House Passes Bills To Extend COVID-19 Provisions & Support Veterans

BROOKLINE, MA — On Thursday, the Massachusetts House of Representatives passed several bills, including legislation to extend temporary COVID-19 provisions and to support veterans, with Brookline Rep. Tommy Vitolo’s support.

The first bill, H.4989, would extend temporary COVID-19 era provisions related to remote open meeting law, eviction proceedings, notary publics, and other official business. The second bill, H.4978 includes provisions that would make it easier for military family members to move to new states, expands access to higher education, and honors service members who experience PTSD, burn pit injuries, or other combat-related diseases.

“I am proud that we have extended provisions that give municipalities the ability to conduct business remotely should COVID-19 cases surge in the fall,” Vitolo said in a statement. “I look forward to continuing these conversations next session and finding ways to ensure that all public meetings, including representative town meeting sessions, are safe and accessible to all.”

Under H.4989, temporary COVID-19 era provisions allowing for fully remote representative town meeting and public meetings will be extended until March 31, 2023.

Vitolo supported an amendment which would have allowed for hybrid representative town meeting. That amendment, filed by Rep. Matt Muratore, was later withdrawn.

"Like Brookline, my community would also like its Representative Town Meeting to meet in a hybrid fashion,” Muratore said in a statement. "Unfortunately, we don't yet have the votes in the legislature to pass this reform.”

The legislature also passed H.4978, which classifies spouses and children of service members serving in the Commonwealth as Massachusetts residents for the purposes of admission and tuition to higher education institutions. This classification is protected in the event of the death or relocation of the serving family member.

The bill would also allow occupational and public health certification processes to be expedited for military spouses who are already certified in another state.

"We must make sure that veterans and their families are able to access the services to which they are entitled,” Vitolo said. "I am grateful that we passed this legislation to honor those who have served.

The legislation requires that information regarding the health effects of open burn pits and other airborne hazards be compiled and made accessible to veterans, active duty members, and military families. In addition, it requires that service members and veterans who may be eligible for Department of Veterans Affairs’ Airborne Hazards and Open Burn Pit Registry be reached out to directly.

"With this bill the Commonwealth loudly and clearly states: Thank you for your service!" Bill McGroarty, Director of Veterans Services for the Town of Brookline, said in a statement. "Our veteran and military members' service to our community, country and the world is both extraordinary and second to none. With the passage of this bill, Rep. Vitolo and our legislature have once again recognized military service and sacrifice with a series of initiatives that will enhance the lives of our military members, veterans, and their families."

Both bills will now go to conference committee before reaching the Governor's desk to be signed into law.