Lawmakers To Consider If Some COVID Emergency Orders Should Remain
BOSTON (CBS) – When Governor Baker announced COVID restrictions would end on May 29, he also put an expiration date on the state of emergency. On June 15, dozens of emergency orders will expire.
Some of the orders implemented changes that some businesses and lawmakers want to keep. The orders opened up new opportunities for medicine, restaurants and civic engagement.
An overview on the Mass.Gov website shows dozens of orders made by Baker since declaring the emergency in March of 2020.
Senate President Karen Spilka and House Speaker Ronald Mariano have asked for a full list of pandemic-era policies that are set to expire or change when the state of the emergency is lifted. They will likely need to action to make more of those emergency orders permanent.
Virtual Meetings
From the MBTA to school meetings, just about everything went on Zoom. Some city councils, town boards and state lawmakers may want to keep that remote participation option.
Telehealth Services To Continue
Telemedicine and telehealth became widespread over the past 14 months. Patients found it convenient and effective, saving them time from both traveling and sitting in waiting rooms.
In January, Gov. Baker signed a law making sure it will remain after the pandemic, but the section of the law requiring insurance companies to cover telehealth services at the same rate as in-person case, expires 90 days after the emergency order ends.
Alcohol To Go
Takeout and delivery orders helped some restaurants survive the pandemic. The approval for the sale of wine, beer and cocktails to go made a big difference.
Lawmakers also put a cap on the fees third-party delivery services could charge restaurants. Restaurant owners are pushing to extend both measures.
