,which is managed by FEMA, and cover funeral expenses tied to covid. Transit agencies would get $28 billion in grants, and $11 billion would go to airports and aviation manufacturers. About $2 billion goes to Amtrak and other transit-related spending.
• Another $12 billion provides grants to airlines and contractors to freeze layoffs at airlines through September, according tothe Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget breakdown.

Schools and child care block grants

• The bill sets aside almost $130 billion for K-12 education. That money would go to improving ventilation systems, reducing class sizes, buying personal protective equipment and implementing social distancing,according to the House Committee on Education and Labor.
• Colleges and other higher-education institutions would get almost $40 billion. Schools must dedicate at least half of the funding for emergency financial aid grants to prevent hunger, homelessness or other challenges for students during the pandemic, according to the House committee.
• Almost $40 billion would go to child care providers through the Child Care and Development Block Grant program. The bill also sets aside $1 billion for the Head Start program, which provides early-childhood education, health and nutrition services to low-income children and families.

Biden administration expands unemployment insurance rules to allow workers who turned down unsafe job offers

Assistance for food, rent and mortgages

• The bill invests more than $5 billion in Pandemic-EBT,a program through which schoolchildren can receive temporary emergency nutrition benefits loaded on EBT cards that are used to purchase food. It also includes more than $800 million for the WIC program, which supports low-income women and infants.
• The bill sets aside $30 billion in emergency rental assistance and other relief for the homeless.
• Another $10 billion goes to mortgage assistance.

Business relief and retirement security

• The bill provides $25 billion in grants for restaurants and bars that have lost revenue because of the pandemic.
• Another $15 billion fundsEconomic Injury Disaster Loan Advance grants of up to $10,000 per business. Additional funding for Paycheck Protection Program loans, and expanded eligibility for nonprofits and digital media companies, adds up to $7 billion.
• The bill also provides grants for multi-employer pension plans and changes to single-employer pension rules. The Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget puts the price tag at $58 billion.
• Congress has long been looking for ways to stabilize the multi-employer pension system and avoid insolvency. But someargue the COVID bill isn’t the solution.

Health care coverage

• The bill reduces health-care premiums for low- and middle-income families by increasing the Affordable Care Act’s (ACA) premium tax credits for 2021 and 2022, according toa summary from the House Ways and Means Committee.
• The bill also provides COBRA subsidies so workers who have been laid off or had their hours reduced hours can keep their doctors and health coverage. The bill also creates health care subsidies for unemployed workers who are ineligible for COBRA.

Walsh Says Boston’s Outdoor Dining Program Will Resume April 1

Boston Globe – Mayor Martin J. Walsh said Monday that the city’s outdoor dining program for restaurants will return on April 1, weather permitting, as restaurants continue to battle the economic devastation wrought by the COVID-19 pandemic.

Single-Dose COVID Vaccine Recommended by CDC A CDC advisory panel on Sunday unanimously recommended Johnson & Johnson’s single-dose coronavirus vaccine for Americans 18 and older, paving the way for the shot to be administered to the public beginning this week. Twelve members of the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices endorsed the vaccine, with none voting against and a single member recusing due to potential conflicts. The vote comes after the FDA on Saturday authorized emergency use of the shot for adults 18 and older. CDC Director Rochelle Walensky signed off on the recommendation shortly after the vote. “This vaccine is also another important tool in our toolbox to equitably vaccinate as many people as possible, as quickly as possible,” Walensky said in a statement. The Johnson & Johnson vaccine is the first single-dose shot authorized in the U.S. and is easier to store and transport than two-dose COVID vaccines from Pfizer and Moderna. For that reason, it will be especially useful in rural communities and for hard-to-reach populations. The shot was found to be 66 percent effective in preventing moderate to severe Covid-19 at least 28 days after vaccination, and 85 percent effective in preventing severe to critical COVID over the same time frame, according to the FDA. The J&J vaccine’s efficacy rate is lower than both the Pfizer and Moderna shots, which were found to be 95 percent and 94 percent, respectively. Public health officials warn the rates don’t offer apples-to-apples comparisons, and that the J&J trial may offer a better measure of how the company’s vaccine stacks up against new, more transmissable COVID strains that are proliferating around the world. “I think we need to pull away from this comparing and parsing numbers until you compare them head-to-head. Just be really grateful that we have three really efficacious vaccines,” Anthony Fauci, the government’s top infectious disease expert, said Sunday on ABC’s “This Week.” A senior administration official told reporters the Biden team has directed states to distribute all three vaccines evenly throughout all populations. The official said the federal government is closely monitoring state distribution and whether equity metrics are being hit. The Biden administration says roughly 4 million J&J shots will be sent out this week, including 2 million to states and another 2 million to pharmacies and community health centers.

Here’s the List of COVID Restrictions Being Eased This Week

Boston Herald – Restrictions limiting restaurants and businesses begin to roll back on Monday, a “good sign,” Gov. Charlie Baker said, for the state’s economy that has been struggling under nearly a year of pandemic-era shutdowns.

Here’s what changes started Monday, subject to local restrictions:

• Concert halls, theaters, and other indoor performance venues can reopen at 50% capacity, with a 500-person limit.
• Laser tag, roller skating, trampolines, obstacle courses and other indoor close-contact recreational activities can reopen at 50% capacity.
• Capacity limits for all businesses will be raised to 50% and excludes employees.
• Capacity limits lifted for restaurants but must adhere to 6-foot social distancing and 90-minute table limits and limits of 6 people per party remain in place.
• Restaurants can host musical performances.

Here’s what businesses are due to reopen effective March 22:

• Indoor and outdoor stadiums can reopen to fans with 12% capacity limits.
• Arenas may reopen, also limited to 12% capacity.
• Ballparks can reopen with 12% capacity.
• Gathering limits for public event venues increases to 100 people indoors and 150 people outdoors.
• Gatherings at private homes remain limited to 10 people indoors and 25 people outdoors.
• Dance floors may open at weddings and other events.
• Summer camps may open this coming summer.
• Exhibition and convention halls may also reopen in accordance with gathering limits.

Boston delays reopening of concert halls, theaters, other indoor businesses

Boston Globe – Mayor Martin J. Walsh announced last Friday that Boston will delay the reopening of indoor performance spaces and recreational activity venues until March 22, taking a harder stance than the state, which said those spaces could open Monday.

Governor Charlie Baker announced plans to lift several business restrictions last Thursday, most of which Boston is following, such as ending the restaurant capacity limit and increasing other business capacity limits to 50 percent. But Walsh is holding back on reopening spaces such as concert halls, theaters, and indoor roller-skating rinks. In other areas of the state, those spaces are now able to reopen with capacity restrictions and a maximum of 500 people.

“Since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, Boston has taken a cautious approach to reopening,” said Mayor Walsh in a press release. “We’ve prioritized the health and safety of our residents, and we’ve made decisions based on the latest public health data and metrics. We’ve only moved forward when it’s safe.”

The return of live music at restaurants will also be delayed from March 1 to March 22 in Boston.

Walsh said Boston is prepared to move to Step 1 of Phase 4 on March 22, along with the state, as long as public health data supports it. That step will allow large venues to reopen at 12 percent capacity, including Fenway Park and TD Garden, which are located in Boston.

Businesses Celebrate Re-Opening; Experts Warn about Lifting Restrictions

Boston Herald – Business owners are cautiously optimistic after nearly a year of pandemic-era shutdowns as Massachusetts takes a major step forward in reopening its economy on Monday, but public health leaders warn it’s still too soon to start easing restrictions.

Concert halls and theaters that closed last March can reopen — with limited capacity — and restaurants will be able to bring in live music and will no longer be bound by capacity limits as the state resumes Phase 3, Step 2, of its reopening this week.

Then, beginning March 22, sports fans will be welcomed back into stadiums in limited numbers for the first time since the coronavirus pandemic hit last year and wedding and event venues will be allowed to host larger gatherings.

“This is recognizing how far we’ve come with vaccination and low positivity rates and knowing things are getting better,” said Jon Hurst of the Retailers Association of Massachusetts, which represents more than 4,000 small businesses. “As we approach the one-year anniversary, that’s an important message that the governor is giving and we appreciate that.”

Restaurants Set to Move to Full Capacity Seating

WPRI – Starting March 1, some restrictions at restaurants and venues will ease up in Massachusetts.

A few weeks later, on March 22, larger weddings will be allowed at venues.

Perhaps you’ve seen the advertisements on 195 East, White’s of Westport is offering minimonies, wedding ceremonies of just 10 people or fewer.

It’s one way they got creative to stay relevant when larger weddings were canceled.

But business is already picking up again, even before restrictions are officially lifted in the Bay State.

“A hundred is huge compared to where we’ve been for the last year,” said General Manager Charlie Fellows.

Engaged couples rejoiced, when they heard Gov. Charlie Baker announce Thursday that soon they could have their dream wedding.

“Finally once the Governor said, ‘Okay on the 22nd, we can have 100 people’, everybody’s booking their parties and frantically trying to get their prime dates and Saturdays and May is a very busy month so it’s been good. We’re excited. And when he opens it up even more, we’re really excited. Then we’ll fill this room up again.”

Fellows said while Lafrance Hospitality, which owns White’s, waits for March 22, they’re also preparing for more business starting Monday at their restaurants, Merrill’s in New Bedford and Bittersweet Farm in Westport, to name a couple.

Starting Monday, they’ll be able to seat at full capacity again while social distancing.

Fellows said these are all great steps, but he’s hoping for more answers from the government soon for his clients.

“Let us know when we’re going to be able to do 300 people. This venue here, White’s, we can do almost 2,000 people. So let us know when we can do a little more.”

Lafrance Hospitality also set up what Fellows calls two virtual restaurants and a food truck for the warmer months ahead, options he believes will stick around post-pandemic due to their success.

Arlington to Develop Plan for Full, In-School Teaching in Spring

The Patch – The School Committee has directed administrators to create a plan for full, on-campus instruction in spring, including a possible move to three feet between desks for grades K-8.

This plan would not commit Arlington Public Schools to adopt this reduced distance or give a precise deadline for its possible implementation. Nor would it scrap before June the “remote academy by choice,” by which some students, per their parents’ request, learn completely remotely.

Since September under Arlington’s hybrid system, desks are kept at least six feet apart, which means that currently no child is on campus more than two days a week save for the most high-needs special-education students, who may attend up to four days a week.

The unanimous vote came after heated discussion during which members praised teachers and supported widespread Covid-19 vaccinations — and criticized Massachusetts officials for demanding five-day-a-week in-person instruction while refusing to supply shots to on-campus staffers.

Before the vote, Superintendent Kathleen Bodie reiterated the district’s plan, voted in January, to have all grades full time on campus in September. She said that kindergartners are expected to return to campus full time imminently, and that grades one and two are set to follow as soon as teachers have access to vaccines.

Baker Eyes Teacher Vaccinations by Mid-March

The Patch – The governor’s remarks came as he visited a pooled-testing program at a middle school in Newburyport, Boston 25 reported.

Widespread vaccinations for teachers and school staff has been a sticking point in the fight over resuming in-person learning. The Massachusetts Teachers Association has advocated for the state to add teachers to the priority group receiving vaccines in the first few phases of the roll-out.

Baker gets earful from lawmakers, looks ahead to reopening sports stadium

Gov. Baker said Thursday, Feb. 25, that the state on Monday will move to Phase Three, Step Two of its economic reopening amid the Covid-19 pandemic, allowing indoor performance venues and indoor recreational activities to reopen and capacity limits across all sectors will increase to 50 percent.

The state will then move to the next step March 22, “as long as the public health data continues to get better,” permitting large arenas, such as Fenway Park and Gillette Stadium, to welcome fans in person at 12-percent capacity.

Meanwhile, the public continued to report long wait times to schedule inoculations along with some improvement from a state website.

State lawmakers harshly criticized Baker over the state’s handling of the Covid-19 vaccine rollout during a virtual oversight hearing Feb. 25, grilling the governor in sometimes contentious exchanges over frustrations with the state’s troubled website used to book vaccination appointments and Baker’s handling of the snags.

Governor Presses Schools to Ramp Up Virus Screening

WGBH – Massachusetts Gov. Charlie Baker is pushing for more school districts to adopt in-house COVID-19 screening as they bring students back for classroom learning this spring.

Baker appeared at the Nock-Molin Middle School in Newburyport to tour the school’s pool testing operation and reopened in-class learning Friday morning.

Baker’s pool testing program, launched in January, allows schools to test samples from groups of students and teachers for infection. When a positive result is found, each member of the group is then tested to find any infected individuals The method is seen as a way to screen groups like school pods and whole classes using minimal laboratory resources.

“There are hundreds of school districts and schools at this point and hundreds of thousands of kids and staff who are currently doing this and we have the resources and the capability to do this for pretty much everybody,” Baker said.

Baker said part of the reason for coming to Newburyport was to spotlight the school’s testing program to show it as an example of how districts can adopt pool testing.

“It’s a really effective way of dealing with one of the major questions people have generally about this stuff, which is ‘what’s going on in my building every week,'” Baker said.

COVID Vaccination Totals Catch Up with Infections

State House News – As Massachusetts enters the second month of March to be shaded by the coronavirus pandemic, the number of people here who have been fully vaccinated is roughly equal to the number of people who have been infected with COVID-19 over the last year.

The equivalent of the population of Methuen — roughly 51,000 people — got their second dose of a COVID-19 vaccine between Friday’s report from the Department of Public Health and Sunday’s update. There are 550,000 people fully vaccinated against the coronavirus, Gov. Charlie Baker said Monday morning, compared to 550,302 total confirmed COVID-19 infections since the start of the pandemic.

With more than 1.2 million residents having received at least one vaccine dose, Massachusetts is again beginning to reopen its economy more widely and a third vaccine approved by federal officials over the weekend could help alleviate some of the tensions that come with the limited supply of doses.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration issued an emergency use authorization Saturday for the one-shot Johnson & Johnson vaccine, which was developed in part by a group at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center in Boston. It joins the Moderna and Pfizer two-dose vaccines in the public health arsenal and states are expected to receive an initial batch of the doses this week.

“Our healthcare leaders and clinicians see the authorization of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine as a significant step forward in the effort to vaccinate residents of the commonwealth,” Valerie Fleishman, senior vice president and chief innovation officer at the Massachusetts Health & Hospital Association, said. “This vaccine has been shown to be highly effective in protecting against COVID-19-related hospitalizations and deaths, and those who receive it should have every confidence that they are protected against serious illness due to COVID-19 and its variants.”

Baker: Massachusetts Ready to Work Single-Dose Vaccine Into Mix

State House News – Massachusetts will likely receive thousands of doses of the newly approved Johnson & Johnson vaccine next week, a step that Gov. Charlie Baker praised Monday as a major turning point in the state’s fight against COVID-19, but significant quantities are not set to arrive until later in March.

During a visit to a vaccination clinic at Mattapan’s Morning Star Baptist Church, Baker said the J&J vaccine’s single dose and its simpler transportation and storage requirements will allow for easier distribution.

“One of the things you’ll see with J&J is the ability to do certain kinds of things that would be hard to do now,” Baker said, referencing the two-dose Pfizer and Moderna options already in public use.

States do not yet have a clear picture about how much volume they should expect to receive after the U.S. Food and Drug Administration on Saturday approved emergency use authorization for the new vaccine.

“It is likely that we will get, for next week, a shipment,” Baker told reporters. “That shipment will probably be distributed pretty evenly across what we think of the vaccinating community here in Massachusetts, but the message that’s come from the feds at this point is, ‘Yep, they’ve made some, we will distribute those through our own channels and to you, and then you should expect there will be a bit of a pause as they ramp up production.’ ”

The governor said the new vaccine “will certainly dramatically boost” the state’s vaccination efforts and “should mean a big increase” in the amount of vaccine available. Baker cited comments from National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases Director Dr. Anthony Fauci about the vaccine’s effectiveness, saying that Massachusetts residents “don’t need to pick one from the other.” “If you have a chance to get vaccinated, you should take it, whatever it is,” Baker said.

Urgent Care Company Cancels Second COVID Shots

MassLive – A Massachusetts urgent care company that administered thousands of first doses of the coronavirus vaccine canceled appointments for individuals’ second shot, noting the state cut off its supply.

CareWell Urgent Care, a Quincy-based company, vaccinated more than 6,000 people at 16 clinics across Massachusetts but has been canceling appointments for an undisclosed number of patients’ second shots.

As required by state guidelines, CareWell noted, first doses of the COVID-19 vaccine were administered within 10 days of the company receiving the supply to avoid wastage.

“However, due to the severely limited inventory and other logistical challenges, the state has not yet been able to replenish our vaccine supply,” the company said in a statement. “We hope to receive a new allocation soon and are prepared to immediately resume appointments as soon as a new shipment arrives.”

In the meantime, the company is encouraging those who had their appointments for their second doses canceled to sign up for a slot at one of the state-run super vaccination sites. However, tens of thousands of appointments at six large-scale locations went live Thursday morning and were fully booked within hours.

A spokesperson for CareWell told MassLive the company has “been following the news reports about vaccination anxieties” and noted suggestions that “these appointments will be permanently canceled” are premature.

“First, we apologize for any additional stress people have experienced during this trying time. Concern about postponed appointments is completely understandable,” the spokesperson said. “We at CareWell Urgent Care are assured by state officials that they are actively working on our request for second doses for all of our patients.”

Fraud Overwhelms Pandemic-Related Unemployment Programs

Boston Herald – With the floodgates set to open on another round of unemployment aid, states are being hammered with a new wave of fraud as they scramble to update security systems and block scammers who already have siphoned billions of dollars from pandemic-related jobless programs.

The fraud is fleecing taxpayers, delaying legitimate payments and turning thousands of Americans into unwitting identity theft victims.

The massive sham springs from prior identity theft from banks, credit rating agencies, health care systems and retailers. Fraud perpetrators, sometimes in China, Nigeria or Russia, buy stolen personal identifying information on the dark web and use it to flood state unemployment systems with bogus claims.

The U.S. Justice Department is investigating unemployment fraud by “transnational criminal organizations, sophisticated domestic actors, and individuals across the United States,” said Joshua Stueve, a spokesman for the department’s criminal division.

Massachusetts Tops 550,000 COVID Cases

NBC Boston – Massachusetts has now confirmed more than 550,000 coronavirus cases after reporting 1,428 new cases of the virus on Sunday, along with 52 more deaths. The grim milestone comes a little over a year after the first coronavirus case was reported in the Bay State.

There have now been totals of 550,302 confirmed cases and 15,796 deaths in the state, according to the Massachusetts Department of Public Health. Another 322 deaths are considered probably linked to COVID-19.

The state had shifted to Phase 3, Step 2 in October, but returned to the first step of Phase 3 on Dec. 13, after a post-Thanksgiving spike in cases.

Returning to Step 2 will ease some restrictions placed on businesses.

Boston, meanwhile, is taking things a bit slower than the state as a whole. See some of the differences below.

Looking at the Future of Health-Care Reform

Boston Business Journal – Years of discussion and numerous state studies finally brought about the potential for lasting change for two thorny health care issues that had been plaguing the state when Gov. Charlie Baker signed a bill last month: behavioral health care and surprise billing.

Yet that progress — largely spurred by the pandemic — has left many other longtime goals for health care reform in the state untouched. When more fundamental change might come, and what it might look like is anyone’s guess.

“If there’s any lesson in Massachusetts, health care reform is an iterative, constant process,” Sen. Julian Cyr, who worked on a mental health care bill prior to the pandemic. “We may need some bigger-picture look here, but I also think we need to be honest that we’ve created this remarkably overly complex series of structures and systems. Undoing that is going to take some time and work.”

Legislators enacted several emergency provisions during the pandemic, and since then have extended some even further. Most prominently, the new law mandates that telehealth visits be reimbursed at rates equal to an in-person visit, a holdover from the pandemic. Such rate equivalency are permanent for behavioral health visits, but will last two years for primary care and chronic care visits, and 90 days after the end of the state of emergency for everything else. The bill also defined telehealth for the first time in statute, mandating that both video and telephone interactions should be reimbursed.

Additionally, the legislation broadened the scope of practice for a number of advance practice nurses and optometrists, eliminating certain supervision requirements while also mandating enhanced training.

The two provisions seem incremental but they are transformational for the behavioral health industry, Cyr said. Initially enacted during the emergency, the telehealth provisions have incentivized providers to take up virtual visits, and providers have seen a marked drop in the number of no-show appointments by going virtual. The bill will enable therapists and more to keep those wins long-term. The bill also permanently increased the number of therapists, through enhancements for psychiatric nurse mental health specialists.

Cyr said the bill, coupled with several mental-health policy changes enacted through the state’s budget, accomplish many of the goals laid out through mental health care legislation passed by the senate in February 2020. Given the trauma of the pandemic, the provisions are now more important than ever.

“It provides real certainty that what is a very effective way for patients to get care and for providers to give care, that it will exist in perpetuity,” Cyr said.

Beyond telehealth, the legislation also addressed the long-debated practice of “surprise billing.” In the past, patients undergoing elective or emergency procedures might receive care at a facility that contracts with their insurer, but by a doctor who didn’t. That often left patients on the hook for thousands of dollars of unexpected bills.

Now, both insurers and physicians will now be required to disclose whether doctors are “out of network.” By September, several state agencies have been tasked with recommending a default rate for out-of-network billing.

James Roosevelt, an attorney with the Boston office of Maine-based Verrill Dana law firm, and the former CEO of Tufts Health Plan, said the provisions build off federal reforms to surprise billing, and will lead to lasting change.

“Without requiring providers to be in-network, this puts a lot more pressure on them to be in-network,” Roosevelt said. “If patients are going to know ahead of time if you use this particular radiologist, it won’t be paid for by insurance, patients typically are going to say, ‘Can I go somewhere else?’”

While the bill makes strides in some areas of reform, several long-discussed changes to the health care system remain on the drawing board.

Roosevelt noted that while the bill raises telehealth behavioral health rates, it doesn’t increase behavioral health reimbursements overall, which have historically lagged other types of medical reimbursements.

Additionally, while the recent legislation provided a short-term boost for some of the state’s community hospitals, it also didn’t address the chronic reimbursement gaps between community institutions and their academic medical center peers.

Lora Pellegrini, president and CEO of the Massachusetts Association of Health Plans, also said questions about telehealth reimbursements remain for everything except behavioral health. While the legislation addresses surprise billing, it doesn’t set an out-of-network rate. Long-debated drug price transparency measures were also left out of this bill, as were the governor’s vision to shift spending toward primary care and behavioral health have not been enacted.

Work also remains on resolving racial health disparities, which were on broad display during the pandemic, added Dr. David Rosman, president of the Massachusetts Medical Society and associate chair of radiology at Massachusetts General Hospital.  The medical society is now participating in a state commission created last year to study racial disparities in maternal mortality. Rosman said that while that commission should spur legislative changes, more wide-ranging reform is critical.

“We have been so active talking about equity during this pandemic … equity in vaccine distribution and testing. And yet during the time of Covid, inequity has increased,” Rosman said. “We don’t get to despair about the lack of success, but realize we need to be more persistent. That’s where a lot of the work in the next legislative session can move things forward.”

Massachusetts will either lead the way toward that reform, or be dragged into it after it is long overdue, Cyr said.

“I hope coming out of the pandemic, the public and elected officials realize that the current way we’re doing business isn’t working when it comes to health care,” Cyr said. “Whether an equity perspective, a life-saving perspective, an economic resiliency perspective, and a business perspective, there has to be a better way to do this. For me personally, that’s what this pandemic is reiterating.”

February 25

150 Executives Back Biden’s $1.9 Trillion Relief Plan

Axios – 150 top executives from companies like Goldman Sachs, Google, IBM, Blackstone and United Airlines sent a letter to Congress endorsing President Biden’s $1.9 trillion coronavirus relief plan.

Republicans in Congress have argued that the plan, which has enjoyed bipartisan support in polls, could lead to faster inflation, expand the federal deficit, and discourage Americans from looking for work by providing enhanced unemployment benefits.

“Previous federal relief measures have been essential, but more must be done to put the country on a trajectory for a strong, durable recovery,” the executives wrote in a letter obtained by CNN. The letter will reportedly be sent to congressional leaders later today.

“Congress should act swiftly and on a bipartisan basis to authorize a stimulus and relief package along the lines of the Biden-Harris administration’s proposed American Rescue Plan.”

Information on the COVID-19 Vaccine

The Administration recently launched vaxfinder.mass.gov to help eligible individuals book vaccine appointments and will continue to improve this tool. As a reminder, individuals can read about the phasing of vaccine eligibility, consult an FAQ, and read more about the science and efficacy of the vaccine online. Vaccine deployment data and most recent updates are also available online.

FDA Staff Assesses J&J Vaccine Ahead of Friday Meeting

State House News – Ahead of a Friday meeting that could lead to an emergency use authorization for the Johnson & Johnson single-shot COVID-19 vaccine, briefing documents posted online by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration appeared to back up the company’s claims of the one-dose vaccine efficacy.

The federal agency said the potential third vaccine option was shown to be 66.9 percent effective across all geographic areas “when considering cases occurring at least 14 days after the single-dose vaccination” and 66.1 percent effective “when considering cases occurring at least 28 days after vaccination.”

In the United States, the Johnson & Johnson shot was 72 percent effective at preventing “moderate to severe/critical disease,” the FDA said, and it was 64 percent effective in South Africa, where a more contagious strain of COVID-19 is dominant.

“The data are very strong, the J&J vaccine provides robust efficacy across all demographics and variants; and shows rising protection over time, consistent with belief it’s eliciting strong T-Cell response,” former FDA commissioner Scott Gottlieb tweeted. With the state’s vaccine rollout squeezed by the limited supply of doses from the federal government and infrastructure challenges, Gov. Charlie Baker has repeatedly touted the promise of the single-dose Johnson & Johnson vaccine.

“One of the big benefits of the J&J vaccine, if it gets approved – I feel like I’m waiting for Godot – is that vaccine doesn’t require the same degree of deep freeze that we have with Pfizer and Moderna,” Baker said this week. The FDA’s vaccine advisory panel will meet Friday to consider the company’s request for an emergency use authorization, which could come from the FDA as soon as this weekend.

The J&J vaccine also appears to provide more protection against worrisome virus variants than the drug giant initially reported.

Company briefing documents indicate the vaccine was 68 percent effective at preventing moderate to severe disease caused by the dominant variant in Brazil and 64 percent effective against the dominant variant in South Africa.

When Johnson & Johnson announced interim results of its study on 43,783 participants on Jan. 29, it said the vaccine developed with Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center was 66 percent effective against the Brazilian variant and 57 percent effective against the South African variant.

CDC Provides Roadmap for Re-Opening Schools

Associated Press – The nation’s top public health agency on Friday provided a roadmap for reopening schools in the middle of a pandemic, emphasizing mask wearing and social distancing and saying vaccination of teachers is important but not a prerequisite for reopening.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention announced the long-awaited update, but it cannot force schools to reopen, and agency officials were careful to say they are not calling for a mandate that all US schools be reopened.

They said there is strong evidence now that in-person schooling can be done safely, especially at lower grade levels, and the guidance is targeted at schools that teach kindergarten up to 12th grade.

State Reports 32,428 New COVID-19 Vaccinations

Boston Globe – The number of coronavirus vaccinations administered in Massachusetts rose by 32,428 to 1,476,276, state officials reported Tuesday.

The number of new vaccinations was slightly higher than on Monday, when 29,959 were reported.

The total number of shots administered amounted to 85.4 percent of the 1,729,550 doses shipped to providers in the state so far, the Department of Public Health said.

The total shots administered included 1,061,335 first shots and 414,941 second shots. Those who have gotten their second shot of the currently approved two-dose vaccines are considered fully vaccinated.

Massachusetts is in the midst of a high-stakes campaign to vaccinate 4.1 million adults in an effort to bring an end to a pandemic that has sickened hundreds of thousands and caused more than 15,000 deaths in the state.

Administration Calls for Elementary School Students to Return to Class in April

Boston Globe – Governor Charlie Baker and top education officials unveiled a proposal on Tuesday to force districts to reopen their schools for in-person learning five days a week, a move that immediately ignited passions across the state and raised questions about local control.

The proposal calls for full-time in-person learning to begin in April for elementary schools and eventually expand it to middle schools. By then, tens of thousands of students will have been out of their classrooms full time for more than a year.

State officials said they were persuaded to step in out of concern over the deteriorating mental health of many students and increasing loss of learning. They also cited the drop in coronavirus cases around the state.

“We’ve seen the repercussions of prolonged remote learning for our kids,” Baker said at an afternoon press conference. “Their social, mental, and emotional well-being has been significantly impacted. Kids want to be in school learning alongside their friends. … They want to have a chance to engage their teachers in person.”

Officials were less clear about whether they would set a timeline for a full return for high schools before the school year ends, characterizing it as a possibility while potentially dashing the hopes of many graduating seniors. Reopening high schools is more complicated because, unlike elementary school, students do not stick with the same group of peers all day and frequently change classes in crowded hallways.

If students return to the classroom in the spring, they will have to space out at least 3 feet apart, not 6 feet apart, under the state’s guidelines.

Pushing for schools to send all their students back to the classroom, Commissioner Jeff Riley said Massachusetts public schools will face a “3 to 6 feet” social distancing requirement.

“I would just remind people that in Europe and Asia and in fact in many states of this country, people are at 3 feet or less,” Riley said. “We’re sticking with our guidance, which is 3 feet.”

Hospitals to Resume Offering Vaccine

Boston Globe – A week and a half after abruptly cutting off new supplies of COVID-19 vaccine to hospitals, Massachusetts health officials have reached an agreement with 15 hospitals and health systems allowing them to rejoin the massive state effort to vaccinate all residents.

Under the plan, vaccine doses will be allocated to 13 organizations willing to inoculate any eligible Massachusetts residents. Additionally, two health systems with large numbers of patients spread over a wide geographic area — Mass General Brigham and Beth Israel Lahey Health — can offer the vaccine exclusively to their patients.

Hospitals were blindsided by the Baker administration’s decision on Feb. 11 to halt their new vaccine supplies and provide only enough for scheduled appointments and second doses. The administration said it would focus on mass vaccination sites.

The move was criticized as undercutting efforts to reach people of color and communities hard-hit by the pandemic, and inconveniencing patients who preferred to get the vaccine from their hospital-based doctors.

“The administration understands the important role health systems play in the lives of residents of the commonwealth and as such, the command center worked with the Massachusetts Hospital Association to provide a limited supply of vaccines to select hospitals and health systems,” said Kate Reilly, spokeswoman for the state’s COVID-19 Response Command Center.

Powell Pledges to Maintain Economic Support

New York Times – Jerome H. Powell, the chair of the Federal Reserve, told lawmakers that the economic rebound from the pandemic recession had further to go and reiterated that the central bank planned to keep up its growth-stoking policies, which include rock-bottom interest rates and large-scale bond buying.

“The economic recovery remains uneven and far from complete, and the path ahead is highly uncertain,” Mr. Powell said in prepared remarks he delivered to the Senate Banking Committee on Tuesday. “Although there has been much progress in the labor market since the spring, millions of Americans remain out of work.”

Unemployment has come down sharply after surging last year, but the official jobless rate remains at nearly double its February 2020 level and probably understates the extent of weakness in the labor market. Likewise, consumer spending has bounced back but the service sector remains subdued.

The Fed slashed interest rates to near-zero last March and is buying about $120 billion in government-backed bonds each month, policies aimed at fueling lending and spending. Congress and the White House have also provided support in the form of enormous spending packages, and Democrats are now pushing for another $1.9 trillion in relief for workers and businesses.

Some economists have warned that inflation could take off as vaccines allow consumer activity to pick up and as the government pumps money into the economy, but Fed officials have generally played down those concerns. Mr. Powell said on Tuesday that inflation dynamics generally do not “change on a dime” and that if unwanted price pressures arise, the Fed has the tools to push back on them.

For now, “the economy is a long way from our employment and inflation goals, and it is likely to take some time for substantial further progress to be achieved,” Mr. Powell said, reiterating a pledge to keep up buying bonds at the current pace until “substantial further progress” has been made.

Senator Patrick J. Toomey, Republican of Pennsylvania, asked whether the Fed’s policies might be fueling higher asset prices. Mr. Powell acknowledged that there was a “link” but said “many factors” were contributing.

And Mr. Toomey pressed Mr. Powell on what would happen to the Fed’s bond-buying plans if inflation moved up before full employment was achieved, prompting Mr. Powell to reiterate that the Fed was looking for more progress before dialing back purchases.

Mr. Powell said at one point that he would avoid weighing in on fiscal policy — a comment he made not long after Mr. Toomey said the central bank should avoid moving beyond its narrow economic mandate and into areas like racial inequity and climate change. The Fed is politically independent and tends to avoid partisan issues, though it has been providing advice to policymakers in Congress and weighing in on socioeconomic disparities over the past year.

“I, today, will really stay away from fiscal policy,” Mr. Powell said when asked specifically about the gender gap in the labor market. “There is still a long way to go to full recovery, and we intend to keep our policy supportive of that recovery.”

White House Announces Increase in Vaccine Shipments to States

New York Times – The White House said on Tuesday that weekly shipments of coronavirus vaccines to the states would rise by one million doses to 14.5 million, as vaccine manufacturers continue to ramp up production.

The figure was provided to governors in a call with Jeffrey Zeints, the president’s coronavirus response coordinator, said Jen Psaki, the White House press secretary, on Tuesday. With tens of millions of eligible Americans waiting to get shots, state officials have been clamoring for more vaccine, saying health practitioners could easily double or triple the number of shots they are administering.

Ms. Psaki said the increase was the fifth boost in distribution in five weeks, and said it came just short of doubling the vaccine shipments underway at the time Mr. Biden took office on Jan. 20.

Before snowstorms disrupted vaccine distribution last week, the average number of daily doses administered across the country had been steadily increasing as the two federally approved vaccine manufacturers, Pfizer and Moderna, get more efficient and expand production. While that acceleration was expected well before Mr. Biden assumed office, officials have been anxious to highlight every increase in shipments as evidence that the new administration is fiercely battling the pandemic. As of Tuesday, the seven-day average rate of doses administered across the country was 1.4 million a day, after peaking at about 1.7 million before the storms, according to a New York Times vaccine database.

Many vaccination appointments last week that were postponed by snowstorms and other disruptive weather are resuming this week. In Los Angeles, Mayor Eric Garcetti said vaccinations would start back up again on Tuesday at all of the city-run sites and indicated that people whose inoculations had been delayed by the weather would be given priority over those making new appointments.

At a congressional hearing Tuesday morning, top officials from Pfizer and Moderna reiterated previous supply commitments in front of lawmakers. Both firms promised earlier this month to deliver a total of 400 million doses by the end of May, weeks ahead of schedule, and a total of 600 million by the end of July.

John Young, Pfizer’s chief business officer, testified that his firm will be able to ship more than 13 million doses per week by mid-March, compared to a weekly shipment of just four to five million at the start of this month. He cited a variety of reasons, including federal regulatory approval to count each vial as holding six doses instead of five, more efficient production processes and faster laboratory tests of the vaccine before it is shipped.

Dr. Stephen Hoge, president of Moderna, testified that his company expects to double its current shipments to more than 10 million per week by April.

More supply is expected to come from Johnson & Johnson, but not as quickly as federal officials initially had hoped. Federal regulators are widely expected to grant emergency use authorization for that vaccine by early next week.

Dr. Richard Nettles, a company vice president testified that the firm is prepared to deliver 20 million doses of its vaccine by the end of March. Of that, he said, nearly four million doses could be shipped as soon as the Food and Drug Administration gives the firm the green light. Unlike the other two authorized vaccines, Johnson & Johnson’s requires only one dose.

Dr. Nettles’s testimony was the first public indication by the company of how many doses it could supply before April.

His promise falls short of the 37 million doses that Johnson & Johnson’s federal contract called for it to deliver by the end of March. Asked what accounted for the gap, Dr. Nettles did not directly answer. But he implied that the company would catch up, saying the firm will deliver the entire 100 million doses it has promised by the end of June, as the contract requires.

Together with the deliveries from Moderna and Pfizer, which developed its vaccine with a German partner, BioNTech, the new supply from Johnson & Johnson would mean that the nation would have enough doses on hand by the end of next month to vaccinate about 130 million Americans. That would cover roughly half of all eligible adults and 40 percent of the total population.

February 23

Baker Set to Testify Before COVID-19 Committee

Gov. Charlie Baker has agreed to testify before the Joint Committee on COVID-19 and Emergency Preparedness on Thursday at the first oversight hearing of the new panel where lawmakers are planning to question the administration on its coronavirus vaccine program, according to one of the committee’s chairs.

Massachusetts’ position with respect to other states has been rapidly improving as the supply of vaccine coming into the state has increased and as the state has opened up its eligibility criteria to include more of the population.

Two new mass vaccinations sites are set to open this week in Natick and Dartmouth, and according to the Centers for Disease Control the state ranked 15th in the country for doses administered per capita and 11th for people with at least one dose per capita. However, after last week’s website crash, lawmakers continue to raise questions about the state’s technology, the lack of ability to preregister for a shot and the decision to stop distributing vaccine to local clinics in favor of high-capacity vaccination sites.

Sen. Jo Comerford, a Northampton Democrat and co-chair of the COVID-19 and Emergency Preparedness Committee, confirmed that Baker over the weekend had accepted the committee’s invitation to testify at Thursday’s oversight hearing. Health and Human Services Secretary Marylou Sudders and officials with the Department of Public Health have also agreed to go before the committee, she said.

The committee invited Public Health Commissioner Monica Bharel, Assistant Public Health Commissioner Jana Ferguson and Assistant Public Health Commissioner and Director of the Bureau of Infectious Disease and Laboratory Sciences Kevin Cranston.

In addition, the chairs of three other committees – Health Care Financing, Public Health, and Racial Equity, Civil Rights and Inclusion – have been asked to assemble expert panels to present to the oversight committee.

US COVID Deaths Surpass 500,000

New York Times – The United States reached a staggering milestone on Monday, surpassing 500,000 known coronavirus-related deaths in a pandemic that has lasted almost a year. The nation’s total virus toll is higher than in any other country in the world. It has far surpassed early predictions of loss by some federal experts. And it means that more Americans have died from Covid-19 than did on the battlefields of World War I, World War II and the Vietnam War combined.

“The magnitude of it is just horrifying,” said Jeffrey Shaman, a professor of environmental health sciences at Columbia University who has modeled the virus’s spread and says that the scale of loss was not inevitable, but a result of the failure to control the virus’s spread in the United States. “It’s been a failure,” he said.

The United States accounts for about 20 percent of the world’s known COVID deaths but makes up just 4.25 percent of the global population.

About one in 670 Americans has died of Covid-19, which has become a leading cause of death in this country, along with heart disease and cancer, and has driven down life expectancy more sharply than in decades. The losses, monumental for the country, have been searingly personal for the relatives and friends of the 500,000.

The harrowing milestone comes amid hopeful news: New virus cases and deaths have slowed dramatically, and vaccine distribution has gradually picked up pace. But uncertainty remains about emerging variants of the virus, some more contagious and possibly more lethal, so it may be months before the pandemic is contained. Scientists say the trajectory of the U.S. death toll will depend on the speed of vaccinations, the effects of the variants and how closely people stick to guidelines like mask-wearing and social distancing.

Massachusetts yesterday reported 1,150 new COVID-19 cases and 26 deaths.

Massachusetts Surpasses 1.2 Million Vaccine Doses

MassLive – Massachusetts has administered a little over 1.2 million doses of the COVID-19 vaccine since the statewide rollout began in December, according to the latest weekly vaccine data.

Over the last seven days, roughly 225,341 doses of either the Moderna or Pfizer vaccine have gone into the arms of Massachusetts residents, the data shows.

Roughly 1,527,150 total doses to date have been shipped to the state, with approximately 1,158,050 being shipped from the state to providers, and another 369,100 going to CVS and Walgreens through the Federal Pharmacy Partnership Program.

Community Health Centers Gear Up for Broader Vaccination Role

Boston Globe – Community health centers are gearing up for an expanded role in the state’s vaccination effort, widening the pathway into the neighborhoods hardest hit by COVID-19.

While much attention has focused on high-volume sites including Gillette Stadium and Fenway Park, the 52 community health centers in Massachusetts are emerging as a growing force in the vaccination effort, now that the eligibility guidelines have expanded to include people age 65 and older and those with two health conditions that put them at higher risk.

A few health centers are already running mass vaccination sites, but all are giving priority to their own patients and neighbors — the very people most likely to get sick from COVID-19 and least likely to get vaccinated. All are expanding their capacity to provide vaccinations, with support from the state.

“Our health centers want to make sure that the patients that are closest to the disease are closest to the vaccine,” said Michael Curry, CEO of the Massachusetts League of Community Health Centers. “They know their patients are more likely to be hospitalized, and most likely to die.”

In so doing, the health centers, which provide primary care and other services chiefly to low-income people, confront a paradoxical challenge: coping with a barrage of calls from people eager for the vaccine and also reaching and persuading those who aren’t sure about it.

Markey Decries ‘Vaccine Redlining’

WBUR – After about a full year of the coronavirus crisis, data have gradually revealed what many predicted would happen: people of color, as well as people who are medically or financially vulnerable, are experiencing more loss and fewer gains than white people enduring the pandemic.

Several Massachusetts political powerhouses and community leaders held a Facebook Live panel on Saturday to discuss how marginalized people have fared almost a year into the deadly pandemic — specifically their access to and education about the vaccine, and what they’re championing at the State House, White House and Congress to address the issues.

“[Communities of color] were the first to get the virus, the first to stay on the job, the first to die but last to get the relief and the care they need during this crisis,” said Senator Ed Markey.

During the Facebook Live discussion, several commenters wrote that vaccine distribution should be equal, therefore race shouldn’t factor into that. But early distribution data show Black and Latinx people are being vaccinated at a lower rate than white people.

Access to the vaccine is one of the biggest hurdles. Another major hurdle is an earned distrust of medicine that stems from well-documented experimentation on marginalized people and people of color.

When Massachusetts’ two vaccine websites debuted and shortly crashed for eligible people 65 and older, it left people waiting for hours or not getting an appointment at all. Many in that age group aren’t savvy with computers and Rev. Miniard Culpepper — who leads the Pleasant Hill Missionary Baptist Church in Dorchester — said even if they are tech-oriented, many couldn’t afford to wait for several hours or refresh the page hundreds of times.

Beset by Critics, Baker Stresses Speed and Scale for Vaccination

Boston Globe – Stung by criticism it was moving too slowly, the Baker administration has overhauled its approach to delivering COVID-19 vaccines in just three weeks, increasingly relying on a network of massive facilities equipped to give more shots quickly as it expands the pool of eligible residents.

The rise of mass vaccination sites such as Boston’s Fenway Park and Gillette Stadium in Foxborough has helped to rapidly boost the state’s standing in national vaccine distribution. Its ranking shot up to 17th in per capita doses administered, according to the latest federal data. As recently as Feb. 1, Massachusetts ranked 34th among states.

With growing capacity to give shots assembly-line style, emboldened state officials doubled the number of residents who qualify for a vaccine literally overnight last week, adding almost 1 million aged 65 to 74, living in low-income senior housing, or suffering from two or more medical conditions.

Massachusetts Shifts Vaccine Deliveries away from Local Boards of Health

WCVB —Massachusetts is moving forward to a new phase of the COVID-19 vaccination rollout and is again reallocating doses away from facilities that played a crucial role earlier in the process.

Most local boards of health were informed Wednesday that future shipments will be directed elsewhere. That follows last week’s decision to curtail doses sent to hospitals.

Gov. Charlie Baker said that the state will instead prioritize vaccine shipments to high-throughput vaccination locations, such as the state-run mass vaccination sites, regional collaboratives and retail pharmacy sites.

Municipalities and hospitals were key to the distribution process during Phase 1 when the vaccines were new and the only eligible personnel were health care workers and first responders. Now, Baker said those distribution channels no longer meet state goals for efficiency.

“As we move forward through the vaccination phases we need to continue to make sure that we have locations that can distribute the doses quickly, efficiently and effectively,” Baker said. “What worked for the early, targeted populations in Phase 1 is a lot different than what’s going to work for the millions of people across the commonwealth who are eligible in Phases 2 and 3.”

An estimated 1 million additional residents became eligible for vaccinations on Thursday, when Massachusetts moved to the second step of Phase 2. That includes residents age 65 or older and those with two or more comorbidities.

Exceptions will be made for 20 of the state’s 351 cities and towns, which were identified by the Department of Public Health as having had the greatest COVID-19 burden and have the greatest percentage of non-white residents. These municipalities are: Boston; Brockton; Chelsea; Everett; Fall River; Fitchburg; Framingham; Haverhill; Holyoke; Lawrence; Leominster; Lowell; Lynn; Malden; Methuen; New Bedford; Randolph; Revere; Springfield; and Worcester.

Officials said those 20 communities will continue to distribute doses at the local level, will be prioritized for the retail pharmacy program, and are served by community health centers and other health care providers administering vaccines.

Other local boards of health are asked to continue supporting the state’s immunization plan by making plans to vaccinate homebound individuals and increasing vaccine awareness.

Schools Start Pooled Testing for COVID

WHDH – Dozens of school districts will start pooled COVID-19 testing this week, but officials say many more schools aren’t ready to launch.

Massachusetts Teachers Association President Merrie Najimy said batch testing once a week for the coronavirus can determine that many people in the same group are low-risk, and if one test in the batch shows symptoms then everyone in that batch gets further testing.

“We know children are asymptomatic at higher rates than adults so when you pool test, you’re finding all the asymptomatic cases,” Najimy said. ‘When adults and children are in the school building, they are assuming a level of risk, and we have to be careful not to bring that risk home to their families and their communities.

“I do think it’s a pretty good tool to provide people with comfort,” Gov. Charlie Baker said.

While pooled testing has capacity for 300 districts and 120 initially signed up, only 88 are ready to launch Monday, Najimy said. The state pays for the first six weeks of testing and while Najimy said some districts are worried about funding tests after that, she said federal relief should soon kick in.

“I don’t understand where that concern is coming from because there is federal money but again, it’s then the responsibility of the federal government and the state if any one district doesn’t have funds, they’ve got to step up and make this happen,” Najimy said.

White House Adjusts Rules to Encourage More Loans for Tiny Businesses

New York Times – Aiming to steer more federal aid to the smallest and most vulnerable businesses, the Biden administration is altering the Paycheck Protection Program’s rules, increasing the amount sole proprietors are eligible to receive and imposing a 14-day freeze on loans to companies with 20 or more employees.

The freeze will take effect on Wednesday.

In December’s economic relief package, Congress allocated $284 billion to restart the aid program. Banks and other financiers, which make the government-backed loans, have disbursed $134 billion to 1.8 million businesses since lending resumed last month. The money is intended to be forgiven if recipients comply with the program’s rules.

Companies with up to 500 workers are generally eligible for the loans, although second-draw loans — available to those whose sales dropped 25 percent or more in at least one quarter since the coronavirus pandemic began — are limited to companies with 300 or fewer employees. The 14-day moratorium is intended to focus lenders’ attention on the tiniest businesses, according to administration officials, who spoke to reporters at a news briefing on Sunday on the condition that they not be named.

Most small businesses are solo ventures, employing just the owner. For such companies, including sole proprietorships and independent contractors, one major impediment to getting relief money was a program rule that based their loan size on the annual profit they reported on their taxes. That made unprofitable businesses ineligible for aid, and left thousands of applicants with tiny loans — some as small as $1.

The new formula, which Small Business Administration officials said would be released soon, will focus instead on gross income. That calculation, which is done before many expenses are deducted, will let unprofitable businesses qualify for loans.

The agency is also changing several other program rules to expand eligibility. Those with recent felony convictions not tied to fraud will now be able to apply, as will those who are delinquent or in default on federal student loan debt. The agency also updated its guidance to clarify that business owners who are not United States citizens but lawful residents are eligible for loans.

Dems Prepare for Party-line House Vote on Biden’s Pandemic Aid Bill

Politico – The House is on track to pass President Joe Biden’s $1.9 trillion coronavirus relief package by the end of this week as Congress sprints to deliver aid to millions of Americans reeling from the pandemic and facing a jobless benefits cliff in mid-March.

But House Democrats aren’t expecting to get a single GOP vote for their aid package, which they’re taking up with the procedural maneuver known as reconciliation in order to win Senate passage without the threat of a filibuster. The House Budget Committee met Monday afternoon to tee up the legislation for floor passage on Friday or Saturday, with Senate action as soon as the following week.

Monday’s markup is one of the last major House steps in the reconciliation process, but the final aid package sent to the president’s desk will likely change from the House-passed bill. That’s because Senate consideration will be laden with political minefields, and major provisions in the bill — such as its minimum wage hike or paid sick leave expansion — could be stripped out or rejiggered as Democrats in the upper chamber muddle through budget restrictions during floor debate.

In short, there’s plenty of uncertainty to come before the House and Senate must ultimately resolve any differences and agree on any amendments before the measure is sent to Biden’s desk.

“We’re working as quickly and expeditiously as we possibly can,” said House Budget Chair John Yarmuth (D-Ky.). “We’ll send it over to the Senate and see what happens.”

No substantial changes to the text are expected since the Budget panel’s members can’t offer regular amendments. The panel’s meeting to assemble Biden’s plan comes after nine House committees marked up their own portions of the massive measure.

Republicans are almost certain to complain about the proposal to raise the hourly minimum wage to $15 and $350 billion for state and local aid, among other parts of the package. House GOP leaders circulated a whip notice Friday urging their members to vote against the bill, arguing that it provides “a bailout” for blue states and pays “people not to work.”

“We’re definitely going to expose how this is the wrong plan, at the wrong time for all the wrong reasons,” said Rep. Jason Smith (R-Mo.), the ranking Republican on the House Budget Committee. “We’re going to point out all the different items in this legislation that are bad for the working class.”

In the Senate, committees have started meeting with an official adviser known as the parliamentarian, who will decide whether certain pieces of Biden’s plan run afoul of the so-called Byrd Rule. That rule requires policies passed through the budget reconciliation process to have a significant effect on federal spending, revenues and the debt and bars policies that would lead to debt increases beyond the next decade.

One of the biggest outstanding questions is whether Biden’s push to raise the federal minimum wage for the first time since 2009 — a proposal championed by progressives — will survive the budget restrictions.

Democratic leaders and the White House have indicated that they will make a final decision on how to proceed after the Senate parliamentarian rules on the proposal. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi has been tight-lipped, even with senior members of her leadership team, about the status of talks on the most contentious issues.

But Biden has signaled privately to governors that the wage hike likely isn’t happening as part of his first Covid aid measure. Progressives, like Senate Budget Chair Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), have insisted that the provision will survive, citing recent analysis from the Congressional Budget Office as evidence.

Democrats could barrel ahead by overruling the parliamentarian if the minimum wage increase doesn’t pass muster, but Biden is leaning heavily against the idea, POLITICO reported earlier this month.

Still, the wage hike remains a top progressive demand, and liberal leaders insist the pandemic relief package is the most viable legislative vehicle this year to get it done.

“It is really important to us that it happens in this package because we think it is directly related to Covid relief,” said Rep. Pramila Jayapal (D-Wash.), chair of the Congressional Progressive Caucus. “Given the makeup of the Senate, this is our best opportunity and the right moment in the midst of this pandemic.”

Biden Aides Continue Push for School Re-Openings

Boston Herald – Top Biden administration officials insisted on Sunday that K-8 schools can safely reopen by April, even without requiring all teachers to be vaccinated first, as some states make educators a priority for COVID-19 shots.

White House Press Secretary Jennifer Psaki underscored that President Biden wants to see those schools open for five days a week of in-classroom learning after his first 100 days in office, meaning by the end of April.

She said state and local governments should make decisions about vaccinations, retrofitting of buildings and other approaches using this month’s “science-based guidelines” from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

“That’s our goal, that’s our objective, that’s our plan,” Psaki said of the April target on ABC’s “This Week.” She tied the goal to approval of $130 billion in school reopening funds that’s part of the $1.9 trillion pandemic relief bill moving through Congress.

“Many schools across the country don’t have the resources to be able to invest in improving facilities, on hiring more bus drivers, on hiring more temporary teachers so we can have smaller class sizes,” Psaki said.

February 18, 2021

State Expands Vaccine Program to People 65 Years of Age and Older

The Baker Administration announced that individuals ages 65 and older and those with or two or more medical conditions, including Asthma, can visit www.mass.gov/covidvaccine to start book an appointment for the COVID-19 vaccine beginning today.

With this announcement, almost 1 million individuals are newly eligible for vaccine.

Due to extremely high demand for appointments and limited vaccine supply, it could take more than a month for all eligible individuals to secure an appointment, unless federal supply significantly increases. Recently, Massachusetts has been receiving approximately 110,000 first doses per week from the federal government. Residents are encouraged to keep checking the website as appointments are added on a rolling basis.

Individuals 65 and over, including residents and staff of low income and affordable public and private senior housing are eligible to receive vaccine effective today.

Residents and staff of low income and affordable public and private senior housing can learn more about vaccination options here.

Individuals 16 and older with two or more of certain medical conditions (defined below) are eligible for vaccine, effective tomorrow.

In concert with CDC guidelines, the commonwealth has adopted the list of conditions that cause individuals to be at an increased risk of severe illness from COVID-19. Massachusetts has also identified moderate to severe asthma as an eligible medical condition.

Eligible medical conditions include:

• Asthma (moderate-to-severe)
• Cancer
• Chronic kidney disease
• COPD (chronic obstructive pulmonary disease)
• Down Syndrome
• Heart conditions, such as heart failure, coronary artery disease, or cardiomyopathies
• Immunocompromised state (weakened immune system) from solid organ transplant
• Obesity and severe obesity (body mass index [BMI] of 30 kg/m2 or higher)
• Pregnancy
• Sickle cell disease
• Smoking
• Type 2 diabetes mellitus

Learn more from CDC: COVID-19: People with Certain Medical Conditions

Mass Vaccination Appointments Available

More than 70,000 appointments are scheduled to be posted today at mass vaccination sites (Eastfield Mall in Springfield, Double Tree Hotel in Danvers, Fenway Park in Boston and Gillette Stadium in Foxboro).

Details for booking can be found via the COVID-19 Vaccine Finder, which enables residents to search for a vaccination location and view appointment availability before scheduling. The tool can be accessed via the state’s vaccination website at www.mass.gov/COVIDvaccine or directly at https://vaxfinder.mass.gov.

Individuals who are unable to access appointments via the Internet can call 211 and follow the prompts for vaccine appointments.

There are currently more than 170 vaccination locations across the commonwealth. Almost 95 percent of the population lives within a 45-minute drive of a mass vaccination site or within 30 minutes of a regional (high volume site) – not counting the pharmacies, provider and community health center vaccination sites.

State Initiates Streamlined Vaccination Distribution Plan

Local Boards of Health were informed yesterday of the commonwealth’s streamlined vaccination distribution plan that prioritizes equity and high-capacity throughput vaccination, particularly as vaccine supply from the federal government remains extremely constrained.

Utilizing the social vulnerability index as a starting point, the Department of Public Health has identified 20 municipalities that have had the greatest COVID burden and have the greatest per centage of non- white residents. These municipalities are: Boston; Brockton; Chelsea; Everett; Fall River; Fitchburg; Framingham; Haverhill; Holyoke; Lawrence; Leominster; Lowell; Lynn; Malden; Methuen; New Bedford; Randolph; Revere; Springfield; and Worcester.

These municipalities will continue to distribute vaccine at the local level, are prioritized for the retail pharmacy program, and are served by community health centers and other health care providers administering vaccine.

The Baker Administration is asking Local Boards of Health to support these critical objectives:

• Planning to vaccinate homebound individuals in their community and older adults in private and public low income and affordable housing.
• Encourage residents to get vaccinated at mass vaccination sites, retail pharmacies and other locations that are open to all residents.
• Increase vaccine awareness of safety and efficacy so that when the Commonwealth does have more incoming vaccine from the Federal Government, and as more groups become eligible, communities are ready and willing to accept vaccine.

Vaccine Equity Czar Among New Coalition’s Demands

State House News – A senior-level director in charge of COVID-19 vaccination equity and an allocation of $10 million to community organizations for outreach and engagement in communities of color are part of a list of five demands outlined Wednesday by a new coalition seeking to address what they say are serious racial injustices in the state’s vaccine distribution plan.

The coalition, made up of 11 civil rights, social justice, and medical organizations, presented the plan at a press conference Wednesday and said they are ready and willing to work with Gov. Charlie Baker to implement the five steps. This comes as Baker rolled out an outreach initiative Tuesday focused on 20 cities and towns that have been disproportionately impacted by the pandemic.

The Vaccine Equity Now! Coalition wants the administration to track vaccine benchmarks that mirror the disproportionate impact COVID-19 has had on Black and Latinx residents, improve language access and cultural competence across all levels of the administration, and implement an enhanced 20 percent allocation of vaccines to communities most impacted by the pandemic that was laid out in the initial distribution plan.

“We know that communities of color and immigrant communities in Massachusetts have disproportionately been impacted by COVID-19, infection, hospitalization, and death rates. This is a combination of centuries of structural racism in our country and the pandemic only has aggravated the inequities that have long existed,” said Eva Millona, executive director at the Massachusetts Immigrant and Refugee Advocacy Coalition.

“These disparities underscore why our vaccine rollout must be centered on those who have been most impacted by the crisis.”

Millona said Black residents comprise 9 percent of the state’s population and 14 percent of health care workers, but only 3 percent have been fully vaccinated. She said only 1 percent of the Latinx population has been fully vaccinated while they make up 12 percent of the state’s population and 10 percent of health care workers.

The governor’s initiative directs the Department of Public Health to work with local leaders and community- and faith-based groups in each of the 20 cities or towns to overcome barriers so residents can get vaccinated. The cities and towns were identified using the Centers for Disease Control’s Social Vulnerability Index and state COVID-19 case rates since the start of the pandemic.

The administration pledged to deploy “DPH Vaccine Ambassadors” to provide support to local boards of health, disseminate culturally appropriate translations of vaccination information, and hire local residents to boost outreach.

While the stakeholders at Wednesday’s press conference said Baker’s plan was a step in the right direction, Massachusetts Public Health Association Executive Director Carlene Pavlos said there needs to be a deeper look at the initiative with a focus on how the administration plans to follow through on it.

“There are a lot of pieces of the announcement … that need operational detail for us to understand how good a first step it is, but it is certainly a first step,” Pavlos said at the press conference.

Survey Documents Disparate Impacts of COVID Pandemic

State House News – Public health experts have warned since the beginning of the pandemic that the COVID-19 crisis wreaks more severe impacts on vulnerable populations such as communities of color and lower-income earners.

Now, those gaps in the pandemic experience have been highlighted in a state-run survey of more than 35,000 Massachusetts residents.

Groups including LGBTQ populations, people of color, lower-income households and those with disabilities often experienced more worry about COVID-19, less economic stability during the crisis, and greater rates of delayed medical care, according to data from the survey presented at a state Public Health Council meeting on Wednesday.

Residents who are unable to maintain social distancing of at least six feet, whether because their local stores are too crowded or because their work requires physical proximity, were more likely to be most concerned about contracting the highly infectious virus.

About 52 percent of statewide respondents polled between September and November said they continued to work outside their homes during the pandemic, and DPH found those adults were more than twice as likely to test positive for COVID-19 than those who worked remotely.

In-person working rates were far higher than the state average among some population groups: 82 percent of workers with less than a high school degree reported working outside the home, as did 75 percent of those with a trade school or vocational education and 73 percent of employees with a high school diploma or GED.

Among industry groups listed in the DPH survey, grocery store and hotel accommodation employees had the highest rates of leaving home for work at 94 percent and 91 percent, respectively. Conversely, only 15 percent of college and university workers reported doing their jobs away from home.

The survey also found evidence that the COVID-fueled economic crisis is creating greater burdens on some communities.

For both Hispanic and Black populations, more than seven in 10 people surveyed expressed concern that they could not pay for at least one crucial expense or bill such as housing or utilities, compared to four in 10 among white respondents.

Residents of several ethnicities, particularly Salvadoran, Dominican, Colombian and Cape Verdean, were nearly or more than twice as likely as the statewide average to indicate worry about getting food or groceries in the coming weeks.

Women surveyed were twice as likely as males – 16 percent to 8 percent – to change their employment in the past year so they could care for children, fitting into a pattern that has drawn national attention.

Public Health Commissioner Monica Bharel said the extensive results – which also include data on health care access, mental health, testing, workplace distancing and more – would contribute to the Baker administration’s efforts to make vaccines more available in the hardest-hit communities.

“These survey findings have informed our efforts and provided a data-driven foundation for our vaccine equity initiative,” Bharel said. “We are laser-focused on ensuring equitable access to the COVID vaccine.”

Senate President Announces Special Committee on Post-Pandemic Resiliency

Press Release – Today, I am announcing the creation of the new Senate Special Committee on Reimagining Massachusetts: Post-Pandemic Resiliency.

The COVID-19 pandemic has upended assumptions about the way we live, work, and travel in Massachusetts. It has also laid bare long-standing inequities in various aspects of our economy and communities. As we look to the future as we recover from the pandemic, we have a rare opportunity—and a responsibility—to question the status quo and reimagine the path towards continued vibrancy for the Commonwealth.

Massachusetts has historically been a leader in innovation, and we are well poised to lead in the “new normal.” But we must ensure that our efforts are integrated across multiple areas.

This committee will serve as a hub to synthesize information and share best practices that have been developed in response to COVID-19, as well as a forum for new ideas as to how to move forward. The committee will also work to actively ensure that historical inequities are addressed.

COVID-19 has impacted every aspect of our lives; this committee acknowledges that and asks how we help direct the change we know lies ahead. While the newly-created COVID-19 committee will be focused on pandemic response and the challenges posed by COVID-19 today, the Reimagining Mass committee will be focused on tomorrow and the next day. We have not experienced anything like this pandemic in a hundred years, and this crisis deserves our attention and our best efforts at mitigating its effects.

The Reimagining Mass committee doesn’t look like anything the Senate has done in the past, but that’s intentional. We will need collaboration and creativity to reimagine our future.

But it does draw on the best practices from the working groups the Senate developed last session—on revenue, transportation, COVID-19 and racial justice. These working groups were cross-functional and called on experts from across the commonwealth, as well as the experience of the Senate members and their constituents. The efforts of the COVID-19 working group resulted in legislation such as vote-by-mail, telehealth, more flexibility for municipalities to work remotely, expansive outdoor and take out options for restaurants, and other innovations spurred by the pandemic. It is my hope that this committee will catalyze innovation in a similar way.

I look forward to the Senate Special Committee on Reimagining Massachusetts: Post-Pandemic Resiliency acting as a forum for oversight, coordination and ideas as we create a new vision for the Commonwealth’s future.

Mariano: “We Have No Intention of Raising Taxes”

State House News – House Speaker Ronald Mariano is sending a message about tax policy ahead of budget season on Beacon Hill. “Right now taxes are not on the table. We have no intention of raising taxes,” Mariano told WCVB’s “On the Record.”

Mariano expressed concern that the state budget was “going to be short,” and said the fate of President Joe Biden’s $1.9 trillion COVID relief and economic stimulus bill looms large.

“I’m not optimistic that tax revenues are going to match … even with some surprisingly robust returns … I’m still afraid we’re going to be a little short,” Mariano said. “But we do have to wait and see what the feds do. We are watching with a high degree of intensity what goes on in Washington.”

If the $1.9 trillion package passes, Mariano said, “I think we’ll be able to be alright without having to do anything more than to reallocate our funds … and maybe put some money back into the rainy day fund.”

Gov. Charlie Baker two weeks ago proposed a $45.6 billion fiscal 2022 budget that does not include any tax increases on residents and would trim state spending by about $300 million, or 0.7 percent, while state tax revenue is expected to rise 3.5 percent over the current budget year.

Speaker Says Teachers Should Go to “Head of the Line” on Vaccinations

State House News – Seven weeks into his tenure atop the House, Speaker Ron Mariano called for prioritizing vaccine availability to educators.

Massachusetts early education and K-12 workers are likely still weeks away from starting to qualify for COVID-19 vaccines, slotted behind another not-yet-eligible group that includes individuals aged 65 and older, those with two or more comorbidities, and residents and staff of low-income and affordable senior housing.

Mariano said, “I don’t have a problem with the concerns that have been expressed, but I think it’s incumbent upon us to move teachers into the head of the line so that they have access to the vaccine.

“They can say with some degree of confidence that they’re protected,” Mariano said. “They can take the vaccine, still mask up, still practice social distancing, and be relatively safe, relatively sure in knowing they’re safe from infection.”

Mariano said that under the current conditions he would hesitate to push a teacher back to in-person work, particularly if they may be caring for an elderly or immunocompromised relative, because “everyone’s home situation is different.”

A former teacher and School Committee member, Mariano stressed that he wants to see students return to classroom learning as soon as possible, if they haven’t already, a goal that Gov. Charlie Baker has been targeting for months.

WHO Formally Authorizes the Use of the AstraZeneca Vaccine

New York Times – The World Health Organization on Monday authorized the use of the AstraZeneca-Oxford vaccine, clearing a path for the cheap and easy-to-store shots to be distributed in lower- and middle-income countries around the world.

A small clinical trial in South Africa recently failed to show that the vaccine could keep people from getting mild or moderate cases of COVID-19 caused by a coronavirus variant spreading there. But that vaccine had protected all participants against severe disease and death in other trials and may yet prevent severe disease and death caused by the variant first detected in South Africa.

The authorization, expected after a panel of WHO experts recommended use of the vaccine last week, applied to the vaccine’s two manufacturers: AstraZeneca and the Serum Institute, the Indian producer that will supply many doses for the Covax initiative to bring vaccines to poorer parts of the world.

The WHO last year authorized the Pfizer-BionNTech vaccine. But its decision on AstraZeneca’s vaccine has been highly anticipated, because the low price and easy storage requirements have made the vaccine the backbone of rollout plans in many countries around the world.

“Countries with no access to vaccines to date will finally be able to start vaccinating their health workers and populations at risk, contributing to the Covax Facility’s goal of equitable vaccine distribution,” Dr. Mariângela Simão, the W.H.O. assistant director general for access to medicines and health products, said in a statement.

The W.H.O. panel of experts recommended that the AstraZeneca vaccine be used in all adults, and in countries where concerning new variants are circulating. Countries are expected to begin receiving their first tranches of the AstraZeneca vaccine from Covax later in February.

Expert Opinions Differ about COVID-19 Vaccine Rollout in Massachusetts

WCVB – While more Massachusetts residents are receiving the COVID-19 vaccine, some experts have conflicting opinions about how well the state’s rollout is going.

Gov. Charlie Baker says more doses of the vaccine are needed before more people can become eligible for it.

Massachusetts ranks 20th in terms of COVID-19 vaccine doses administered, according to recent data from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

According to that same CDC data, the Bay State has the eighth-highest rate in the country for doses delivered per 100,000 people – which leads some experts to say that Baker cannot blame supply.

Last week, Harvard University professor Graham Allison gave the state’s vaccine rollout a failing grade.

“Every other state is facing almost identical problems,” said Allison, the Douglas Dillon Professor of Government for Harvard’s Kennedy School.

Jeffrey Liebman, one of Allison’s colleagues at Harvard’s Kennedy School, says that failing assessment is “a little out of date.”

“The state has not only caught up but moved to the front of the pack,” said Liebman, the Malcolm Wiener Professor of Public Policy. “If you look at percentage of the state residents that have received at least one dose, we’re now in the top ten.”

While some states have made more people eligible for the vaccine, Massachusetts is still limiting doses to residents 75 or older outside of its Phase 1 group of health care workers, long-term care workers and residents, and first responders.

“We’ve been very sluggish at getting to this next level of vaccination — individuals that are 65 plus — and I have not seen a clear explanation for why it is that we have the vaccines here and are not getting them into people’s arms efficiently,” said Samuel Scarpino, an assistant professor in the Network Science Institute at Northeastern University.

“It also makes people anxious,” Scarpino added. “They don’t understand why in neighboring states, people that are 65 may already be eligible and in Massachusetts, we don’t really seem to be getting close to that level yet.”

Massachusetts residents under the age of 75 have asked WCVB to get more information from Baker, specifically if there are any specific benchmarks the state needs to reach in order to move to the next step of Phase 2 of the vaccine rollout.

Baker has not yet provided any benchmarks thus far. WCVB has not yet received word from the governor’s office regarding an explanation for a lack of a benchmark.

Document: National Governors Association Letter to President Biden on Vaccines

Dear Mr. President:

The nation’s Governors again congratulate you on your victory and look forward to a working
partnership as we battle these difficult times together. We thank you for the coordination that your team has already extended to the Governors. We are the front line in the battle against COVID-19 and we will only succeed if we work together.

We have two immediate issues of concern. First, we believe it is essential that the American people understand the vaccine distribution process and the extent of the effort that governments on both the federal and state level are extending. There has been an ongoing issue since last year with which we would ask your assistance. Due to the anxiety created by the demand and supply of the vaccine, it is imperative that the American people fully understand the process.

Currently the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) provides public information on a state and territory level as to the number of vaccines distributed to each state and the number of vaccinations performed. The CDC reporting mechanism has created unnecessary confusion. We would ask that the CDC reporting accurately reflects the reality.

The vaccine is delivered and administered through several different programs. By one program, the federal government administers a program in which it contracts with private pharmacies for vaccinations in nursing homes and long-term care facilities (LTCF program). The program is not
controlled by the states. Your Administration has started a new federal program to directly deliver vaccines to certain pharmacies in our states the federal government selects. Your Administration has also announced another new federal program whereby the federal government will directly distribute to Federally Qualified Health Centers (FQHC) that it selects. These are three separate federal efforts beyond our control.

State and territorial governments then receive vaccine allocations for “first doses” and “second
doses” from the federal government. We appreciate transparency, accountability and our
responsibility for the administration of the first and second doses. However, the federal LTCF
program, federal pharmacy program and the federal FQHC program, are federally administered and beyond the states’ control.

We believe it is important that the CDC in its reporting distinguish between these separate efforts to avoid confusion and provide a clear understanding to the American people. States also need visibility into the federal vaccination efforts at the facility level happening in our borders.

Second, we believe that federal decisions to use pharmacies and FQHCs should be coordinated with state governments. States also allocate doses often to these same pharmacies and FQHCs. We understand the capacity of the individual entities and we know the range of the individual entities throughput and their inventory. As usual, some pharmacies and FQHCs are better suited for the task than others. Following the performance data on these entities is essential. We also know the need in the respective communities they serve and other efforts in the geographic vicinity. If the federal government distributes independently of the states to these same entities without state coordination and consultation, redundancy and inefficiency may very well follow.

We are most appreciative of our relationship with your Administration and Mr. Jeff Zients in
particular, who has been doing great work, and we look forward to working through these issues in a mutually productive manner. Thank you in advance.

Nearly the Entire Massachusetts Delegation Calls for Vaccine Pre-Registration System

Boston.com – Nearly every member of the Massachusetts congressional delegation is calling on Gov. Charlie Baker to set up a system to allow residents to pre-register and receive a notification for COVID-19 vaccine appointments.

Two months into the state’s bumpy and uneven vaccine rollout, 10 of the 11 members of the state’s all-Democratic delegation signed a letter to the Republican governor arguing that a centralized pre-registration system would help officials target populations where there is unmet demand for the vaccine and streamline the appointment-scheduling process for both patients and providers.

“A disjointed and cumbersome sign-up process has left seniors confused and unable to access desperately needed vaccine appointments, and the disproportionate reliance on mass vaccination sites has left appointments unfilled and large portions of our most vulnerable populations unserved,” said the letter, which was dated Friday and led by Rep. Katherine Clark.

The preregistration system — wherein residents could provide relevant information online, over the phone, or in person ahead of time, and then later get notified when they’re eligible to book an appointment — would “help to alleviate these challenges,” lawmakers wrote.

Rep. Richard Neal was the sole delegation member who did not sign on to the letter.

Baker has acknowledged the frustrations with the pace of the rollout, which he has attributed to limited supply, the state’s decision to prioritize highly vulnerable groups, and higher-than-expected reluctance to get the vaccine among those groups.

In a statement Monday night, a spokesperson for the state’s COVID-19 Command Center also noted that the administration has worked to improve the booking process, including a call center and a new website to help residents find vaccination sites.

More Than $1 billion in Federal Stimulus Cash Still Unspent

Boston Globe – Even as Massachusetts pushes Congress for more federal stimulus funding, new state data show it had spent only half the $2.7 billion it received last year through the federal CARES Act’s Coronavirus Relief Fund.

State and local officials say the numbers illustrate some of the logistical challenges associated with obtaining and spending the money, including some uncertainty about how precisely the funds can be spent. And with the pandemic still ongoing, some cities and towns have been trying to reserve portions of the money while they determine how much additional cash they will receive from the federal government and what restrictions those funds may carry.

“There’s a logic to keeping your powder dry,” said Phineas Baxandall, an analyst with the Massachusetts Budget and Policy Center, a think tank. State officials expect all the money to be spent by the deadline at the end of the year.

Meanwhile, Governor Charlie Baker and Representative Richard Neal, Democrat of Springfield, held a joint press conference last week in Boston to promote a new $1.9 trillion relief package moving through Congress. Neal, who chairs the House Ways and Means Committee, predicted the bill will pass by mid-March.

As of the end of 2020, Massachusetts had spent about $1.4 billion of the relief funds, a quarter of which was spent on salaries and payroll for public safety staff.

Specifically, the state allocated $150 million for the Department of Correction, $99 million to the state police, and smaller amounts to local sheriffs’ departments. The funds accounted for nearly one-third of the Department of Correction’s payroll spending last year.

Other major expenses included contact tracing, testing, and grants for small businesses. More than $140 million was spent on helping schools reopen. And a tiny fraction of the money, $35,243, went to the grim task of opening temporary morgues.

State officials set aside another $502 million for municipalities. But only $324 million of that has been distributed so far, as some cities and towns have not yet requested the full amount allocated for them. And of the money they have received, much still remains unspent, state figures show.

The CARES Act’s Coronavirus Relief Fund was just one small portion of all federal funding allocated to Massachusetts, but it provided relatively flexible funds that officials could use on many unexpected expenses incurred due to the coronavirus pandemic. However, federal officials barred government agencies from using the funds to pay off debt or cover routine expenses, even if governments suffered revenue shortfalls due to business closures and other problems related to COVID-19.

Focus on Capitol Hill Turns to Passing Biden’s $1.9 Trillion Coronavirus Relief Bill

Washington Post – Congressional Democrats renewed their focus Tuesday on passing President Biden’s $1.9 trillion coronavirus relief bill, as they face a mid-March deadline for when enhanced unemployment benefits will expire if Congress doesn’t act in time.

With former president Donald Trump’s impeachment trial out of the way in the Senate, Democrats are preparing to push the legislation through a few final procedural hoops before an expected floor vote next week in the House. From there, the legislation would go to the Senate.

Biden is participated in a CNN town hall event in Wisconsin on Tuesday night to discuss the coronavirus, the economy and other issues. He used the opportunity to promote his relief plan, which includes a new round of $1,400 stimulus checks, as well as hundreds of billions of dollars for schools, city and state governments, coronavirus testing, and vaccine manufacture and distribution.

The proposal would increase emergency federal unemployment benefits from $300 to $400 a week and extend them into the fall. The benefits are set to expire March 14.

Despite divisions within the House Democratic caucus, Democrats have largely unified behind the legislation. Nine House committees passed their individual portions of the bill last week, fighting back GOP attempts to alter it with dozens of amendments targeting everything from abortion to the minimum wage to the Keystone XL pipeline.

Democrats defeated all the GOP amendments save for one, a relatively minor measure in the Agriculture Committee aimed at compensating farmers affected by derecho storms last year.

Republicans repeatedly said they were frustrated that their views weren’t being considered as Democrats pushed the legislation forward without GOP support. Democrats defended their approach, saying they need to act quickly to inject more money into the health-care system and stabilize the economy with millions still out of work.

Direct Aid Totals $4.55 Billion for Massachusetts in Biden Rescue Plan

FEB. 16, 2021…..With the U.S. House eyeing a vote on President Joe Biden’s $1.9 trillion stimulus package next week, as much as $8.275 billion in direct aid to state and local government in Massachusetts could be on the line as Beacon Hill lawmakers begin the process of building the next state budget.

Biden’s package includes $350 billion in support for state and local government, which Gov. Charlie Baker has described as “critical” to helping states like Massachusetts rebuild their economies as more of the public becomes vaccinated from COVID-19.

The funding would be in addition to other buckets of stimulus spending that would flow to schools, businesses, testing and vaccination programs, the unemployed and direct checks to families in Massachusetts.

Congress and former President Donald Trump excluded direct state aid from the most recent $900 billion federal stimulus bill, but governors have been pushing for more federal support for months. House Speaker Ron Mariano said over the weekend the federal stimulus could help lawmakers avoid cuts and replenish the state’s reserves, all while avoiding tax hikes.

Massachusetts would receive $4.55 billion in state aid, under the White House plan, and cities and towns would be eligible for an additional $3.73 billion, according to figures shared with the News Service by U.S. Rep. Lori Trahan’s office.

Trahan’s office said it expects the Budget Committee to release the final text of the bill this week, and the U.S. House is tentatively looking at next week to hold a vote.

U.S. Rep. Richard Neal, who joined Baker at the State House last week to advocate for more federal funding, is working on another part of the relief package as chairman of Ways and Means that would provide direct checks of $1,400 to qualifying residents.

Mariano said over the weekend in an interview on WCVB’s “On the Record” that he was watching to see what happens in Washington “with a high degree of intensity.”

“If this $1.9 trillion package gets passed, I think we’ll be able to be alright with having to doing anything more than reallocate our funds and maybe put some money back into the rainy day fund,” Mariano said.

The federal government has sent about $68 billion in aid to Massachusetts since the pandemic began, but much of it has flowed directly to businesses, families, non-profits and public entities like regional transit authorities. The Paycheck Protection Program, for instance, delivered $38 billion for businesses impacted by the pandemic, according to state data, while nearly $930 million went schools and $18.4 billion was earmarked for unemployment assistance benefits.

The state received about $7 billion in funds over which it had some discretion, including $2.5 billion through the Coronavirus Relief Fund, according the Executive Office of Administration and Finance,

Of the $2.5 billion in the Coronavirus Relief Fund, the Baker administration made $502 million available to municipalities and has distributed $324 million. Cities and towns are eligible to request funding based on their population size to cover allowed pandemic-related expenses.

Nearly $100 million went to 258 municipalities in the first round administered by the state in May and June, and another $224 million was awarded to 267 cities and towns in October.

The application window for the third round of funding closes on Feb. 26.

The state has also leveraged Coronavirus Relief Fund aid to launch a $668 million state-run small business recovery program that is underway, and the Executive Office of Administration and Finance said Massachusetts has received nearly $750 million for testing and tracing since the pandemic began and over $510 million for vaccine support, $450 million in federal rental assistance and over $375 million for personal protective equipment, food and other priorities.

Deficit Deepens for State’s Unemployment Fund

CNHINNews.com – A deficit in the fund that pays out unemployment benefits has ballooned amid a crush of pandemic-related claims, and employers could be saddled with the cost of replenishing it.

The Unemployment Trust Fund, which totaled $1.1 billion a year ago, had a deficit of nearly $2.4 billion as of Dec. 31, according to the latest figures from the state Executive Office of Labor and Workforce Development. That’s $27 million higher than previous estimates.

The deficit is projected to grow up to nearly $5 billion by the end of the year, according to the agency.

Greg Sullivan, a senior analyst with Pioneer Institute, a Boston think tank, said businesses will be hit with the cost of digging the state out of the hole.

“Unless Congress and the state Legislature does something about it, and soon, that deficit is going to have to be made up by small businesses owners who are already struggling to survive,” Sullivan said. “It’s going to be like throwing an anchor to a drowning man.”

The state paid out more than $5.9 billion in jobless benefits last year, and expects to pay another $4.8 billion this year amid the pandemic’s ongoing economic fallout.

The Baker administration has borrowed more than $2.2 billion from the federal government to continue paying claims. And employers already face a hike in unemployment insurance taxes of up to 60% this year to help replenish the fund that covers claims.

Gov. Charlie Baker has filed legislation to freeze planned increases in the contributions that employers make to the fund. The measure would authorize the state to issue special obligation bonds to pay off federal borrowing needed to supplement the fund.

Baker says the move will ensure the state has access to additional federal funds to keep benefits flowing to eligible workers.

Concerns about the solvency of the unemployment fund comes as the state’s labor market shows early signs of recovery.

Massachusetts’ unemployment rate was 7.4% in November — down from 16.1% in July, according to the state labor department.

Meanwhile, new jobless claims have been slowly receding for several weeks.

At least 19,684 unemployment claims were filed in Massachusetts for the week that ended Feb. 6, a decline of 808 claims over the previous week, according to the U.S. Department of Labor’s weekly jobless claims report.

But hundreds of thousands of jobless workers are still collecting regular state unemployment benefits and federal pandemic-related benefits, and that’s expected to put increasing pressure on state leaders to act.

The Baker administration says it expects to continue to have borrow from the federal government to supplement the trust fund through 2024.

February 4, 2021

Baker Administration Pushes Businesses to Vaccinate Employees

Boston Business Journal – The Baker administration has stepped up efforts in recent weeks to find Massachusetts businesses willing and able to administer COVID-19 vaccines to their employees, holding online briefings for interested employers and reaching out to executives directly.

At the moment, only a small percentage of residents can receive a COVID -19 vaccine, including health care workers, first responders and those 75 and older. As a result, many employers have few if any workers who are currently eligible for vaccination.

But many area executives are keen on protecting their workforces against the virus. With a much greater swath of the state’s population set to become eligible for vaccinations in the coming months, administration officials have started to engage business leaders.

The officials have laid out two primary options for employers to vaccinate workers, according to documents obtained by the Business Journal: partnering with a pharmacy or health care provider to host an on-site clinic, or giving out the vaccines themselves.

The first option is the best choice for most employers, according to a guidance document offered to businesses by the administration. Businesses can partner with the health care providers that administer their flu vaccines every year. That way, they do not have to enroll in the state’s COVID -19 Vaccine Program as a provider.

Vaccine Resources for Massachusetts Employers

Employers wanting to learn more about becoming a site for vaccinating employees can review the following AIM Resources and these state documents:

• See the Vaccine Administration Guidance (PDF)
• See also: Massachusetts COVID-19 Vaccine Program (MCVP) – Guidance for Vaccine Providers and Organizations
• Herefor The 30 Second Vaccine Update
• Herefor AIM’s Government Affairs Vaccine FAQ
• For companies to inquire with the MassDPH regarding vaccination prioritization contact: COVID-19-Vaccine-Plan-MA@mass.gov
• Herefor the 30 Second Vaccine Update
• Click here for AIM’s recent COVID rule changes
• Click here for key updates on AIM’s COVID-19 Resource Page (links to the Gov’s slides on the website; Links to interactive guide to testing locations; Registration to the webinar and Social media has also been updated with slides from the Gov’s presentation)

Biden and Drug Makers Look to Speed Coronavirus Vaccine Deliveries

New York Times – WASHINGTON — As President Biden winds up his second week in office, a flurry of developments in vaccine production and distribution could mean a bigger boost to coronavirus vaccine supplies than was expected even just days ago.

Moderna, one of two developers of federally authorized coronavirus vaccines, is asking U.S. regulators to approve what it says could be a remarkably simple proposal to speed up the immunization of Americans against the coronavirus: Fill empty space in its vials with as many as 50 percent more doses.

Moderna currently produces about half of the nation’s vaccine stock. If the change is approved — which could happen in weeks — it could ultimately add tens of millions of more doses to vaccine supplies.

At the same time, the White House announced on Tuesday that it was enlisting more retail pharmacies as a channel to distribute vaccines. Jeffrey D. Zients, the White House’s coronavirus response coordinator, said the federal government would send a million doses to around 6,500 retail pharmacies on Feb. 11, the beginning of a federal program that eventually is expected to deliver vaccines directly to 40,000 pharmacies.

The White House announcements were clearly intended to show that Mr. Biden was making rapid strides on the vaccine front amid huge frustration in the country over tight supplies and a chaotic, cobbled-together system for administrating the available shots. But the developments also indicated that the government was gradually expanding the way people can get their immunizations and the number of shots available.

Biden Administration Will Ship COVID-19 Vaccines Directly To Pharmacies

NPR – The Biden administration has announced that it will begin shipping about 1 million COVID-19 vaccine doses a week directly to thousands of pharmacies in an attempt to address equity concerns and speed up the country’s crucial inoculation effort.

The vaccines sent to pharmacies will be in addition to the millions of doses sent weekly to states, territories and tribes and that are sometimes administered at local pharmacies.

The program will begin on Feb. 11 on a limited basis, with vaccines sent to about 6,500 stores nationwide, Jeff Zients, the White House’s COVID-19 response coordinator, told reporters on Tuesday. He said that the effort would then scale up and that eventually up to 40,000 retail pharmacies, including Walgreens, CVS and Rite Aid locations, would receive doses directly from the federal government.

Once the program starts, Zients said, those wishing to get vaccinated should follow their state’s current eligibility requirements and, if eligible, then check with their local pharmacy to see if there is vaccine availability.

Study: Only 16 Percent of Massachusetts High School Students Prefer Remote Learning

Boston 25 News – The majority of Massachusetts high school students surveyed prefer in-person learning to remote or hybrid learning models according to a study by the Barr Foundation and Gallup. The study found just 16 percent of the 1,000 students who participated in the telephone survey would rather learn from home.

“I wish I could go,” said 17-year-old Nia Alves of Brockton.

“I don’t have that privilege,” she explained.

The Barr Foundation-Gallup study findings are based on surveys conducted between November 18 and December 9, 2020 and was carried out in both English and Spanish.

There were large discrepancies discovered between learning arrangements for students surveyed based on household income level.

According to the study, 66 percent of students with a household income of $120,000 or more were in school districts where hybrid or full-time in-person instruction was being done, compared to just 31 percent who were full-time remote. Fifty-seven percent of students with household incomes of $60,000 or less were exclusively remote during the time frame studied.

“Sometimes they take it for granted,” said Alves of friends she has in other districts with in-person or hybrid learning models.

Fragmented Health System Plagues Vaccine Rollout

Boston Globe – The snake bitten COVID-19 vaccine launch, beset by supply shortages, unused doses, and vexing technical complexity, has brutally exposed the weaknesses in the fragmented US and Massachusetts health care delivery systems.

Global data show the United States badly trailing the United Kingdom, which has a more centralized health care system, in getting people immunized. Relying on its vaunted National Health Service, which provides care for virtually the entire nation, the UK had vaccinated 13.7 percent of its population by Monday, while just 7.8 percent of Americans had received shots, according to the University of Oxford.

The problems plaguing the US vaccination drive — decentralization, lack of coordination, and consumer confusion — are especially stark in Massachusetts, which ranks 34th nationally in per-capita vaccinations, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported Tuesday.

Other populous states with similarly dispersed health systems, such as California, Illinois, and Texas, are also mired in the bottom half of the CDC rankings. Many distributed much of their early allotments through big hospitals and long-term-care facilities, leaving no central player in control of the process.

Cities Find Themselves on the Front Line of Vaccine Rollout

Commonwealth Magazine – In all the finger-pointing over the state’s shaky COVID-19 vaccine rollout, the criticism may have been aimed at Charlie Baker, but in Revere, the phone calls went to Brian Arrigo.

Local government is where people often turn first for help, and Revere’s mayor said they have looked to him and city government throughout the pandemic. That was no different last week when the state website was launched on Wednesday to allow residents 75 and older to begin signing up for coronavirus vaccine appointments for Phase 2 of the state’s vaccination plan, which began this Monday.

Revere’s 311 constituent service hotline usually fields 150 to 180 calls per day. “That day we got 400,” said the 40-year-old mayor. “It was really clear that we had to not wait for people to be calling us. We had to flip that.”

That meant reaching out proactively to senior citizens to try to help them with the confusing vaccine sign-up process, where there are multiple options for where to get immunized and, for those able to navigate the portal, the effort was often leading to a frustrating dead-end with no appointments available anywhere nearby.

Vaccination Sites Reschedule Appointments after Winter Storm

WWLP – Monday’s storm forced the state’s mass vaccination sites to close down early.

Many of the sites opened up early on Monday to try and get more people in before the start of the storm, but they weren’t able to get to everyone, which has state leaders planning for a backlog of appointments.

Mass vaccination sites like the one at the Eastfield Mall in Springfield, posts available appointment times each Thursday. Residents who are in Phase 1 and those 75 and older can sign up for a time to receive their vaccines.

People who had appointments scheduled on Monday afternoon into Tuesday morning were given the option to reschedule, and Governor Charlie Baker’s hoping to see sites work through the backlog in a timely manner.

“Most of these folks are going to try and reschedule people this week and it’s going to depend on, some extent, on how much they can get done today and how much they need to reschedule later on,” Baker said on Monday.

The governor said he doesn’t believe the storm will affect is the number of appointments that will be posted this Thursday, but he said DPH will be keeping a close eye on our vaccine data over the next few days.

Governor Releases New Details on Vaccination Process

NBC Boston – Gov. Charlie Baker released new details Wednesday on the COVID-19 vaccination rollout in Massachusetts.

He said more than 654,000 residents have already been vaccinated, and about 120,000 new appointments are expected to be made available this week. About 55,000 new appointments will go live on Thursday at the state’s mass vaccination sites alone.

Massachusetts Surpasses Half a Million COVID-19 Cases

WBUR – The state’s daily coronavirus report on Monday confirmed that Massachusetts has crossed a brutal barrier, surpassing 500,000 cases of the coronavirus. The news comes exactly one year after the first case in the state was announced.

Half a million cases of the virus in a state with fewer than than 7 million residents. And most of those cases came during the second surge, which entered with the fall season. On Sept. 22, the first day of fall, there were 126,869 confirmed cases in Massachusetts. Over the last four months, that number nearly quadrupled, with daily cases far exceeding the worst of the spring surge.

Compounding the second wave were the Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year’s holidays. While many people stayed home and did not travel for the holidays, others could not give up on the annual allure of coming together, which this year served as an opportunity for the virus to spread. Cases surged in communities in the weeks following the holidays. Some prisons also experienced outbreaks.

Gov. Charlie Baker, Boston Mayor Marty Walsh and other public leaders re-imposed some restrictions on businesses and gatherings ahead of the holidays, and again after Christmas, but the measures were less stringent than those taken during the spring, and not nearly as strong as some epidemiologists and other public health experts recommended.

Democrats Speed Ahead on Economic Aid Package

New York Times – WASHINGTON — Democrats are taking steps to push through President Biden’s $1.9 trillion economic rescue plan, using a budgetary maneuver that could eventually allow the measure to become law without Republican support.

The move advanced the two-track strategy that Mr. Biden and Democratic leaders are employing to speed the aid package through Congress: show Republicans that they have the votes to pass an ambitious spending bill with only Democratic backing, but offer to negotiate some details in hopes of gaining Republican support.

“We are not going to dilute, dither or delay,” Senator Chuck Schumer, Democrat of New York and the majority leader, said on the Senate floor. “There’s nothing about the process itself that prevents bipartisanship.”

The party-line vote of 50 to 49 set the stage for Democrats to advance Mr. Biden’s plan through budget reconciliation, which would allow it to pass with a simple majority vote, bypassing the need for Republican support. (Senator Patrick J. Toomey, Republican of Pennsylvania, was absent and did not vote because he was delayed by snow.)

The vote came the day after 10 Republican senators met at the White House with Mr. Biden seeking a smaller, $618 billion package they said could win bipartisan backing.

Mr. Biden and Treasury Secretary Janet L. Yellen met virtually with Senate Democrats at their lunch on Tuesday afternoon.

On the call, Mr. Biden “spoke about the need for Congress to respond boldly and quickly,” Mr. Schumer said afterward. “He was very strong in emphasizing the need for a big bold package. He said he told Senate Republicans that the $600 billion that they propose was way too small.”

While Mr. Biden said he told Republicans he was willing to make some modifications to his proposal, he and Ms. Yellen told the group that if the Senate embraced the Republican plan, “we’d be mired in the COVID crisis for years,” according to Mr. Schumer.

Senate Democrats could approve the budget resolution as soon as Friday. On Tuesday, a key Democratic senator announced he would support it: Joe Manchin III of West Virginia, who is a crucial swing vote, said he would agree to move forward with the budget process “because we must address the urgency of the Covid-19 crisis.”

Women Edged out of Workforce Eye Promise of Biden Stimulus Package

Boston Globe – President Biden’s sweeping stimulus proposal, his most ambitious proposal to turn the country around, puts an extraordinary focus on getting women back to work, acknowledging the disproportionate impact the pandemic has had on working mothers.

COVID-19 targeted the industries where women dominated — travel, leisure, hospitality, service. At the same time, it kept children home from schools and child-care centers, forcing parents — often mothers — to multitask.

By the end of 2020, 4.3 million fewer women were working than had been in February, according to the Institute for Women’s Policy Research. Nearly half of those women — 2.1 million — have given up looking for work, compared to about 1.7 million men.

Biden’s $1.9 trillion American Rescue Plan specifically aims to help women reenter the workforce by steering unprecedented resources to the child-care system. It also features a national vaccination program and a massive expansion of COVID testing for schools.

The expensive proposal’s odds are uncertain in a fractured Congress — Republicans have already put forward a much cheaper counterproposal — but it signals a paradigm shift long sought by advocates for women and early education.

“The president isn’t describing this as some individual problem,” said Fatima Goss Graves, president and CEO of the National Women’s Law Center. “He’s understanding that it is key to the recovery, addressing this care crisis.”

The “invisible burden” of caregiving was made glaringly obvious by the conditions caused by the pandemic.

Pandemic’s Uneven Jobs Impact Creates Challenges

State House News – Lost jobs in the leisure and hospitality sectors are likely not coming back anytime soon and the job market may look particularly different after the state recovers from the COVID-19 pandemic, a top official in the region’s workforce development industry said.

“Nothing came even close to the devastating job losses in leisure and hospitality, as travel was just simply shut down,” JVS President and CEO Jerry Rubin said at a virtual forum on Tuesday.

“Because of the uneven impact of the COVID recession across different industry sectors, the pain of this recession was not spread evenly. Here in Massachusetts, the leisure and hospitality sector is dominated by immigrants, women, and other workers of color.”

Christine Abrams, Commonwealth Corporation president and CEO, echoed Rubin’s comments adding that minority-owned businesses, women-owned businesses, and communities of color were hit the hardest during the pandemic-spurred recession.

Prior to the pandemic, Abrams said, one of the foremost concerns employers would describe to the quasi-public workforce development agency was the difficulty in finding enough talent. And that challenge still remains true today, she said.

“It will require focusing on priority occupations that are hiring and using real-time information to achieve success,” Abrams said. “The public sector must take a leadership role in convening organizations and businesses, and providing the support and training for unemployed and underemployed as there is no easy fix, and it will take all of us working together to achieve success.”

Industries that were decimated as a result of the pandemic were by and large made up of lower-income workers, SkillWorks Executive Director Andre Green said, and recovery strategies moving forward must center on women and communities of color.

“Racial inequities in the workforce here in Boston cost the Boston region $45 billion a year in lost GDP. I found that numbers that big are hard for people to wrap their head around. So that’s roughly the GDP of the entire state of Alaska,” Green said. “If we were to add that kind of money to our economy, everyone would be better off.”

Rubin said five industries are projected to grow during and after the pandemic: e-commerce, health care, online purchasing and related logistics, educational technology, and robotics, pharmaceutical, and on-shoring manufacturing.

For Rick Laferriere, director of workforce initiatives at CVS Health, Amazon is adding corporate and warehouse jobs and “absolutely crushing it right now.” The online retailer recently signed a lease for more office space in the Seaport District.

“Amazon is growing like crazy because we’re all sitting at home, ordering things online and having them delivered,” Laferriere said.

Laferriere said CVS Health has partnered with a number of large employers in the service and hospitality industry to bring in furloughed workers for temporary assignments. The goal, Laferriere said, was to help mitigate the effects on employees in the two sectors while filling positions within CVS.

The health care and retail company mobilized more than 34,000 pharmacists and 60,000 pharmacy technicians to help with testing and vaccination efforts, Laferriere said. CVS Health had to both add positions to assist immunization efforts and backfill positions in their brick-and-mortar stores.

“It’s really generated a need for talent for us, and talent that is really nimble, and flexible and creative to respond to the situation at hand,” Laferriere said. “And so for us to be able to survive and thrive during this, we had to work together with the public sector, work together with other private employers to seek talent.”

Immunizations have not traditionally been a part of a pharmacy technician’s job description and CVS Health has had to work with regulators to add the skill to their particular license, Laferriere said.

“I think that’s a critical piece that’s coming out of this pandemic and will allow us to react more quickly, more efficiently … should this arise again, hopefully, it won’t.”

Remote Work Growth Adds Dimension to Tax Debate

State House News – The combination of new remote working opportunities made popular during the COVID-19 pandemic and higher income taxes on wealthy residents could land like a one-two punch on the chin of the Massachusetts economy and state finances, the author of a new study said.

Greg Sullivan, the state’s former inspector general and the research director at the conservative-leaning Pioneer Institute, said the ongoing exodus of wealth from Massachusetts to low-tax states like Florida and New Hampshire could be amplified in coming years.

The popularity of new work arrangements that no longer tether workers, or their employers, to geographic location could make it easier for workers to seek housing or lifestyle changes elsewhere, he said.

The outcome of a proposed surtax on income over $1 million and a Supreme Court case in which New Hampshire is challenging Gov. Charlie Baker’s right to tax the income of workers living in New Hampshire, but working remotely for Massachusetts companies, could also become factors.

“My concern has to do with the competitiveness of the state,” Sullivan said.

Sullivan and the Pioneer Institute published a report this week that found between 1993 and 2018 a total of $20.7 billion in adjusted gross income left Massachusetts, with 46.5 percent of that wealth going to Florida and 26 percent to New Hampshire.

Both Florida and New Hampshire have no income taxes, and in Florida residents do not pay capital gains or estate taxes. The average taxpayer who left Massachusetts for Florida in 2018 earned $120,325, while those leaving for New Hampshire earned less, or about $64,992.

The state Legislature will decide, potentially by the spring, whether to put a question on the 2022 ballot that would impose a 4 percent surtax on all income above $1 million. The tax on wealthier residents has been pitched by proponents as a revenue generator for education and transportation, worth up to $2 billion a year.

But critics have long said it could prompt employers to steer clear of Massachusetts and wealthy residents to move out of state.

“I think that there’s no question that the post-COVID continued growth of work from home arrangements creates a real risk for a state like Massachusetts just because there are so many reasons why someone would want to move to New Hampshire,” Sullivan said.

“The proposed surtax could exacerbate that,” Sullivan said.

Gov. Baker has not taken a position on the surtax, but in his State of the Commonwealth address last week he talked about the importance of adapting smartly to “the future of work” after the COVID-19 pandemic is under control.

The wealth tax will need to be advanced again at a Constitutional Convention in the 2021-2022 session in order to go before voters on the statewide November ballot in 2022. While there was some turnover on Beacon Hill this session, the Legislature easily advanced the proposal 147-48 in June of 2019 and new Speaker Ron Mariano supported the measure two years ago, after initially voting against it.

Neither Rep. Jim O’Day nor Sen. Jason Lewis, the principal sponsors of the Constitutional amendment in both branches, could be reached for comment Tuesday to discuss if and how the pandemic has impacted their views on wealth taxes.

Sullivan said tax policy alone is not necessarily driving wealth out of the state. He also cited the high cost of living, density and weather as contributing factors.

While Florida has seen more than 70 percent its wealth migration into the state come from taxpayers earning $200,000 or more, Pioneer’s research found that less than 40 percent of taxpayers leaving Massachusetts fell in that same income bracket.

Immigration has also helped to offset population decline in Massachusetts, according the Pioneer report, but on average an immigrant moving to Massachusetts earned $36,809 in 2018 compared to an average adjusted gross income of $87,628 for taxpayers who left Massachusetts for other states.

After Florida and New Hampshire, the remaining 27 percent of the income leaving Massachusetts went to a mix of warm or lower cost-of-living states like California, Maine, North Carolina and Texas.

The greatest influx of wealth to Massachusetts over the same 15-year period came from New York, Connecticut, New Jersey, Pennsylvania and Illinois, according to Pioneer.

“The big picture takeaway is that Massachusetts and New England states, really, has been in pattern of losing large amounts of income to other states,” Sullivan said.

Baker Says Proposed Drug Overcharging Penalties Would Total $70 Million

Commonwealth Magazine – It’s Baker versus drug companies, take two.

Gov. Charlie Baker, in his fiscal 2022 budget proposal, is reviving a controversial plan to penalize drug companies for charging too much for their drugs. The budget estimates that $70 million in overcharging penalties would be collected in the fiscal year beginning July 1, with $47.5 million earmarked for a trust fund that supports community health centers and community hospitals and the rest going to the general fund.

Baker’s proposal addresses a long-standing problem: the high cost of pharmaceutical drugs. But pushing for it during a pandemic, over the strong objection of drug companies, may also be politically risky at a time when the world is looking to the pharma industry to vanquish COVID-19. The industry is pounding home that theme in its fight against the proposal.

“As the industry continues to focus on developing vaccines and treatments for COVID-19, we need policies that support America’s collaborative research ecosystem, not hinder it,” the pharmaceutical industry trade association PhRMA said in a statement.

“Gov. Baker’s shortsighted proposal could limit the availability of medicines to patients in the Commonwealth, and could have long-term harmful effects on innovation and the development of new, life-saving therapies.”

The proposal is identical to one Baker proposed in his health care reform bill in late 2019 and in his fiscal 2021 budget proposal. But legislators released their own versions of the health care bill, and as the focus shifted to COVID-19, Baker’s drug proposal was dropped.

February 2, 2021

Rep. Trahan to Headline Feb. 2 Commonwealth Conversation

AIM is pleased to welcome Rep. Lori Trahan, Congresswoman from the 3rd Massachusetts Congressional District, for the first Commonwealth Conversations virtual discussion of 2021.

The event will be an opportunity for AIM members to connect with a member of our federal delegation regarding efforts to restore and regrow the economy in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic.

With the recent presidential transition and the convening of the 117th United States Congress, the congresswoman will discuss her priorities for 2021 as well as Congressional efforts towards economic recovery for the state and the nation.

Register

Republicans Pitch Biden on Smaller Stimulus Plan

New York Times – A coalition of 10 Republican senators took a stimulus counterproposal to the White House on Monday evening, urging President Biden to scale back his ambitions for a sweeping $1.9 trillion pandemic aid package in favor of a plan less than one-third the size that they argued could garner the bipartisan consensus the new president has said he is seeking.

After a two-hour meeting, Senator Susan Collins of Maine, the leader of the Republican group, said the discussion had been excellent, though “I wouldn’t say that we came together on a package tonight.” She said Mr. Biden and the senators had agreed to continue their talks.

The discussions took place as Democrats prepared to push forward on Mr. Biden’s plan with or without Republican backing, and as the president faced a test of whether he would opt to pursue a scaled-back measure that could fulfill his pledge to foster broad compromise, or use his majority in Congress to reach for a more robust relief effort enacted over stiff Republican opposition.

Mr. Biden appeared eager to signal an openness to negotiating, telling Ms. Collins that he was “anxious” to hear what the senators had to say as they chatted in the Oval Office before the meeting began, and spending much of the evening behind closed doors in what both sides described as a cordial and productive session.

“All of us are concerned about struggling families, teetering small businesses, an overwhelmed health care system, getting vaccines out and into people’s arms, and strengthening our economy and addressing the public health crisis that we face,” Ms. Collins said.

Even so, despite all the talk of comity and common ground, the White House came back with its bottom line after all had gone home.

The GOP moderates’ proposal includes several elements of the Biden plan:

• resources for vaccine distribution;
• an extension of unemployment/food aid benefits;
• direct payments to individuals (smaller and more targeted than Biden’s);
• money for schools and childcare.

Unlike the Biden proposal, the GOP moderates’ plan has additional money for small business aid (PPP and EIDL), but it does not have money for state/local fiscal aid (its omission probably is meant to respect McConnell’s linkage of fiscal aid to liability relief).

Fenway Park and Reggie Lewis Center on the Front Lines against COVID-19

Boston Globe – Two Boston institutions — Fenway Park and the Reggie Lewis Track and Athletic Center — are on the front lines of the fight against the coronavirus as they are transformed into vaccination centers in the coming days, while the state launches the second phase of its vaccination effort and makes vital doses available to residents 75 and older.

The disease has killed 14,287 people in Massachusetts and caused nearly a half-million infectionsand the need to inoculate against it grows more urgent with the rise of dangerous variants of the virus. The sports arenas — one longtime home to dreams of glory, the other honoring the legacy of a basketball hero — will cradle hope that the tide will soon turn against COVID-19.

“It’s critical that we vaccinate as quickly, safely, and in as orderly fashion as possible,” said Samuel Scarpino, an epidemiologist at Northeastern University. “Even setting the variants aside, the current version of COVID that we are dealing with is plenty devastating.”

On Sunday, the state reported 46 new deaths, and more than 2,500 additional infections. Nearly 72,000 active cases were reported, and 1,676 people were hospitalized for COVID-19.

Fenway Park, which had a soft opening Friday, opened as a state mass vaccination site at 8 a.m.

Officials made the call around 10 p.m. Sunday not to open the vaccination site at the Lewis Center Monday because of the approaching nor’easter, according to Caitlin McLaughlin, a spokeswoman for the Boston Public Health Commission. The storm is expected to dump perhaps a foot of snow on Boston, according to the National Weather Service.

Appointments scheduled for Monday will be rebooked for Monday, Feb. 8, McLaughlin said. Officials will contact those people to reschedule their visits.

Officials expect the Reggie Lewis Center to be open Tuesday, McLaughlin said Sunday night.

The center will operate as a smaller-scale site run by the City of Boston before it is taken over by the state and expanded later this month, according to Marty Martinez who leads health and human services for the city.

“It’s clear that we know COVID has an inequitable impact on communities of color,” Martinez said. “And we in the city have been laser-like focused on the fact that [it] has disproportionately impacted Black and brown communities.”

The state has had problems getting enough vaccine doses from the federal government. The Baker administration also faces criticism over the pace of distribution with the doses that have come in and the rollout of a state website that has frustrated thousands of people who have tried to schedule appointments for shots.

Meanwhile, state Senator Becca Rausch, a Needham Democrat, said in an e-mail Sunday that constituents continue to tell her the sign-up process is “persistently painful.”

One woman worked for four hours before she was able to get her parents signed up for vaccinations, which Rausch said was representative of the reaction she got.

“The volume of e-mails has decreased, but I do not believe that to be indicative of anything working better,” Rausch said.

The website, which is not a centralized registration system but a portal connecting people to other sign-up sites, carried a notice Sunday warning of delays.

“Due to high demand and severely limited vaccine supply, COVID-19 vaccination appointments may take several weeks to schedule,” the notice said. “More appointments will be available based on supply from the federal government.”

Massachusetts Vaccine Sites Searchable by Zip Code

CDC Data Shows Stark Disparities in Coronavirus Shots

Politico – Black and Hispanic people are getting vaccinated against coronavirus at much lower rates than white people, despite being disproportionately hit by the pandemic, according to preliminary CDC data.

Initial CDC data released Monday shows stark disparities among those inoculated, while highlighting severe gaps across communities.

The agency released demographic data from the first month of the country’s vaccination campaign. But race and ethnicity was only known for about half of the 12.9 million Americans receiving a vaccine between Dec. 14 and Jan. 14, underscoring the need for more complete data reporting, the agency wrote.

More than 60 percent of those vaccinated were white. More than 14 percent reported they were of multiple or other races or ethnicities; 11.5 percent were Hispanic; 6 percent were Asian; just over 5 percent were Black; and 2 percent were American Indian or Alaska Native.

“I’m worried about how behind we are,” said Marcella Nunez-Smith, the leader of the Biden administration’s Health Equity Task Force, at a Monday press conference. “We must address these insufficient data points as an urgent priority.”

Additionally, about 63 percent of those vaccinated were women and about 55 percent were age 50 or older.

A second CDC report out Monday confirmed anecdotal reports that coronavirus vaccination uptake is high among nursing home residents but low among staff.

Nearly 11,500 nursing homes had at least one vaccination clinic through a federal pharmacy partnership between Dec. 18 and Jan. 17. A median of nearly 78 percent of residents received the vaccine, while a median of only 37 percent of staff members per facility decided to get vaccinated.

President Joe Biden wants an equitable distribution of the coronavirus vaccine, but preliminary reports showcase just how much ground will need to be made up

Policy Agenda Pitched to Health Equity Panel

State House News – East Boston resident Jessenia Espinoza, a Spanish speaker, lost her job at a restaurant last year after the COVID-19 crisis struck and fell into debt, borrowing money to pay rent and buy essentials for herself and her child.

Sharing her story with members of the Legislature’s Health Equity Task Force during a public hearing Monday, Espinoza said she struggled to fill out forms for pandemic unemployment assistance when she could not get help in Spanish and missed out on three months of benefits.

“So, I felt pressured to find work,” Espinoza said, through an English translation provided by Rep. Adrian Madaro’s legislative aide Gloribel Rivas. “I went to a factory to ask if they were hiring in Chelsea. I spent a lot of time looking for work in factories in Chelsea, and that’s where I became sick with COVID-19. I have had to borrow money from third parties in order to survive so far.”

Espinoza and Madaro were among the more than 60 people scheduled to speak before the task force in a videoconference hearing Monday. The panel, created under a June 2020 data collection law aimed at addressing COVID-19 health disparities, plans another hearing Feb. 8 as it works toward producing its final report.

Some lawmakers who spoke during the hearing pitched the task force on bills they plan to file this session.

Madaro, an East Boston Democrat, said he represents “a vibrant immigrant community” and has seen many instances where language has been a barrier for families seeking relief during the pandemic, despite efforts the state has made to address the issues.

“If we want to encourage residents to stay home when they are sick, we should not make it this hard for them to get the resources they need for them to do so,” he said. “Language barriers in essential services to recovery make it so that immigrant communities bear a disproportionate burden of sickness and financial hardship during the pandemic.”

Madaro said he plans to “introduce legislation to mandate, standardize and enforce language access requirements for state-funded programs.” The bill, he said, would establish a language access advisory board and require state agencies to translate their websites and documents and provide oral interpretation services.

Rep. Marjorie Decker highlighted a bill she is filing with Sen. Sal DiDomenico that would increase cash assistance benefit levels for low-income families.

Like legislation the lawmakers filed last session, the bill will seek to boost cash assistance grants until reaching 50 percent of the federal poverty level, and Decker said this year’s bill will propose a faster timeline than the pre-pandemic version.

She said the $45.6 billion fiscal 2022 budget Gov. Charlie Baker proposed last week rolls back a 10 percent increase in Transitional Aid to Families with Dependent Children and Emergency Aid to the Elderly, Disabled and Children grant amounts that was included in this year’s budget.

Baker’s spending plan recommends funding the TAFDC line item at $254.6 million, with $83.4 million for EAEDC.

“I’m asking you to take a principled stand in this task force and say that when we are crafting budgets that we do no further harm,” said Decker, a Cambridge Democrat. “Removing cash from families who have the least is harmful.”

Worcester’s Restaurant Row Hoping for Light at the End of COVID Tunnel

Worcester Telegram – Before 2020, Shrewsbury Street’s Restaurant Row was usually a bustling part of town. Now, the streets have quieted and restaurants are doing their best to hold on in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Pano Georgiadis, owner of Meze Estiatorio, a Greek restaurant on Restaurant Row, has felt the loss of traffic financially. In January Meze Estiatorio went on a winter hiatus that may last until at least March or April. Georgiadis said the restaurants on Shrewsbury Street are particularly ill-positioned to deal with a loss of sit-down eating.

“The style of Restaurant Row is being able to go out on a Friday night not sure of where to go, driving up and down, and you know there’s a handful of nice sit-down restaurants,” Georgiadis said, “If everything continues going the way that it goes, I don’t see how anyone can really survive.”

US Rep. Lynch Tests Positive for COVID Despite Receiving Vaccine

MassLive – U.S. Rep. Stephen F. Lynch, D-Boston., has tested positive for COVID-19, despite receiving two doses of the coronavirus vaccine.

Lynch, who received the second dose of the Pfizer vaccine before attending President Joe Biden’s inauguration on Jan. 20, received his positive test result on Friday afternoon.

He was tested after a staff member was found to have the novel coronavirus.

A statement from the South Boson congressman’s office says Lynch isn’t displaying any symptoms of COVID-19. He will self-quarantine and vote by proxy in Congress in the coming week.

Lynch is not the first person to test positive for COVID despite receiving the vaccine.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, ”it typically takes a few weeks for the body to build immunity (protection against the virus that causes COVID-19) after vaccination. That means it’s possible a person could be infected with the virus that causes COVID-19 just before or just after vaccination and still get sick. This is because the vaccine has not had enough time to provide protection.”

Lynch is the second member of the Massachusetts delegation to test positive within a week.

U.S. Rep. Lori Trahan, D-Lowell, announced Thursday that she has tested positive for COVID-19.

School Districts Wrestle with Testing

Metro West Daily News – School districts face many questions when it comes to figuring out what makes the most sense for testing students and staff for COVID-19. What test is best? Is there enough money in the budget to pay for it?

Many districts are considering what’s called COVID-19 “pool” testing, now that the state Department of Elementary and Secondary Education is offering a free, six-week pilot program.

Pool testing is batching samples for testing in a lab. It saves money because “pooling” the samples together is cheaper than testing each sample individually. However, if a batch returns a positive result, then each sample must be tested individually, driving up costs.

Supporters say it’s one way to keep close tabs on COVID-19 infection numbers, contain spread and help keep communities safe.

Some say a better option is an antigen rapid test, because results come back faster. Those infected can quarantine immediately, lowering the risk of spreading the virus.

The Northborough-Southborough Regional School District is committed to pool-testing, but it’s not going with the state’s pilot program. Instead, the district has contracted JCM Analytics in Durham, North Carolina, to test samples that participants take themselves in the comfort of their homes.

January 28, 2021

Rep. Trahan to Headline Feb. 2 Commonwealth Conversation

AIM is pleased to welcome Rep. Lori Trahan, Congresswoman from the 3rd Massachusetts Congressional District, for the first Commonwealth Conversations virtual discussion of 2021.

The event will be an opportunity for AIM members to connect with a member of our federal delegation regarding efforts to restore and regrow the economy in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic.

With the recent presidential transition and the convening of the 117th United States Congress, the congresswoman will discuss her priorities for 2021 as well as Congressional efforts towards economic recovery for the state and the nation.

Register

Baker Proposes Spending Cut in Pandemic Recovery Budget

State House News – Eyeing the state’s post-pandemic future, Gov. Charlie Baker on Wednesday proposed a $45.6 billion state budget for the fiscal year that starts July 1 that he said would make key investments and support the ongoing public health response to COVID-19, but would actually cut total state spending.

The proposed fiscal year 2022 budget does not include any tax increases on residents and would trim state spending by about $300 million or 0.7 percent while state tax revenue is expected to rise 3.5 percent over the current budget year.

“The budget fully funds the first year of the landmark Student Opportunity Act, provides substantial resources to promote economic growth and development as we work to recover, and helps ensure that public health during a pandemic continues to be there for us, all without raising taxes,” Baker said. “We don’t believe raising taxes on the residents of the commonwealth, especially in the midst of all that’s going on, is the right thing to do.”

The budget bill is built on a base of $30.12 billion in state revenue (roughly 3.5 percent growth over fiscal 2021), supplemented by an estimated $12.47 billion in federal revenue (down from $13.77 billion estimated for the current budget year), revenue generated by state departments and agencies, fees and other sources.

As Baker and Lt. Gov. Karyn Polito had previously announced, the fiscal 2022 spending plan (H 1) recommends increasing the state’s $1.13 billion general local aid account by $39.5 million and seeks to fully fund the 2019 school finance reform law that aims to steer $1.5 billion to K-12 schools over seven years.

The proposed reduction in overall state spending is due largely to slower-than-expected growth in MassHealth enrollment, officials at the Executive Office of Administration and Finance said. The administration had been expecting MassHealth enrollment to grow by about 1.5 percent each month during the pandemic, but it has actually come in at just under 1 percent growth per month.

Administration and Finance Secretary Michael Heffernan said Wednesday that he is not concerned that the rating agencies might frown upon the state’s use of its rainy day fund this time around given how different the overall economic picture is.

“It is still raining, COVID is still very much here, the response is still very much here. We want to get kids back in school, we have over 300,000 people on unemployment. This is a time when the state is needed the most. And so we’re budgeting, as I said, from a response to recovery to make sure that we have the right resources in the right place at the right time,” he said. Heffernan added, “I think this is exactly what the stabilization fund is made for.”

Boston to Move into Phase 3 of Re-Opening

Boston Globe – Mayor Martin J. Walsh said Tuesday that Boston on Feb. 1 will move into Phase 3, Step 1, of the reopening process amid the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, with his health and human services chief citing “some improvement” in new case numbers and hospitalizations.

Walsh, speaking during a City Hall press conference, said the list of businesses and industries permitted to reopen Feb. 1 includes indoor fitness centers and health clubs as well as gyms that use alternative spaces; movie theaters; aquariums; museums; indoor recreational athletic facilities; indoor recreational venues with the potential for low-contact use such as batting cages, driving ranges, bowling alleys, and rock climbing facilities; sightseeing and other organized tours such as duck boat tours, bus tours, and harbor cruises; whale watches; and indoor historical spaces and sites.

The following can open with 25 percent capacity. It’s a start as the city sees better coronavirus metrics:

• Indoor fitness centers and health clubs, including gyms using alternative spaces
• Movie theaters
• Museums
• Aquariums
• Indoor recreational and athletic facilities
• Indoor recreational venues with potential for low-contact (batting cages, driving ranges, bowling alleys, rock-climbing)
• Sightseeing and other organized tours (bus tours, duck tours, harbor cruises, whale watching)
• Indoor historical spaces and sites
• Indoor event spaces such as meeting rooms, ballrooms, private party rooms and social clubs (limited to 10 people)
• Indoor and outdoor gaming arcades associated with gaming devices

AIM Marketplace Adds Listings for COVID-19 Testing

Companies offering COVID-19 testing have been added to the AIM Marketplace page listing member companies that provide pandemic-related products and services. More than two dozen Massachusetts companies have stepped forward to say they can meet the need of fellow employers for protective gear, cleaning services and hand sanitizer.

VISIT THE PROTECTIVE EQUIPMENT/RE-OPENING SERVICES PAGE
Add My Company to the Protective Equipment/Re-Opening Services Page

State Shares Details for Employers on Vaccine Distribution

AIM on Friday learned details from the state about the next steps for vaccine distribution, the role of the employer community and the designation of “critical workers” by the state Vaccine Task Force.  The information begins to answer questions that AIM members have been asking about where their employees fall in the rollout of the COVID-19 vaccine. The volume and availability of the vaccine remains a key factor in the timing for distribution.
Learn More

• How to get a vaccine: (Visit gov/COVIDvaccine to find your phase and priority group; If you are eligible: use mass.gov/COVIDVaccineMap to find a vaccine clinic near you; Make an appointment online and fill out the attestation form)
• Vaccine sites – 103 vaccine sites by end of week that can ramp up 240,000 shots per week. Ramping up in coming weeks with more sites to increase to 305,000 vaccines by mid February.

Biden Administration Orders Additional 200 million Doses of Covid-19 Vaccine

CNBC – The Biden administration is working to purchase an additional 200 million doses of the Covid-19 vaccine, a move that could provide enough doses for nearly every American to get fully inoculated by the end of the summer, President Joe Biden said Tuesday.

The government is seeking 100 million doses from Pfizer and 100 million from Moderna, an order that would be made available over the summer. This is in addition to the 400 million combined doses the companies had already committed to providing to the U.S., Biden said. He said he expects to be able to confirm the purchase soon.

“It will be enough to fully vaccinate 300 million Americans to beat the pandemic,” Biden said.

The agreement will lessen the country’s reliance on getting additional vaccines on the market from other manufacturers. The Trump administration had passed up on purchasing more vaccine doses from Pfizer and Moderna and was instead relying on additional vaccines from Johnson & Johnson and AstraZeneca coming to market. Johnson & Johnson said it will release data for its single-dose vaccine in the coming days.

“We can’t speak to the Trump administration, but what we can say is it is our philosophy, given the nature of this emergency and the speed with which the virus needs to be addressed, to procure enough supply as we need to vaccinate Americans and to give Americans the confidence we can do that,” a senior administration official said.

In the near term, the supply of vaccines being shipped to states is set to increase by about 20 percent to 10 million doses per week for the next three weeks, the official said. The federal government will also begin letting states know how many doses they will be receiving at least three weeks in advance — addressing complaints by governors that they aren’t able to plan and schedule appointments.

The Biden administration has begun using the Defense Production Act to buy more of a specialty syringe that can extract more doses per vaccine vial and plans to use the war-time law for other raw materials, like lipid nanoparticles and bioreactor bags, if necessary, the official said.

But the supply chain for those relatively rare materials is already “somewhat fragile” and there is a risk of disrupting production of other healthcare products, the official said. The U.S. is also having to compete with other countries for the same scarce resources.

The official said the administration isn’t holding back doses aside from a small emergency reserve, but states have been holding back the doses they receive at different levels to ensure there is enough available for people to receive their second dose.

State and local officials have been complaining in recent weeks that while they have the ability to give more vaccinations and there is high demand from the public, they lack the supply of vaccines.

As of Jan. 26, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported that 23.5 million doses were administered and more than 3.4 million were people fully vaccinated. New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio said on MSNBC Tuesday that the city has the capacity to administer 500,000 doses a week but hasn’t been able to because it is waiting on more vaccines from the federal government.

Companies May Now Use PPP Loans for COVID-Related Renovations, Upgrades

Boston Business Journal – Small-business owners facing mounting costs from operating throughout a global pandemic can tap their Paycheck Protection Program loans to pay for a host of COVID-19-related renovations, upgrades and costs.

The change in the forgivable loan program came as part of the stimulus bill signed into law in December and added a host of expenses that small businesses can use their loan proceeds for and still get full forgiveness. Under the first round of PPP loans, which ran from April 3 to Aug. 8, personal protective equipment and other COVID-19 costs were not covered.

“The ability to spend PPP funds on PPE is an obvious ‘win-win’ because it encourages a small business to do the right thing by purchasing the PPE despite the added expense to their small business — which, in turn, helps to protect both their employees and the general public,” said Tenley Carp, a partner at law firm Arnall Golden Gregory LLP and a PPP expert. “I’m guessing that PPE was not an authorized use for PPP funds in the first round is because no one on Capital Hill had ever heard of the term ‘PPE’ in March of 2020 when legislators were drafting the first Covid-19 relief bills. It’s hard to believe how fast PPE has become a commonly recognized term.”

Baker: State Must ‘Lean Into’ Post-Pandemic Business Changes

Boston Business Journal – Massachusetts remains in a strong position despite the pandemic, Gov. Charlie Baker said in his State of the Commonwealth address Tuesday night, while he acknowledged that offices and business districts that look much different than they did before Covid-19.

Like so much else this past year, the governor’s annual speech looked a lot different. He spoke by himself, from his office, rather than before a crowd of lawmakers in the State House — yet another change forced by a virus that has killed nearly 14,000 Massachusetts residents and disrupted businesses, schools and nearly everyone’s lives.

Still, the second-term governor stuck with the traditional line that the “state of our Commonwealth is strong,” pointing to the resilience and creativity displayed by its residents during the crisis.

Baker addressed the economic damage wrought by Covid-19, saying the state economy had been “humming” in February before “COVID hammered it.”

Fauci Discusses COVID Mutations in Radio Interview

WBUR – “Thankfully, it is now beginning to plateau and the cases are starting to come down a bit, but they’re still in a zone that’s very troublesome. I mean, where you’re having a couple of hundred thousand or between one and two hundred thousand new cases a day, which will always lead to hospitalizations and deaths.

“So, in that respect, that’s some reasonably good news. But the thing that counters it that is more sobering is that we’re now have to deal with mutants, some of which are already in the country. The U.K. has a mutant that looks like it transmits more efficiently. Therefore, more people would get infected.

“And recently they’ve come out saying that it is even a bit more deadly in the sense of a greater degree of virulence, which means it can harm you, make you sick or even kill you. We have 22 states in the United States that already have this mutant, and it likely will become dominant in some respects over the next couple of months …”

Slow Start to Vaccine Rollout in Massachusetts Frustrates Local Leaders

NBC Boston – The development of several vaccines for COVID-19 brought hope that the pandemic could be under control sooner. But fewer people are getting inoculated and there is no national plan to distribute the vaccine.

Massachusetts has fallen behind every other New England state in vaccinations, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Somerville Mayor Joseph Curtatone says a short supply is making it harder.

“The new CDC director, who we’re all familiar with in the region, Dr. Rochelle Walensky, stated yesterday they’re not sure how much supply they have, and that’s something we should be concerned about,” Curtatone said.

The federal government supplies the states with doses, and the state passes them on to cities and towns.

“We’ve worked to create local access as needed and will continue to do that in partnership with the state to ensure that we can meet people where they are at,” said Marty Martinez, the chief of Health and Human Services in Boston.

That means taking the vaccine to those in gravest danger.

“If our most vulnerable in our communities, like someone who is a senior citizen, who doesn’t have a laptop, who can’t make an appointment or drive to Gillette Stadium or Fenway Park in February when that’s open,” Curtatone said. “We can do better than that.”

Fed Holds Policy Steady as Economy Stumbles

Wall Street Journal – The Federal Reserve acknowledged the economy has softened in recent weeks but kept policy on hold while it watches the effects of a COVID-19 vaccine rollout on business activity and hiring.

The Fed has set short-term interest rates near zero, launched a bond-purchase program of $120 billion a month, and said it would keep stimulative measures in place until its goals of lower unemployment and 2 percent inflation are achieved.

Last month marked a setback, because the virus resurged and many states in response resumed business shutdowns. Employment and retail sales fell in December and the number of Americans filing new claims for unemployment benefits has been rising since November.

The Fed said as much in a policy statement released after a two-day meeting, saying, “The pace of the recovery in economic activity and employment has moderated in recent months, with weakness concentrated in the sectors most adversely affected by the pandemic.”

However, Fed officials have said they believe the setback is temporary.

They think the economy will bounce back later this year as vaccines are more widely distributed and begin to bring the deadly coronavirus pandemic under control. That, in their estimation, would allow restaurants, hotels, airlines and other businesses to begin moving back toward operating at full capacity.

For now, the slow rollout of the vaccine has left Fed officials cautious about the outlook for the next few months. “We think it’s going to be a struggle,” Fed Chairman Jerome Powell said in a press conference after the meeting. “The pandemic still provides considerable downside risks to the economy.”

Moreover, rebuilding the economy fully, after the permanent loss of many businesses and jobs, will take additional time, officials have said.

“There are people out there who have lost their jobs,” Mr. Powell said. “It is essential that we get them back to work as quickly as possible.”

Even talking about pulling back from easy money policies now would be premature, he said.

Congress and the White House in December approved $900 billion in new spending measures to address the pandemic and its economic effects, including sending $600 checks to many Americans. The money could pad household savings and lead to additional consumer spending.

The Biden administration has proposed $1.9 trillion in additional measures, including sending $1,400 checks to many households.

Fed officials are effectively waiting and watching to see the effects of these measures and whether their projections for the economy prove correct.

The Fed estimates U.S. economic output will grow 4.2% in 2021 and the unemployment rate will drop to 5% by year’s end from 6.7% in December. It sees the jobless rate falling further to 4.2% by the end of 2022.

“The Federal Reserve is committed to using its full range of tools to support the U.S. economy in this challenging time, thereby promoting its maximum employment and price stability goals,” it said in its policy statement.

Baystate Medical Center Nurse Practitioner Highlighted in Governor’s Address

MassLive – In his annual address to Massachusetts’ more than six million residents delivered Tuesday, Gov. Charlie Baker thanked the thousands of health care workers, police and firefighters and other essential employees who have banded together during the COVID-19 pandemic.

In his remarks, he highlighted the inspiring story of a Western Massachusetts health care worker.

“A young woman from Western Mass. who refused to quit completed her ten-year journey from custodian to nurse practitioner at Baystate Medical Center – in the middle of a pandemic – so she could do more to take care of the sick,” Baker said Tuesday evening.

She joined the custodial staff of Baystate Health a decade earlier “just to get my foot in the door, to see what the nurses did and what it was like in the hospital,” she told The Republican.

“I was able to interact with the nurses, and I would see patients coming and going from the operating room,” Andrades said, thinking back. “It was my first time seeing what it really is to be a nurse, and it piqued my interest. I was excited to learn more.”

State Launches Free COVID Testing for Child-Care Providers

CBS Boston –  Starting next week, free COVID testing will be available for child care providers in Massachusetts.

Lt. Gov. Karyn Polito announced that the Department of Early Education and Care (EEC) is launching the pilot program for providers, staff and families.

Eight rotating drive-thru sites will offer PCR testing in Athol, Braintree, Billerica, Dalton, Franklin, Plymouth, Sturbridge, and Westfield.

The testing will be available for child care employees and children enrolled in the programs. Family members who have COVID-19 symptoms, have had close contact or possible exposure will also be eligible.

In addition, EEC is also dedicating $8 million in state and federal funding to set up a personal protective equipment website for providers to order supplies at no cost.

Facilities can order one month’s supply, including gloves, masks, bleach, spray bottles, hand sanitizer and wipes.

January 26, 2021

Baker Administration Announces Expansion of Vaccination Sites, Updates to Phase Two

The Baker Administration on Monday announced an expansion of COVID-19 vaccination sites in all parts of the commonwealth, including new mass vaccination sites, pharmacy locations and local sites. The administration expects there will be 165 vaccination sites in the commonwealth by mid-February.

The administration also announced updates to plans for Phase Two of the commonwealth’s distribution plan. Individuals 75 years or older will now be the priority group in Phase Two. Individuals 65 years and older and individuals with two co-morbidities have been moved into the second priority group. Individuals age 75 or older can be vaccinated as of February 1.

As of this week, Massachusetts plans to have 103 publicly available vaccination sites. Those sites and other vaccination clinic sites (e.g. congregate care, health systems) give the commonwealth the capacity to administer 242,000 doses of vaccine per week. This capacity is significantly more than the 173,175 first and second doses that the commonwealth expects to receive from the federal government this week.

By mid-February, the commonwealth will have capacity to administer 305,000 vaccinations per week. This capacity is significantly more than the 189,640 doses that the commonwealth expects to receive from the federal government that week.

It is important to note that the state’s capacity to vaccinate is not the same as the number of shots administered. Vaccine capacity is determined by the state’s plan to establish sites, staff and logistics in place to do 305,000 doses by mid-February. But, the actual number of vaccinations administered to residents depends on several variables, including the availability of doses from the federal government.

The Administration also announced new mass vaccinations sites in Springfield, Danvers and Boston:

The Springfield site at Eastfield Mall will open on January 29.

The Danvers sites at the Double Tree Hilton Hotel will open on February 3.

In collaboration with the City of Boston, a site at the Reggie Lewis Center will open the first week of February.

These are in addition to sites already announced at Gillette Stadium and Fenway Park. By mid-February, the commonwealth’s mass vaccination sites will have the capacity to vaccinate 76,000 people each week.

The Administration expects to open at least seven mass vaccination sites as vaccine distribution continues. These mass vaccination sites have the ability to significantly and rapidly scale up operations if vaccine supply from the federal government increases.

In addition to the mass vaccination sites, the administration is establishing public vaccination sites at pharmacies, community clinics, and other providers and organizations that have experience administering vaccines efficiently and safely. This week, 44 new public vaccination sites will open. These include new pharmacy and retail locations such as Big Y, Wegmans, Price Chopper, Retail Business Services at Hannaford and Stop and Shop Pharmacies, and CVS Health.

While many sites across the Commonwealth are open to all eligible individuals, some sites will be operated by local communities specifically for the residents in their community or the residents in their region. This week, 11 new restricted vaccination sites will open.

Later this month, individuals age 65 or older and individuals with two or more comorbidities will be eligible to get the vaccine. The exact date will depend on the vaccine supply from the federal government and the uptake and demand for vaccine appointments.

Along with the addition of individuals age 65 and older into part 2 of Phase Two, the commonwealth updated the listing to no longer specifically list Public and Private low income and affordable senior housing as its own category, as all individuals over the age of 65 will be eligible to receive vaccine by part 2 of Phase Two regardless of where they live.

The order of Phase Two will now be:

• Individuals 75+
• Individuals 65+ or with 2+ comorbidities
• Early education and K-12 workers, transit, utility, food and agriculture, sanitation, public works, and public health workers, and
• Individuals with one comorbidity.

All Phase One eligible priority groups are now eligible for vaccinations, which includes all health care workers, residents and staff of long term care facilities, and congregate care facilities, home health care workers and non-COVID-facing health care workers and first responders.

The Administration will announce further updates on timing for other priority groups as the Commonwealth gets more information on vaccine shipments from the federal government. To learn more about the eligible groups, visit mass.gov/COVIDvaccine.

Individuals with questions about how to get a vaccine should follow these steps:

• Visit mass.gov/COVIDvaccine to find your phase and priority group
• If you are eligible: use mass.gov/COVIDVaccineMap to find a vaccine clinic near you
• Make an appointment online and fill out the attestation form

Here for the 30 Second Vaccine Update

Click here for AIM’s recent COVID rule changes

Click here for key updates on AIM’s COVID-19 Resource Page 

Senate President Outlines Legislative Priorities for ‘New Normal’

Boston Herald – Expanded access to coronavirus vaccines tops the agenda for the new legislative session, but Senate President Karen Spilka is laying out an expansive list of priorities for forging a “new normal” as the world and Massachusetts emerge from the pandemic.

“Are people going to continue working from home and remotely? What is commuting going to look like? How will that impact our roads and bridges and public transportation system? Our childcare — I have been fighting for more childcare — how is this going to change?” Spilka said during an appearance on WCVB’s “On the Record” on Sunday.

While COVID-19 and the resulting economic recession are still “front and center,” Spilka said she intends to “get experts together” to find answers to these questions that will shape life after coronavirus in the commonwealth.

“We need to look at going forward through a new lens, we can’t go back and should not go back to the old normal — whatever that is — for any situation. This is an opportunity to reimagine our future, to look at what do we want for a new normal,” the Ashland Democrat said.

Emergency paid leave is another immediate priority for Spilka, who said it is crucial for “low-income residents, women, people of color, Latinas that … do not have it and are severely impacted by COVID-19.”

Spilka reiterated that she was “disappointed” by Gov. Charlie Baker’s veto last week of a wide-ranging climate bill passed late last session that would have required the state to become carbon neutral by 2050 and would have set some of the strictest benchmarks in the nation.

Democratic lawmakers refiled the bill last week, setting the stage for an early session showdown with the governor as both chambers are likely to garner the numbers needed to override another Baker veto.

“We intend to get this done very quickly and expeditiously,” Spilka said.

Biden Executive Order Seeks to Boost Manufacturing 

President Joe Biden signed an executive order Monday aimed at boosting American manufacturing, setting in motion a process to fulfill his campaign pledge to strengthen the federal government’s Buy American rules.

Similar executive orders signed by former President Donald Trump had little effect because his administration waited to formalize changes until his second to last day in office. By contrast, Biden has set a 180-day deadline to deliver on fundamental change to the process, according to an administration official.

The order is part of the “Made in America” plan Biden campaigned on, which he said will create at least 5 million new manufacturing jobs. If realized, that would boost manufacturing jobs to around 17 million, a level not seen in the United States since the early 2000s.

It’s the latest in a spate of executive actions the president has taken since his inauguration Wednesday. Other orders include:

Worker safety: Biden on Thursday directed the Occupational Safety and Health Administration to issue stronger guidance on how to protect employees from COVID-19 in the workplace and, along with the Mine Safety and Health Administration, to consider whether it’s necessary to establish a national emergency temporary standard for all businesses to follow. If the agency determines that such a standard is essential, it must issue one by March 15.

Unemployment insurance: Biden on Friday asked the Labor Department to clarify workers’ right to “refuse employment that will jeopardize their health” amid the pandemic and still qualify for unemployment insurance.

Business Groups Press Legislature to Stop State Income Tax on Federal Stimulus Aid

Boston Globe – Add this to the to-do list that business groups want the Massachusetts Legislature to tackle ASAP: a tweak to state law that could protect thousands of small-business owners from getting hit with a tax for accepting federal stimulus funds.

The issue involves the Paycheck Protection Program, which provided more than $14 billion in loans to nearly 120,000 small businesses in Massachusetts last year to help them through the COVID-19 pandemic. Recipients can have some or all of those loans forgiven, essentially turning them into grants, if they meet certain criteria. Those grants wouldn’t be subject to federal taxes.

It’s a different story for state taxes. Without a change in law, small businesses whose income passes through to individual owners — and are taxed at their personal income rate instead of the corporate rate — still will face a state tax on those PPP grants. That’s because of a mismatch in how the state tax code lines up with the federal one. For general corporate income, state tax rules automatically keep pace with federal changes. But state law needs to be tweaked to align it with shifts in federal personal income tax rules.

The Greater Boston Chamber of Commerce estimates that at least a third of the state’s PPP recipients, or nearly 40,000 businesses, are structured in a way that could subject them to state income taxes on forgiven PPP loan funds. The chamber sent a letter to state lawmakers on Thursday, urging quick passage of a bill filed by Senator Eric Lesser that would prevent these funds from being treated as taxable income for so-called pass-through entities.

“When you’re struggling to just stay in business and stay open, removing that uncertainty would be helpful,” said Jim Rooney, chief executive of the chamber. “It’s the right and fair thing to do.”

The “fix” had been included in the Senate version of a wide-ranging economic development bill. But it did not survive House-Senate negotiations before the bill was sent to Governor Charlie Baker’s desk earlier this month, in the final moments of the previous two-year legislative session. Lesser, the lead negotiator for the Senate on that bill, thought it was important to quickly revive the issue in the new two-year session.

“I do hope it’s accelerated,” Lesser said. “Frankly it has to be, given that tax season is already upon us. … This tax treatment would put our small businesses at a significant disadvantage and … hold back our recovery from the COVID-19 recession.”

Lesser filed it as a stand-alone bill. But the Massachusetts Society of CPAs also suggested another route in a letter to legislative leaders last week: attaching it to a broader bill aimed at curbing an upcoming increase in unemployment insurance rates. This unemployment rate relief measure, filed by Baker, is seen as “fast-moving legislation,” in MSCPA president Amy Pitter’s words, because it is expected to pass within the next several weeks, before the next round of bills go out. In an e-mail, Pitter said she knows similar legislation is being considered in at least six states, and as many as 19 may need it to bring their tax codes into conformity with federal law.

Bob Luz, chief executive of the Massachusetts Restaurant Association, said the issue came up on a conference call that Mike Kennealy, Baker’s economic development secretary, held with various business groups on Friday. “He understood the urgency,” Luz said.

The National Federation of Independent Business also sent a letter on Wednesday to all state lawmakers, asking for this relief, and the Associated of Industries of Massachusetts is in the process of writing a similar request.

“It’s certainly going to be a surprise to a lot of small businesses [if it isn’t fixed],” said Jon Hurst, president of the Retailers Association of Massachusetts. “It sends the wrong message that these struggling small businesses are getting help from the feds and the state is taking advantage of that with tax dollars.”

Supreme Court Asks Solicitor General Input in Remote Worker Tax Suit

Taxnotes.com – The U.S. Supreme Court has asked the U.S. Solicitor General to chime in on New Hampshire’s challenge to Massachusetts’s taxation of nonresident remote workers.

In a January 25 order, the Court invited the acting solicitor general to file a brief expressing the views of the United States regarding New Hampshire’s motion for leave to file a bill of complaint in New Hampshire v. Massachusetts.

New Hampshire urged the Court to exercise its original jurisdiction and weigh in after Massachusetts issued a final regulation clarifying that nonresidents who worked in the state but are now working remotely because of the COVID-19 pandemic will continue paying the Massachusetts income tax. New Hampshire asked the Court to preliminarily and permanently enjoin Massachusetts from enforcing the regulation and require Massachusetts to refund the payments it collected from nonresidents under the regulation, along with interest.

Baker Will Propose Implementing COVID-Delayed School Funding Formula

Commonwealth Magazine – Governor Charlie Baker will propose fully funding the first year of the recently updated school funding formula when he releases his fiscal 2022 budget proposal next week – a commitment that was delayed by a year due to COVID-19.

Baker made the announcement on Friday at the Massachusetts Municipal Association’s annual meeting, which was conducted virtually due to COVID-19.

Baker did not go into details other than to say the administration will “keep our commitment to local school districts by fully funding the first year of the Student Opportunity Act.”

The governor did not give an exact dollar figure for how much additional money he will put into education aid. But based on past estimates, it will likely be more than $300 million.

The Legislature passed and Baker signed the Student Opportunity Act in November 2019. The law rewrites the state’s Chapter 70 education funding formula to put more money into low-income districts, schools with English-language learners, special education costs, and employee health benefits. By the time it is fully funded, Massachusetts will be spending an additional $1.5 billion annually on education.

When he introduced his fiscal 2021 budget proposal in January 2020, Baker proposed allocating $303.8 million in new Chapter 70 state education aid to fully fund the first year of the seven-year implementation of the new formula. (Some advocates said the number should have been even higher, at $377 million.)

But after COVID-19 hit, causing a major recession and threatening to limit available state resources, Baker said in July that the state planned to defer implementing the new law and level fund education aid. In the final fiscal 2021 budget that lawmakers sent Baker in December, Chapter 70 aid increased by $108 million, just enough to cover inflation under the old formula.

Biden Plan to Re-Open Schools ‘Promising,’ but Timeline is ‘Very Unlikely’

Boston Herald – President Biden’s push to increase coronavirus testing and personal protective equipment in schools is bringing new hope to pandemic-weary Massachusetts educators, but some teachers and advocates say his pledge to reopen the majority of K-8 schools in less than 100 days is ‘very unlikely’ to succeed.

Rep. Trahan to Headline Feb. 2 Commonwealth Conversation

AIM is pleased to welcome Rep. Lori Trahan, Congresswoman from the 3rd Massachusetts Congressional District, for the first Commonwealth Conversations virtual discussion of 2021.

The event will be an opportunity for AIM members to connect with a member of our federal delegation regarding efforts to restore and regrow the economy in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic.

With the recent presidential transition and the convening of the 117th United States Congress, the congresswoman will discuss her priorities for 2021 as well as Congressional efforts towards economic recovery for the state and the nation.

RegisterJanuary 21, 2021

Vaccination Programs in Massachusetts Expand

The Baker Administration announced the expansion of vaccine locations in each region of the commonwealth at pharmacies, health-care providers and a second mass vaccination site to boost the capacity to administer vaccines by the thousands per week. The commonwealth will continue to add vaccination sites. Information on available sites will be available on a rolling basis here.

Massachusetts will become one of the first states in the nation to launch the COVID-19 CDC Pharmacy Partnership – Phase 1 with CVS Health and Walgreens pharmacies located throughout the commonwealth. Starting this week, this program will deliver 10,000 doses to at least 15 CVS Health and Walgreens pharmacies a week for eligible residents in the Phase One priority groups.

Fenway Park will become the state’s second mass vaccination site, joining Gillette Stadium. The ballpark will open on February 1 to start administering up to 500 vaccines per day to eligible residents in the Phase One priority groups.

UMass Amherst will expand its vaccination site to provide inoculations for eligible residents in Phase One priority groups. UMass Amherst has been providing vaccines to first responders and plans to now offer vaccines to all eligible residents in Phase One priority groups immediately.

The administration is also launching the Hospital Depot Initiative. This new program will facilitate access to COVID-19 vaccine for independent physician practices prioritized under Phase 1.

Current eligible groups under Phase 1 include: Clinical and non-clinical health care workers doing direct and COVID-facing care; Long-term care facilities, rest homes and assisted living facilities; first responders (EMS, Fire, Police); and congregate care settings (including corrections and shelters).

CDC Pharmacy Partnership – Phase 1

Massachusetts will be among the first states to activate retail pharmacy vaccination at scale through select CVS Health and Walgreens, which will start inoculating eligible residents in Phase One priority groups by appointment.

Starting this week, at least 15 CVS Health and Walgreens, located in areas of the state where there is currently less access to convenient vaccine sites, will receive a total of 10,000 vaccines to administer. The first 15 locations are located in Greenfield, Fall River, Salem, South Yarmouth, Pittsfield, Lee, Holden, Gardner, Hyannis, Mashpee, Somerset, Fairhaven, Haverhill, Saugus and Danvers. Eligible residents in Phase One priority groups can view sites and book an appointment today by clicking here.

Approximately 40 vaccination sites will be added the week of 1/25 through current partners and collaboration with additional partners (Wegmans, Big Y, Price Chopper, Stop & Shop, Hannaford). Massachusetts expects to increase vaccine volume through retail pharmacies in the coming weeks. The Command Center will provide more details as pharmacy partners and sites come online.

Fenway Park Named as Second Mass Vaccination Site

Fenway Park will be the state’s second mass vaccination site and will open on February 1.  Initially, the ballpark is scheduled to administer 500 vaccines per day by appointment and will ramp up to providing 1,000 vaccines per day soon to eligible residents in Phase One priority groups. CIC Health will operate the site, with Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, part of Beth Israel Lahey Health, as the medical director.

The site is expected to stay open through the beginning of baseball season in early April. The Command Center is also working with the City of Boston to identify and set up a longer-term vaccine site in Boston.

Last week, the administration announced Gillette Stadium as the first mass vaccination site, which opened for eligible Phase One groups yesterday. This week, the site is expected to work up to administering over 1,000 vaccinations per day, and soon after, 5,000 vaccinations per day. Eligible residents in Phase 1 priority groups can book an appointment at Gillette Stadium by clicking here.

The Command Center is finalizing plans for several other mass vaccination sites.

UMass Vaccination Site Expansion

The University of Massachusetts at Amherst has expanded its role to administer COVID-19 vaccines, providing vaccinations for all eligible groups in Phase One of the state’s distribution plan. This high capacity site will serve eligible groups in the Western Mass area.

Appointments for the UMass Amherst vaccination site can be booked here.

Hospital Depot Initiative

This new program will facilitate access to COVID-19 vaccines for independent COVID-facing physician practices prioritized under Phase 1. The Massachusetts COVID-19 Command Center and the Massachusetts Department of Public Health, in collaboration with the Massachusetts Medical Society (MMS) and Mass General Brigham (MGB), is managing this initiative starting with COVID-facing health care workers.

Hospitals serving each region of the state have been identified as a depot to assist the commonwealth with its vaccination distribution efforts. For clinical practices that are unable, due to their staff size and storage capacity, to receive larger, direct allocations of vaccine, a depot hospital will receive doses on their behalf and redistribute vaccine and all ancillary materials for office-based vaccination. In some cases, the hospital will provide direct vaccination to health-care workers. The Massachusetts Medical Society is managing communications and coordination with physician practices.

Participating hospitals include:

Mass General Brigham, Lawrence General Hospital, Signature Brockton Hospital, UMass Memorial Medical Center, Baystate Medical Center and Berkshire Medical Center. To learn more about this program, click here.

Medical Professionals Back Access for Black and Immigrant Communities

Boston Globe – On the day the state’s first mass vaccination site launched at Gillette Stadium, community activists and medical professionals Sunday called on Governor Charlie Baker and state public health officials to prioritize access to the COVID-19 vaccine to the Black and immigrant communities in Massachusetts.”

Retirement Residents Receive First Dose of COVID-19 Vaccine

EASTHAMPTON — As residents of the Lathrop Retirement Communities approached the common area Monday, they were met with a long-awaited message.

“Vaccine Clinic Day!” a sign outside of the building said. “Hope is here!”

Over the course of eight hours on Monday, pharmacists from Walgreens administered the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine to nearly all residents and staff members at the retirement community, which has locations in Easthampton and Northampton.

Most residents and staff members eagerly welcomed the vaccine.

Beverly Bowman, who lives at Lathrop’s Northampton location, had been “anxiously awaiting the clinic” and was “elated” to receive her vaccine on Monday, she said.

For now, Bowman recognizes that the vaccine won’t result in immediate changes to her lifestyle. She will continue to wear a face mask, social distance and receive her second of the two doses in three weeks, though it will likely be months before Lathrop eases policies around visiting, group activities and mask wearing.

Although life won’t go fully back to normal after the second shot, Bowman said she still looks forward to the simple but meaningful ways that protection from the virus will impact her life.

“After the second vaccination, I look forward to giving my son a big hug,” she said.

Jack Hjelt, co-president of the Lathrop Residents Association of Northampton, had similar hopes. Among residents of the Lathrop Communities, Hjelt thinks that the vaccines will “bring down the anxiety a little bit, make people more comfortable.

“Personally, maybe with getting these shots, I’ll be able to visit my grandkids again,” Hjelt said. He hasn’t seen them in person since March when they went to a UConn women’s basketball game together, just before the virus took hold in the U.S.

As Pandemic Rages, Some Signs of Improvement

State House News – Although public health officials confirmed the first case of the new COVID-19 variant on Sunday, Massachusetts notched some improvement in its overall pandemic outlook over the long weekend.

The Department of Public Health (DPH) reported a total of 8,172 new coronavirus cases over the three-day weekend alongside 251,214 new tests, pushing the average positive test rate down from 6.45 percent on Friday to 5.91 percent on Monday. Since peaking at 8.7 percent on New Year’s Day, the rolling average positivity rate in Massachusetts has dropped more than 2.5 percentage points, which could be a sign that spread is gradually slowing in parallel with the first phase of vaccine rollout.

However, the number of COVID cases deemed active continued to climb over the weekend to 98,750 on Monday, more than the population of Brockton, the state’s sixth-largest city. Hospitalizations fluctuated slightly day-to-day, and five more patients in hospitals had COVID on Monday than did on Friday.

DPH reported 193 new confirmed deaths and another three probable deaths across Saturday, Sunday and Monday, pushing the cumulative death toll counting both confirmed and probable cases to 13,705.

The impact of the new COVID-19 variant, first detected in the United Kingdom, is not yet clear. The U.S. Centers for Disease Controls warns that the new strand, B.1.1.7, “spreads more easily and quickly than other variants,” and state health officials had said it might have been present in Massachusetts before the first confirmed case on Sunday.

Fiscal Damage from Pandemic Not as Severe as Feared

State House News – State budget writers have agreed to build fiscal 2022 spending plans on the assumption that state tax revenues will grow by 3.5 percent over upgraded projections for the current fiscal year, signaling that the damage done to the state’s finances by the COVID-19 pandemic may not be as severe as once thought.

The estimate of $30.12 billion in state revenue for the budget year that starts July 1 amounts to about $1.03 billion more in revenue than the updated projection for the current fiscal year, roughly 3.5 percent growth. But the forecast announced on Friday is still $1.03 billion less than the $31.15 billion pre-pandemic estimate the same group of officials made for fiscal year 2021 revenue a year ago.

The so-called “consensus revenue estimate” for fiscal 2022 was announced by Administration and Finance Secretary Michael Heffernan, Senate Ways and Means Chairman Michael Rodrigues and House Ways and Means Chairman Aaron Michlewitz.

“After a tumultuous budget cycle over the last few months, this consensus revenue agreement for Fiscal Year 2022 is a modest and responsible forecast that will allow the commonwealth to continue to provide the services our constituents deserve, while at the same time preserving our fiscal health,” Michlewitz said.

“Despite the pandemic, our revenue intake continues to be better than anticipated, proving the continued resiliency of the commonwealth’s economy.”

In conjunction with the FY22 revenue accord announcement, Heffernan on Friday revised the fiscal 2021 revenue estimate upward by $700 million after revenues over the first half of the fiscal year increased by $372 million or 2.7 percent from what was collected during the first six months of fiscal 2020 that were entirely unaffected by the COVID-19 pandemic.

When combined with a $459 million markup the administration announced Dec. 11, the Baker administration in the last month has boosted its estimate of available revenues this fiscal year by $1.16 billion. The administration is now projecting total fiscal 2021 revenue of $29.09 billion.

Gov. Charlie Baker on Jan. 27 is expected to file his annual budget proposal for fiscal 2022 based on the new revenue estimate of $30.12 billion. The House and Senate will redraft Baker’s spending blueprint and debate their own versions, likely in April and May. Fiscal year 2022 begins on July 1.

“As we develop a budget for Fiscal Year 2022, we will continue to closely monitor tax collections, weigh the fiscal implications of COVID-19, and strive to put forward a budget that maintains fiscal responsibility and protects core essential services for our most vulnerable populations, while building an equitable economic recovery for all,” Rodrigues said.

At a hearing in December, economic and budget experts told legislative leaders and Baker administration officials to expect tax collections to climb in fiscal year 2022 but said that whether they grow modestly or significantly will depend on the coronavirus and Congress. At the time, the Department of Revenue’s forecast predicted that tax collections would fall within a range of $27.83 billion to $30.61 billion in fiscal 2022, and the agreement announced Friday shows that key budget officials lean towards the higher end of that range.

“The consensus revenue forecast for Fiscal Year 2022 is consistent with the expert testimony offered in December and importantly accounts for updated revenue trends in the current fiscal year,” Heffernan said.

“We appreciate the consistent and thoughtful collaboration of our colleagues in the House and Senate Ways and Means Offices and look forward to developing spending plans for Fiscal Year 2022 which continue to protect essential government services, fund critical priorities, and maintain financial discipline and responsibility.”

Heffernan, Michlewitz and Rodrigues also agreed Friday on a transfer of $1.174 billion to the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority, a $1.014 billion transfer to the Massachusetts School Building Authority, and $25 million to the Workforce Training Fund.

There will also be a $3.415 billion transfer to the state pension fund – an increase of $300 million over the fiscal 2021 contribution – which is expected to keep Massachusetts on track to fully fund its pension liability by 2036.

After a total of $5.628 billion in transfers, the maximum amount of tax revenue available for the fiscal 2022 budget will be $24.327 billion, the officials agreed. The state budget, which totals $45.9 billion for fiscal 2021, is supplemented by substantial federal revenues along with non-tax revenues like fees.

Halfway into fiscal year 2021, state government has collected $372 million more in taxes from people and businesses than it did during the same six pre-pandemic months of fiscal year 2020. Even with the mark-up announced Friday, the Baker administration does not appear to expect the cushion that’s been accumulated to last, however.

Based on the new expectation of $29.09 billion, the administration now expects that fiscal 2021 tax collections will end up about $506 million or 1.7 percent below actual fiscal year 2020 collections of $29.596 billion.

Massachusetts will also see billions in federal funds this fiscal year – at least $9 billion from the pandemic relief and economic stimulus package Congress passed late last month, according to an estimate from Baker’s budget office. President-elect Joe Biden has signaled an interest in additional relief packages. On Thursday night, Biden unveiled a $1.9 trillion package that would include $350 billion in aid to state and local governments, which could further benefit Massachusetts.

Heffernan, Michlewitz and Rodrigues also agreed Friday to a 3.6 percent rate of potential gross state product growth for calendar year 2021, the same figure that has been used the last six years to set up a health care cost growth benchmark under the 2012 cost containment law.

Baker has aimed to enable unrestricted local aid to cities and towns to rise by the rate of tax revenue growth each year, which means cities and towns may see a 3.5 percent increase in that aid category next fiscal year.

Biden Executive Orders

The New York Times – In 17 executive orders, memorandums, and proclamations signed hours after his inauguration, President Biden moved swiftly on Wednesday to dismantle Trump administration policies that his aides said have caused the “greatest damage” to the nation.

Despite an inaugural address that called for unity and compromise, Biden’s first actions as president are sharply aimed at sweeping aside former president Donald Trump’s pandemic response, reversing his environmental agenda, tearing down his anti-immigration policies, bolstering the teetering economic recovery, and restoring federal efforts to promote diversity.

Here’s a look at what the measures aim to accomplish.

Pandemic

Biden signed an executive order appointing Jeffrey D. Zients as the COVID-19 response coordinator who will report to the president, in an effort to “aggressively” gear up the nation’s response to the pandemic. The order also restores the directorate for global health security and biodefense at the National Security Council, a group Trump had disbanded.

Though it is not a national mask mandate, which would most likely fall to a legal challenge, Biden is requiring social distancing and the wearing of masks on all federal property and by all federal employees. He is also starting a “100 days masking challenge” urging all Americans to wear masks and state and local officials to implement public measures to prevent the spread of the coronavirus.

He is also reinstating ties with the World Health Organization after the Trump administration chose to withdraw the nation’s membership and funding last year. Dr. Anthony S. Fauci will be the head of the US delegation to the organization’s executive board and will jump into the role with a meeting this week.

Economy

Biden is moving to extend a federal moratorium on evictions and has asked agencies, including the Agriculture, Veterans Affairs, and Housing and Urban Development departments, to prolong a moratorium on foreclosures on federally guaranteed mortgages that was enacted in response to the coronavirus pandemic. The extensions all run through at least the end of March.

The president is also moving to continue a pause on federal student loan interest and principal payments through the end of September, although progressive groups and some congressional Democrats have pushed Biden to go much further and cancel up to $50,000 in student debt per person.

Biden’s $1.9 Trillion Stimulus: 8 Key Details of Plan

The New York Times – The incoming Biden administration unveiled a $1.9 trillion stimulus plan on Thursday that offered a wish list of spending measures meant to help both people and the economy recover from the coronavirus pandemic, from state and local aid and more generous unemployment benefits to mass vaccinations.

Below, we run through a few of the biggest provisions, how they would work and what they might mean for the United States economy as it struggles through a winter of surging coronavirus cases and partial state and local lockdowns.

Let’s put that headline number in context.

That $1.9 trillion figure is a lot of money, to put it mildly. Congress passed a $900 billion relief program in December, and its package in March was also about $2 trillion. By way of comparison, the major financial crisis spending package — the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 — clocked in around $800 billion.

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Biden COVID Package Includes Stimulus Payments, Tax Credits, Paid Leave Mandate

Deloitte – President-elect Joe Biden unveiled an expansive new COVID relief package that, on the tax side, calls for providing additional economic impact payments, expanding several refundable tax credits for individuals, extending the refundable tax credits for businesses that provide paid sick and family leave, and renewing the requirement for businesses to provide paid emergency leave to their employees.

PPP forgiveness and expenses: State Tax Implications

RSM – One of the largest relief measures in the federal Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (CARES Act) is the Payroll Protection Program (PPP).

The intent of the PPP is to assist both for-profit and nonprofit employers in maintaining their payroll during the COVID-19 crisis.

Under the program, the Small Business Administration providing 100% federally insured loans for certain covered expenses. Generally, these loans are forgivable in full if employers retain employees at salary levels comparable to those before the crisis.

Under normal circumstances, forgiven loan amounts are generally taxable for federal income tax purposes, but the CARES Act, under section 1106(i) of the act, expressly excludes the forgiveness of PPP loans from federal gross income, and thus federal income tax.Learn More

Consolidated Appropriations Act Includes Key COVID Provisions

Sullivan Law – On December 27, 2020, Sullivan Law – The Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2021 was signed into law on December 27, 2020. The 2,100-page measure includes the COVID-related Tax Relief Act of 2020 and the Economic Aid to Hard-Hit Small Businesses, Nonprofits, and Venues Act. Here is a high-level summary of the items that most directly affect businesses, individuals and benefit plans.

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Massachusetts Changes Timeline, Allowing Visiting Nurses to Get COVID-19 Vaccines

WGBH – Visiting nurses, many of whom are providing care inside the homes of COVID-19 positive patients, will now be able to get vaccinated in Massachusetts.

That’s a change in state policy, which had initially excluded visiting nurses from the phase-1 category of “COVID-facing” healthcare workers who were given first priority for the vaccine.

“These patients in the home are pretty sick, especially the ones with COVID,” said Patricia Joyce, a registered nurse with the VNA Care network. “And we see a great deal of COVID patients.”

VNA Care says its nurses have cared for about 570 COVID-19 positive patients, and Joyce said she’s currently caring for about 10 of them — doing everything from taking care of IVs to educating patients about their diabetes or heart failure.

“Our goal is to prevent them from going back in the hospital,” she said.

Visiting nurses are at a greater risk for contracting COVID-19, she said, because providing care inside people’s homes means entering an uncontrolled environment. Unlike hospitals, there’s little control of who’s coming and going and what precautions are taken.

Fraud Continues to Bog Down Massachusetts Unemployment System

Boston 25 News – Michael Gens was falling further behind with every week that passed.

He was broke. The phone company had turned off his cell. He was almost two months behind in rent.

“There’s nothing. It’s zero,” Gens said about his bank account.

Gens is a cook at Encore Boston Harbor. He was furloughed twice because of the pandemic and hasn’t been able to earn a paycheck since June.

He was receiving unemployment benefits from the state but was told two days before Thanksgiving his payments were on hold.

“I got a notice saying my benefits were on hold due to a phishing scam and fraud. That was seven weeks ago,” Gens said.

25 Investigates first reported on this problem in October, when hundreds of state and city workers had bogus unemployment claims filed in their name.

In December, Massachusetts Attorney General Maura Healey said her office was working with the FBI to investigate thousands of claims, many of them phishing scams from outside Massachusetts.

Because of the widespread fraud, the Department of Unemployment Assistance (DUA) was forced to go back and verify thousands of identities.

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First case of COVID-19 Variant Confirmed in Massachusetts

Massinsider – The Massachusetts Department of Public Health announced that the first case of the COVID-19 variant B.1.1.7 has been detected in Massachusetts. This is the same variant initially discovered in the United Kingdom.

The individual developed symptoms in early January and tested positive for COVID-19. A genetic sample was sent to an out-of-state laboratory as part of the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC) established surveillance process to identify COVID-19 variants. The State Public Health Laboratory was notified of the results.

The individual is a Boston resident, a female in her 20’s.  She had traveled to the United Kingdom and became ill the day after she returned. She had tested negative prior to leaving the UK. The individual was interviewed by contact tracers at the time the initial positive result was received, and close contacts were identified. She is being re-interviewed by public health officials now that the variant has been identified as the cause of illness.

Surveillance testing for the B.1.1.7 variant has been ongoing at the Massachusetts State Public Health Laboratory in collaboration with clinical diagnostic laboratories and academic partners. Surveillance consists of genomic sequencing on portions of COVID-19 positive specimens.

To date, the CDC has reported 88 cases from 14 states in the United States.

Given the increased transmissibility of this variant and the number of states and other countries that have found infected cases, the Department expected the variant to arrive in Massachusetts eventually. The public health risk reduction measures remain the same. Individuals must continue to wear masks or face coverings while out in public, maintain 6-foot social distancing, stay home when you are sick, and get tested if you have symptoms or are identified as a close contact.

January 14, 2021

Governor Will Re-Introduce Unemployment Rate Relief for Businesses

Governor Charlie Baker plans to refile a proposal to freeze pending increases in unemployment insurance rates for employers.

The governor proposed the freeze during the just-concluded 2019-2020 session but lawmakers did not pass it.

The proposed legislation seeks to sustain unemployment benefits and provide an estimated $1.3 billion in unemployment insurance relief to the commonwealth’s employers over two years. In addition to a two-year unemployment insurance tax schedule freeze, the legislation proposes financing measures designed to ensure the solvency of the Unemployment Insurance Trust Fund and that federal borrowing that has occurred is repaid in a responsible and affordable manner.

The main provisions of this legislation include:

• Short Term Employer Tax Relief through a two-year tax schedule freeze. Current Massachusetts unemployment legislative statute requires the employer tax schedule to increase from schedule E to schedule G. This would cause an average per employee tax increase from $539 to $866 – a nearly 60% increase over the previous year. Remaining on schedule E for 2021 and 2022 slows annual employer contribution growth from $539 average per employee costs in 2020 to $635 in 2021 and $665 in 2022.
• Authorization for the issuance of special obligation bonds for the purposes of repaying federal advances. In order to fund the unprecedented increases in demand on the unemployment system in Massachusetts as a result of COVID-19, the Commonwealth has received federal cash advances. Through the issuance of bonds, the Commonwealth will be able to ensure positive trust fund solvency to enable the continued payment of benefits. The utilization of capital markets also allows Massachusetts to avoid paying punitive federal tax increases on employers regardless of their experience rating if federal advances are not repaid by November of 2022. Bonds issued will be supported by an unemployment obligation assessment and will not be general obligations of the Commonwealth.
• Establishes an employer surcharge on contributory employers. In 2020 all federal advances taken to pay benefits are interest free. However, interest on federal advances will begin to be charged beginning in January of 2021. The first interest payment is due in the Fall of 2021 and it cannot be paid from the state unemployment trust fund, per federal law. To fund interest payments on repayable advances, the legislation also establishes a separate fund to house surcharge proceeds. The passage of this provision authorizes the Department of Unemployment Assistance to make this assessment but does not require the surcharge if interest is waived through future federal legislation.

AIM Advocacy on behalf of this legislation included:

• Statement to entire legislature– includes a packet of all federal-level advocacy AIM has done requesting additional aid to state and local governments and direct relief to state unemployment trust funds.
• AIM Member Blog
• Testimony in Supportto Labor and Workforce Development CommitteeAIM plans on re-engaging with the legislature on the importance of this bill and continuing our efforts encourage its passage before initial UI bills are due from employers at the end of Q1/March 2021.

Vaccine Distribution Update & COVID Resources

Vaccine Distribution Status: We are in Phase One with health-care providers and first responders.  Next week begins congregate care and related a- risk communities.

As of today, the Baker Administration is planning that Phase Two would start around the same time as originally planned for February.

COVID-19 Infection Rate(s) Status:  Key metrics relative to rate of transmission and hospitalization remain closely watched metrics. For a weekly report, click here for new vaccination data dashboard.

COVID-19 Business Regulation Status: Temporary Capacity Restrictions remain in effect.  Click here for more details (direct link) or click here to read the Temporary Capacity Order or here for the overview.

Vaccine Finder Interactive Map – Find a location in the commonwealth to receive a vaccine.

When can my employees receive vaccine?  The Department of Public Health changed the Phase 2 Group 1 based distributions related to residents age 75 and older to conform with CDC guidance – See full distribution plan here.

How can I find out where my employees fall in the distribution plan or how can I advocate that my employees fall within a certain phase?   For companies to inquire with the MassDPH regarding vaccination prioritization see email: COVID-19-Vaccine-Plan-MA@mass.gov

Essential Workers:  The Massachusetts distribution plan considers and prioritizes “critical employees” instead of essential workers.

EEOC guidance – see directly below for recent guidance.

Other States:  Coronavirus (COVID-19) vaccine distribution by state – Ballotpedia and State COVID-19 vaccine distribution plans: Links to all 50 (usatoday.com) and State COVID-19 Vaccine Resources – National Governors Association (nga.org)

AIM Webinar | Pins and Needles: Should Employers Require COVID-19 Vaccines?

Today, January 14 | 11-11:30 am.

Join us as Andrew P. Botti, a Director at McLane Middleton and member of the firm’s Employment Law Practices Group, discusses the implications of the recently issued Equal Employment Opportunity Commission advisory on requiring employees to receive COVID-19 vaccinations. Such a requirement may implicate provisions of the Americans with Disabilities Act, as well as Title VII of the Civil Rights Act concerning religious freedoms.

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AIM HR Solutions Offers Resources on Leaves

With the Massachusetts Paid Family Medical Leave now effective and COVID cases still on the rise, the AIM HR Solutions team has put together new resources and training opportunities to help employers ensure they understand managing leaves through 2021 and beyond.

Listen to our first podcast featuring AIM HR Solutions PFML experts Mary McNally and employment lawyer and VP, Tom Jones. They will discuss the recent updates to the Families First Coronavirus Response Act (FFCRA) and provide further clarity on the new guidance.

AIM Members can also download the Leaves of Absence Guide at no-cost.

EEOC Provides COVID-Related Information to Employers

EEOC Information

The FAQs, which address all COVID-related issues, are here.

The EEOC added a new section to the FAQs, Section K, in mid December.  Here it is:

1. Vaccinations

The availability of COVID-19 vaccinations may raise questions about the applicability of various equal employment opportunity (EEO) laws, including the ADA and the Rehabilitation Act, GINA, and Title VII, including the Pregnancy Discrimination Act (see Section J, EEO rights relating to pregnancy).  The EEO laws do not interfere with or prevent employers from following CDC or other federal, state, and local public health authorities’ guidelines and suggestions.

ADA and Vaccinations

K.1. For any COVID-19 vaccine that has been approved or authorized by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), is the administration of a COVID-19 vaccine to an employee by an employer (or by a third party with whom the employer contracts to administer a vaccine) a “medical examination” for purposes of the ADA? (12/16/20)

No.  The vaccination itself is not a medical examination.  As the Commission explained in guidance on disability-related inquiries and medical examinations, a medical examination is “a procedure or test usually given by a health care professional or in a medical setting that seeks information about an individual’s physical or mental impairments or health.”  Examples include “vision tests; blood, urine, and breath analyses; blood pressure screening and cholesterol testing; and diagnostic procedures, such as x-rays, CAT scans, and MRIs.”  If a vaccine is administered to an employee by an employer for protection against contracting COVID-19, the employer is not seeking information about an individual’s impairments or current health status and, therefore, it is not a medical examination.

Although the administration of a vaccination is not a medical examination, pre-screening vaccination questions may implicate the ADA’s provision on disability-related inquiries, which are inquiries likely to elicit information about a disability.  If the employer administers the vaccine, it must show that such pre-screening questions it asks employees are “job-related and consistent with business necessity.”  See Question K.2.

K.2. According to the CDC, health care providers should ask certain questions before administering a vaccine to ensure that there is no medical reason that would prevent the person from receiving the vaccination. If the employer requires an employee to receive the vaccination from the employer (or a third party with whom the employer contracts to administer a vaccine) and asks these screening questions, are these questions subject to the ADA standards for disability-related inquiries? (12/16/20)

Yes.  Pre-vaccination medical screening questions are likely to elicit information about a disability.  This means that such questions, if asked by the employer or a contractor on the employer’s behalf, are “disability-related” under the ADA.  Thus, if the employer requires an employee to receive the vaccination, administered by the employer, the employer must show that these disability-related screening inquiries are “job-related and consistent with business necessity.”  To meet this standard, an employer would need to have a reasonable belief, based on objective evidence, that an employee who does not answer the questions and, therefore, does not receive a vaccination, will pose a direct threat to the health or safety of her or himself or others.  See Question K.5. below for a discussion of direct threat.

By contrast, there are two circumstances in which disability-related screening questions can be asked without needing to satisfy the “job-related and consistent with business necessity” requirement.  First, if an employer has offered a vaccination to employees on a voluntary basis (i.e. employees choose whether to be vaccinated), the ADA requires that the employee’s decision to answer pre-screening, disability-related questions also must be voluntary.  42 U.S.C. 12112(d)(4)(B); 29 C.F.R. 1630.14(d).  If an employee chooses not to answer these questions, the employer may decline to administer the vaccine but may not retaliate against, intimidate, or threaten the employee for refusing to answer any questions.  Second, if an employee receives an employer-required vaccination from a third party that does not have a contract with the employer, such as a pharmacy or other health care provider, the ADA “job-related and consistent with business necessity” restrictions on disability-related inquiries would not apply to the pre-vaccination medical screening questions.

The ADA requires employers to keep any employee medical information obtained in the course of the vaccination program confidential.

K.3. Is asking or requiring an employee to show proof of receipt of a COVID-19 vaccination a disability-related inquiry? (12/16/20)

No.  There are many reasons that may explain why an employee has not been vaccinated, which may or may not be disability-related.  Simply requesting proof of receipt of a COVID-19 vaccination is not likely to elicit information about a disability and, therefore, is not a disability-related inquiry.  However, subsequent employer questions, such as asking why an individual did not receive a vaccination, may elicit information about a disability and would be subject to the pertinent ADA standard that they be “job-related and consistent with business necessity.”  If an employer requires employees to provide proof that they have received a COVID-19 vaccination from a pharmacy or their own health care provider, the employer may want to warn the employee not to provide any medical information as part of the proof in order to avoid implicating the ADA.

ADA and Title VII Issues Regarding Mandatory Vaccinations

K.4. Where can employers learn more about Emergency Use Authorizations (EUA) of COVID-19 vaccines? (12/16/20)

Some COVID-19 vaccines may only be available to the public for the foreseeable future under EUA granted by the FDA, which is different than approval under FDA vaccine licensure. The FDA has an obligation to:

[E]nsure that recipients of the vaccine under an EUA are informed, to the extent practicable under the applicable circumstances, that FDA has authorized the emergency use of the vaccine, of the known and potential benefits and risks, the extent to which such benefits and risks are unknown, that they have the option to accept or refuse the vaccine, and of any available alternatives to the product.

The FDA says that this information is typically conveyed in a patient fact sheet that is provided at the time of the vaccine administration and that it posts the fact sheets on its website.  More information about EUA vaccines is available on the FDA’s EUA page.

K.5. If an employer requires vaccinations when they are available, how should it respond to an employee who indicates that he or she is unable to receive a COVID-19 vaccination because of a disability? (12/16/20)

The ADA allows an employer to have a qualification standard that includes “a requirement that an individual shall not pose a direct threat to the health or safety of individuals in the workplace.”

However, if a safety-based qualification standard, such as a vaccination requirement, screens out or tends to screen out an individual with a disability, the employer must show that an unvaccinated employee would pose a direct threat due to a “significant risk of substantial harm to the health or safety of the individual or others that cannot be eliminated or reduced by reasonable accommodation.”  29 C.F.R. 1630.2(r).

Employers should conduct an individualized assessment of four factors in determining whether a direct threat exists: the duration of the risk; the nature and severity of the potential harm; the likelihood that the potential harm will occur; and the imminence of the potential harm.  A conclusion that there is a direct threat would include a determination that an unvaccinated individual will expose others to the virus at the worksite.

If an employer determines that an individual who cannot be vaccinated due to disability poses a direct threat at the worksite, the employer cannot exclude the employee from the workplace—or take any other action—unless there is no way to provide a reasonable accommodation (absent undue hardship) that would eliminate or reduce this risk so the unvaccinated employee does not pose a direct threat.

If there is a direct threat that cannot be reduced to an acceptable level, the employer can exclude the employee from physically entering the workplace, but this does not mean the employer may automatically terminate the worker.  Employers will need to determine if any other rights apply under the EEO laws or other federal, state, and local authorities.  For example, if an employer excludes an employee based on an inability to accommodate a request to be exempt from a vaccination requirement, the employee may be entitled to accommodations such as performing the current position remotely. This is the same step that employers take when physically excluding employees from a worksite due to a current COVID-19 diagnosis or symptoms; some workers may be entitled to telework or, if not, may be eligible to take leave under the Families First Coronavirus Response Act, under the FMLA, or under the employer’s policies. See also Section J, EEO rights relating to pregnancy.

Managers and supervisors responsible for communicating with employees about compliance with the employer’s vaccination requirement should know how to recognize an accommodation request from an employee with a disability and know to whom the request should be referred for consideration.  Employers and employees should engage in a flexible, interactive process to identify workplace accommodation options that do not constitute an undue hardship (significant difficulty or expense).  This process should include determining whether it is necessary to obtain supporting documentation about the employee’s disability and considering the possible options for accommodation given the nature of the workforce and the employee’s position.

The prevalence in the workplace of employees who already have received a COVID-19 vaccination and the amount of contact with others, whose vaccination status could be unknown, may impact the undue hardship consideration.  In discussing accommodation requests, employers and employees also may find it helpful to consult the Job Accommodation Network (JAN) website as a resource for different types of accommodations, www.askjan.org.  JAN’s materials specific to COVID-19 are at https://askjan.org/topics/COVID-19.cfm.

Employers may rely on CDC recommendations when deciding whether an effective accommodation that would not pose an undue hardship is available, but as explained further in Question K.7., there may be situations where an accommodation is not possible.  When an employer makes this decision, the facts about particular job duties and workplaces may be relevant.  Employers also should consult applicable Occupational Safety and Health Administration standards and guidance.  Employers can find OSHA COVID-specific resources at: www.osha.gov/SLTC/covid-19/.

Managers and supervisors are reminded that it is unlawful to disclose that an employee is receiving a reasonable accommodation or retaliate against an employee for requesting an accommodation.

K.6. If an employer requires vaccinations when they are available, how should it respond to an employee who indicates that he or she is unable to receive a COVID-19 vaccination because of a sincerely held religious practice or belief? (12/16/20)

Once an employer is on notice that an employee’s sincerely held religious belief, practice, or observance prevents the employee from receiving the vaccination, the employer must provide a reasonable accommodation for the religious belief, practice, or observance unless it would pose an undue hardship under Title VII of the Civil Rights Act.  Courts have defined “undue hardship” under Title VII as having more than a de minimis cost or burden on the employer. EEOC guidance explains that because the definition of religion is broad and protects beliefs, practices, and observances with which the employer may be unfamiliar, the employer should ordinarily assume that an employee’s request for religious accommodation is based on a sincerely held religious belief.  If, however, an employee requests a religious accommodation, and an employer has an objective basis for questioning either the religious nature or the sincerity of a particular belief, practice, or observance, the employer would be justified in requesting additional supporting information.

K.7. What happens if an employer cannot exempt or provide a reasonable accommodation to an employee who cannot comply with a mandatory vaccine policy because of a disability or sincerely held religious practice or belief? (12/16/20)

If an employee cannot get vaccinated for COVID-19 because of a disability or sincerely held religious belief, practice, or observance, and there is no reasonable accommodation possible, then it would be lawful for the employer to exclude the employee from the workplace.  This does not mean the employer may automatically terminate the worker.  Employers will need to determine if any other rights apply under the EEO laws or other federal, state, and local authorities.

Title II of the Genetic Information Nondiscrimination Act (GINA) and Vaccinations

K.8. Is Title II of GINA implicated when an employer administers a COVID-19 vaccine to employees or requires employees to provide proof that they have received a COVID-19 vaccination? (12/16/20)

No. Administering a COVID-19 vaccination to employees or requiring employees to provide proof that they have received a COVID-19 vaccination does not implicate Title II of GINA because it does not involve the use of genetic information to make employment decisions, or the acquisition or disclosure of “genetic information” as defined by the statute. This includes vaccinations that use messenger RNA (mRNA) technology, which will be discussed more below.  As noted in Question K.9. however, if administration of the vaccine requires pre-screening questions that ask about genetic information, the inquiries seeking genetic information, such as family members’ medical histories, may violate GINA.

Under Title II of GINA, employers may not (1) use genetic information to make decisions related to the terms, conditions, and privileges of employment, (2) acquire genetic information except in six narrow circumstances, or (3) disclose genetic information except in six narrow circumstances.

Certain COVID-19 vaccines use mRNA technology. This raises questions about genetics and, specifically, about whether such vaccines modify a recipient’s genetic makeup and, therefore, whether requiring an employee to get the vaccine as a condition of employment is an unlawful use of genetic information.  The CDC has explained that the mRNA COVID-19 vaccines “do not interact with our DNA in any way” and “mRNA never enters the nucleus of the cell, which is where our DNA (genetic material) is kept.” (See https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/vaccines/different-vaccines/mrna.html for a detailed discussion about how mRNA vaccines work).  Thus, requiring employees to get the vaccine, whether it uses mRNA technology or not, does not violate GINA’s prohibitions on using, acquiring, or disclosing genetic information.

K.9. Does asking an employee the pre-vaccination screening questions before administering a COVID-19 vaccine implicate Title II of GINA? (12/16/20)

Pre-vaccination medical screening questions are likely to elicit information about disability, as discussed in Question K.2., and may elicit information about genetic information, such as questions regarding the immune systems of family members.  It is not yet clear what screening checklists for contraindications will be provided with COVID-19 vaccinations.

GINA defines “genetic information” to mean:

Information about an individual’s genetic tests;

Information about the genetic tests of a family member;

Information about the manifestation of disease or disorder in a family member (i.e., family medical history);

Information about requests for, or receipt of, genetic services or the participation in clinical research that includes genetic services by the an individual or a family member of the individual; and

Genetic information about a fetus carried by an individual or family member or of an embryo legally held by an individual or family member using assisted reproductive technology.

29 C.F.R. § 1635.3(c).  If the pre-vaccination questions do not include any questions about genetic information (including family medical history), then asking them does not implicate GINA.  However, if the pre-vaccination questions do include questions about genetic information, then employers who want to ensure that employees have been vaccinated may want to request proof of vaccination instead of administering the vaccine themselves.

GINA does not prohibit an individual employee’s own health care provider from asking questions about genetic information, but it does prohibit an employer or a doctor working for the employer from asking questions about genetic information.  If an employer requires employees to provide proof that they have received a COVID-19 vaccination from their own health care provider, the employer may want to warn the employee not to provide genetic information as part of the proof.  As long as this warning is provided, any genetic information the employer receives in response to its request for proof of vaccination will be considered inadvertent and therefore not unlawful under GINA.  See 29 CFR 1635.8(b)(1)(i) for model language that can be used for this warning.

Helpful Resources for the Paycheck Protection Program

Top-line-Overview-of-Second-Draw-PPP.pdf (treasury.gov)

KLR – Registration (gotowebinar.com)

SBA Posts Interim Final Rules Implementing Changes to First Draw and Second Draw Loans under the Paycheck Protection Program | Seyfarth Shaw LLP

The Small Business Administration recently released new guidance governing the reopening of the Paycheck Protection Program. This guidance comes in the form of an Interim Final Rule, Interim Final Rule on Second Draw PPP Loans,  and Guidance on Accessing Capital for Minority, Underserved, Veteran, and Women-Owned Business Concerns. In addition, see the press release for highlights of the programmatic changes made to PPP via the recently-passed federal stimulus.

Several key program changes include:

• Allows past recipients to receive a “Second Draw” from PPP
• Makes 501(c)6 nonprofits (like Chambers of Commerce) eligible applicants, among other types of organizations
• Allows borrowers to set their covered loan period to any length from 8-24 weeks to allow additional flexibility
• Expands what is an eligible forgivable expense to include costs, including adaptive operations expenditures, property damage costs, technology operations, supplier costs, and worker protection expenditures
• Clarifies that PPP loans are tax-free and eligible expenses paid with PPP proceeds are tax-deductible
• Caps First Draw loans at $10 million and Second Draw loans at $2 million
• Allows Accommodations and Food Service businesses to obtain loans calculated at 3.5x average monthly payroll

As with prior implementations of PPP, businesses can apply for a forgivable loan via SBA lenders and should speak to their lender to discuss an application. Effective today, community lenders (community development financial institutions, minority depository institutions, certified development companies, and microloan intermediaries, more here) are able to offer PPP loans to applicants that have not yet received a loan; on January 13^th, these lenders will be able to offer loans to “Second Draw” applicants. All lenders will be authorized to offer the program shortly; the date has not yet been announced. For additional information on PPP, forms and other information, visit www.sba.gov/ppp.

When Will People be able to Get the COVID-19 Vaccine?

The Boston Globe – The slow rollout of coronavirus vaccines has raised a host of questions about how state residents will know when it’s their turn to be immunized. With limited vaccines available and fewer shots being administered than promised, the Globe asked Dr. Paul Biddinger, medical director for emergency preparedness at Massachusetts General Hospital and chair of the state’s COVID-19 vaccine advisory group, to explain what residents should expect in the coming weeks and months.

When will people know it’s their turn to get the vaccine?

Biddinger referred to a state website that officials frequently update with the status of different phases of the vaccine rollout. Phase 1, which is ongoing, prioritizes health care workers, those living in long-term-care facilities, and first responders. Phase 2, which is slated to begin in February, focuses on individuals 75 and older and younger people with at least two or more medical conditions that put them at elevated risk of severe illness from COVID-19. The general public will be immunized in Stage 3, slated to begin in April.

“Many physicians’ practices are also building mechanisms to inform patients when they become eligible, either through e-mail, texts, or phone calls,” he said. “Everyone understands that it’s not reasonable to expect people to continually monitor the website, so local and state leaders are also discussing other communications strategies to make sure people are aware.”

What about people who don’t have a primary care physician?

Biddinger said commercial pharmacies will be administering vaccines, and that residents should seek information about the eligibility for the vaccine from local public health departments.

“We believe there will be several large-scale vaccination clinics set up, in places like conference spaces, gyms, or armories. Fenway Park, Gillette Stadium, and other large areas have been mentioned as well and are being looked at,” he said. “If a resident doesn’t have a primary care physician, they’ll need to look at state messaging, the state’s website, and the media to know when they are eligible for vaccination.”

Will residents have to make an appointment with their doctor, clinic, or pharmacy to get vaccinated?

In most cases, they likely will, he said. That’s because there’s a mandatory 15-minute waiting period after someone gets the vaccine, so medical staff can observe if they have an adverse reaction. Appointments also reduce the need for waiting spaces.

“There could be real queuing problems if everyone came at the same time, and we want to avoid long lines for physical distancing,” he said. “There may be some walk-in options, but for the most part, people will need to schedule an appointment.”

At the end of a given day, there may be extra doses of vaccine, because some might not show up for their appointments. So some clinics may make last-minute contingency plans for the end of the day, so doses aren’t wasted. Vaccines must be used within six hours once a vial has been punctured. The vials have five doses in them.

When should residents contact their doctors about getting the vaccine? Is this something they should do soon?

Physicians’ offices are not scheduling vaccinations now, because Massachusetts remains in the first phase of its plan, limiting vaccines to first responders, nursing home residents, and others considered “critical” personnel. “When the state announces that it is moving into Phase 2 or 3, patients who believe that they are eligible should contact their doctors, if they have not already received outreach from those practices,” Biddinger said.

He said the state has plans for drive-through vaccination locations and other mass vaccination sites.

“No one in the state wants to have vaccination vials sitting on shelves, so efforts are focused on administering the vaccine as soon as it arrives to those eligible,” he said. “Everyone wants to vaccinate the public as quickly as we have supply, so we can move into the next phases.”

Who determines if a resident has sufficient “comorbidities,” such as heart conditions and obesity, to make them eligible to receive the vaccine in the second phase?

“The medical systems are searching medical records to help identify patients with those comorbidities, hopefully making it easier to identify eligible patients,” he said. People are unlikely to have to show evidence they have a comorbidity, he said. “Obviously, it’s really important for patients and for systems to honestly follow the rules,” he said. “More information on how this will be assured is likely to come soon.”

Will residents have a choice of vaccines?

Probably not, given how limited the supply remains. “There’s so much complexity in administering, there’s no real option to provide a choice at this point,” he said. Biddinger said he wouldn’t have a preference between the two. “They’re equally effective and equally safe,” he said. “There are only limited differences.”

The Moderna vaccine, for example, is approved for those age 18 and older, while the Pfizer vaccine is for those ages 16 and up. There are also rare allergies associated with each that may affect a small number of people.

Other vaccines, if approved, could increase supply and potentially give residents more of a choice.

When will children be eligible for the vaccine?

It will be at least several months, as clinical trials must be conducted before federal regulators would sanction their use in children, he said. The trials have to enroll large numbers of young patients. Pfizer and Moderna started testing the vaccine in children ages 12 and older in November and December.

“I expect it won’t be until late spring before children could be eligible, at the earliest,” Biddinger said. “For younger children, it’s unclear when they will be eligible.”

Will those who get an initial dose be assured of getting the second dose?

As soon as a dose is administered, the second dose is automatically assigned to that person, he said. They will be scheduled to receive their second doses while getting their first dose. Doses, however, aren’t left on a shelf for them, they’re automatically ordered and accounted for later when they’re needed. “That’s the way it has happened so far, and we’ve been receiving our second doses, as promised,” he said.

As of Thursday, the federal government had shipped more than 21 million vaccine doses, but only 5.9 million people had received a dose. On Friday, President-elect Joe Biden’s transition team said his administration plans to release nearly all available doses “to ensure the Americans who need it most get it as soon as possible.” Biden has promised to administer 100 million doses by his 100th day in office.

How long will the vaccines provide immunity?

“There are hints that we’ll have durable immunity for at least three months, but at this point, because we don’t have the data yet, there’s no way to say whether it’s a year or longer,” he said.

When will the average person expect to get a vaccine?

Biddinger said the timing still looks like April for when most people will be eligible. That depends on the stability of the supply chain and assumes that at least one or two other vaccines also receive emergency approval from federal regulators. “There’s so much unknown that we cannot predict this with certainty,” he said.

Trump Administration Urges States to Vaccinate People 65 and Older

NPR – The Trump administration is making several big changes to its COVID-19 vaccine distribution strategy, officials announced Tuesday, in a bid to jump-start the rollout and get more Americans vaccinated quickly.

The first change is to call on states to expand immediately the pool of people eligible to receive vaccines to those 65 and older, and those with underlying health conditions that make them more susceptible to COVID-19.

“We’re telling states today that they should open vaccinations to all of their most vulnerable people. That is the most effective way to save lives now,” Health and Human Services Secretary Alex Azar said at a press briefing Tuesday.

The call is accompanied by a change in how vaccine doses are allocated to states. Currently, doses are given to states based on their total adult populations. Starting in two weeks, vaccines will be distributed to states based on the number of over 65-year-olds who live there — and by the pace of vaccine administration reported by states.

“[This new allocation system] gives states a strong incentive to ensure doses are going to work, protecting people rather than sitting on shelves or in freezers,” Azar said at the press briefing, “We need doses going to where they’ll be administered quickly and where they’ll protect the most vulnerable.”

The administration is also urging states to expand vaccination to more venues, such as convention center “mega-sites,” pharmacies and community health centers.

In addition, senior officials announced they would stop holding second doses of the vaccines in reserve and instead ship more doses to states right away.

“Because we now have a consistent pace of production, we can now ship all of the doses that had been held in physical reserve,” Azar said. “We’re now making the full reserve of doses we have available for order, [and] we are 100% committed to ensuring a second dose is available for every American who receives the first dose.”

The change in releasing more of the previously reserved doses of vaccine preempts a policy change the Biden team announced last week. Officials from the Biden team declined to comment on Tuesday’s policy announcements.

State Awards Another $78.5 Million in Grants to 1,595 Businesses

The Baker Administration announced $78.5 million in awards to 1,595 additional small businesses in the third round of grants through the COVID-19 Small Business Grant Program administered by the Massachusetts Growth Capital Corporation.

To date, the administration has awarded close to $195 million in direct financial support to 4,119 small businesses out of a $668 million fund set up to support small businesses across the Commonwealth.

Additional grants will be announced in the coming weeks for thousands of additional businesses.

“Our administration set up a $668 million grant program to support small businesses statewide that are struggling from COVID-19 impacts,” said Governor Charlie Baker. “Today, we are awarding our third round of grants, for a total of $195 million in direct financial support for over 4,000 small businesses, with more yet to come. Supporting small businesses is vital to our economic recovery, and we’ll continue to expedite this grant process to send out funds to provide some much-needed financial relief.”

“Understanding how significant the need for financial assistance is, we’ve taken important steps to ensure these resources are directed toward the businesses that have historically been at a disadvantage even before the pandemic, or are located in communities, especially Gateway Cities, that have suffered disproportionately because of this virus,” said Lt. Governor Karyn Polito. “I’m grateful for the partnership with MGCC to provide this important assistance, and I look forward to the coming weeks when we can award even more support for the economic sectors that are most in need.”

State Department of Unemployment Assistance Implements Federal Stimulus

The state is currently implementing unemployment-related provisions from the most recent federal stimulus. Key details on these programs can be found here to assist claimants with questions about their continuation of benefits.

Boston Fed Chief Sees Tailwinds Beyond Slow Vaccine Rollout

State House News – While the development and approval of two effective COVID-19 vaccines offer great promise that the public health crisis inflicted by COVID-19 will soon fade, the sputtering rollout of the vaccines is bogging down the economic recovery, the leader of the Federal Reserve Bank of Boston said Tuesday.

Many of the uncertainties that clouded the view when Boston Fed President and CEO Eric Rosengren spoke to the Greater Boston Chamber of Commerce more than eight months ago — Can we develop a vaccine for this virus? How will federal policymakers respond? — “have been resolved in a positive way,” he said in an address to the chamber Tuesday. But an underlying truth remains: a public health recovery is a precondition for an economic recovery.

“So, in the near term, we have to be very concerned about how we solve the public health problem. First of all, by trying to make sure that infections remain as small as possible. And second, trying to get as many people vaccinated as possible in the shortest amount of time,” he said.

Rosengren later added, “Unfortunately the inoculation rate at least to date has been relatively disappointing. Hopefully over the next several months, we’ll see some additional efficiencies in getting the vaccine not only distributed to the states but actually getting it into the arms of people.”

“Until that happens, we’re not going to have a full recovery,” he said.

About 27.7 million doses of COVID-19 vaccine have been distributed nationwide and about 9.33 million people have received at least the first of two doses, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control. In Massachusetts, just more than 476,000 doses have been distributed and just more than 204,000 people here have received the first shot, the CDC said.

Mass Vaccination Site at Gillette Stadium

State House News – Gillette Stadium has been home to a near-undefeated football season, two outdoor hockey games, a Major League Soccer final, dozens of concerts, and next week, it will host another landmark event: the first mass vaccination site in Massachusetts.

In six days, Gillette will open its doors to hundreds of first responders per day who can receive COVID-19 vaccinations, then continue to scale up capacity to serve more people as they become eligible, Gov. Charlie Baker announced Tuesday.

After touring the Worcester Senior Center that started vaccinating first responders on Monday, Baker said the stadium will become the first of several locations to host large-scale immunization efforts in the state.

“These vaccines are safe and effective, and millions of doctors, nurses and health care workers are getting vaccinated across our country,” Baker said. “This is a huge step forward in our fight.”

Massachusetts started making COVID-19 vaccines available to police, firefighters, EMTs and other emergency personnel on Monday at more than 100 local sites and individual departments.

The Worcester Senior Center alone surpassed its initial capacity and hosted 376 vaccinations on Monday, Baker said, citing an “overwhelmingly positive response from first responders to get vaccinated.”

When Baker unveiled a plan last week to vaccinate the more than 45,000 first responders in the state, he said mass vaccination sites would serve as a key pillar to support the effort and then expand to other populations.

Tuesday’s announcement puts a clear timeline on the start of that segment: on Thursday, staff who will administer the vaccinations will receive their own vaccines, and then Gillette will open to first responders on Monday. Those eligible can schedule appointments at mass.gov/covidvaccine.

CIC Health will operate the site, while Brigham and Women’s Hospital will serve as medical director and Fallon Ambulance will support clinical staff.