Relative to opportunities for improving pollinator health. In fact, regardless of ones opinions on the various proposals to give teachers, for instance, bonuses for their year of remote teaching, it is nonetheless a far more fiscally responsible choice to make, than this proposal, which is no different than borrowing money for the same purpose. Essential Workers Who Turned Up in Pandemic May Get Payouts But, again, 79% of Massachusetts state representatives are on board with their support without taking any interest in the cost of the proposal, and even Zlotnik himself is not troubled by having brought forward a bill with such serious deficiencies. Some 500,000 essential workers in Massachusetts should expect to receive $500 payments from the Baker administration Education. Workers needed for safe and secure operations at nuclear generation to include but not limited to, the broader nuclear supply chain, parts to maintain nuclear equipment, fuel manufacturers and fuel components used in the manufacturing of fuel. FFOs role in compliance for federal funds, including compliance resources for municipalities and state agencies. 2023 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. These individuals include, but are not limited to, space and aerospace; mechanical and software engineers (various disciplines), manufacturing/production workers; IT support; security staff; security personnel; intelligence support, aircraft and weapon system mechanics and maintainers; and sanitary workers who maintain the hygienic viability of necessary facilities. Massachusetts Legislature Passes $4 Billion Spending Workers who support infrastructure, such as by road and line clearing and utility relocation, to ensure the availability of and access to needed facilities, transportation, energy and communications. 1195) of Paul R. Feeney for legislation to provide hazard pay and protection for essential workers during a "State of Emergency" declaration. Customer service and support staff, including managed and professional services as well as remote providers of support to transitioning employees to set up and maintain home offices, who interface with customers to manage or support service environments and security issues, including payroll, billing, fraud, logistics, and troubleshooting. 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. For legislation relative to telehealth and digital equity for patients. Similar Bills. WBZ-TV political analyst Jon Keller noted, $25,000 for a marker commemorating the designers of Riverbend Park in Cambridge, Restoring obscure historic buildings in out-of-the-way spots, like $75,000 for the Wilder Homestead in Buckland, $40,000 for the Jenkes Store in Douglas, and $50,000 to spruce up a gazebo in Townsend, $85,000 to improve The Brookline Chamber of Commerce website (, $200,000 to spruce up the middle school field soccer field in Hanson, $5 million to cover debts at the Edward Kennedy Institute. An Act providing hazard pay and protection for essential workers during a declaration of a state of emergency H.4739 191st (2019 - 2020) An Act creating a Maritime transportation workers, including dredgers, port workers, mariners, ship crewmembers, ship pilots and tug boat operators, equipment operators (to include maintenance and repair, and maritime-specific medical providers), ship supply, chandler, and repair companies. COVID Essential Pay Program: Which Massachusetts Relative to creating the executive office of housing and livable communities and to rename the Executive Office of Economic Development. December 3, 2021 / 4:31 PM The bonuses could be a boost for essential workers in Massachusetts who may have been hoping that Congress would act on afourth stimulus check, which now appears unlikely. The Baker administration is gauging eligibility on a broad set of criteria, starting with whether residents filed their 2020 tax returns. If you would like to continue helping us improve Mass.gov, join our user panel to test new features for the site. Please enter valid email address to continue. Environment and During a hearing on July 21, sponsor Rep. Jonathan Zlotnick explained his purpose in bringing the bill forward: This was the time when these essential services were most important, the people being asked to perform them were most at risk coming into contact with members of the public and with co-workers. Please limit your input to 500 characters. Some of the work associated with maximizing federal revenue happens retrospectively: an expense is incurred and allocated to an available state or federal funding source, but it may be reallocated later if a more appropriate funding source is identified. Workers for crude oil, petroleum and petroleum product storage and transportation, including pipeline, marine transport, terminals, rail transport, storage facilities and racks and road transport for use as end-use fuels such as gasoline, diesel fuel, jet fuel, and heating fuels or feedstocks for chemical manufacturing. WBZ-TV political analyst Jon Keller notedthat the House and Senate bills have plenty of "lard" local spending unrelated to the stated goals of the ARPA and many of those projects made it into the compromise agreement. Workers who conduct community-based public health functions, conducting epidemiologic surveillance, compiling, analyzing and communicating public health information, who cannot practically work remotely. Massachusetts And, again, 126 state representatives and 23 state senators were willing to sign onto this because the symbolism of the gesture was more important than assessing whether it was a financially responsible decision. Now, whether this bill ultimately becomes law is still unknown. Please let us know how we can improve this page. Environment and Natural Resources. 2021 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. Some page levels are currently hidden. Workers necessary for the manufacturing of metals (including steel and aluminum), industrial minerals, semiconductors, materials and products needed for medical supply chains, and for supply chains associated with transportation, energy, communications, information technology, food and agriculture, chemical manufacturing, nuclear facilities, wood products, commodities used as fuel for power generation facilities, the operation of dams, water and wastewater treatment, processing and reprocessing of solid waste, emergency services, and the defense industrial base. "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.". Massachusetts Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting. Will those sponsors be willing to vote down the measure? Workers supporting the energy sector, regardless of the energy source (including but not limited to nuclear, fossil, hydroelectric, or renewable), segment of the system, or infrastructure the worker is involved in, or who are needed to monitor, operate, engineer, and maintain the reliability, safety, environmental health, and physical and cyber security of the energy system. You skipped the table of contents section. [Local Approval Received.]. The spending package, if signed into law, would use some For legislation to establish the Massachusetts Information Privacy and Security Act. In subsequent reporting, government watchdog group The Pioneer Institute voiced its opposition. Workers including contracted vendors -- who maintain, manufacture, or supply equipment and services supporting law enforcement emergency service and response operations (to include electronic security and life safety security personnel). H.3900. 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 Health Care Financing. Suppliers, designers, transporters and other workers supporting the manufacture, distribution and provision and construction of essential global, national and local infrastructure for computing services (including cloud computing services and telework capabilities), business infrastructure, financial transactions/services, web-based services, and critical manufacturing.