Franklin Matters

Sunday, April 19, 2020

Massachusetts Legislature Passes Legal Protections for Health Care Workers, Facilities, And Organizations Responding to COVID-19

The Massachusetts House of Representatives and State Senate on Friday passed legislation to shield those providing critical health care services from legal liability for the duration of the COVID-19 emergency.

“We owe a debt of gratitude to the brave men and women in health care who continue to treat patients amid this public health pandemic,” stated Senate President Karen E. Spilka (D- Ashland). “This urgently needed legislation will ensure that our healthcare system will be able to expand capacity quickly to treat patients during the surge of COVID-19 in Massachusetts. I would like to acknowledge Senators Michael Rodrigues, Cindy Friedman and James Welch, as well as Speaker DeLeo and our colleagues in the House for expeditiously advancing this critical bill.”

"Our action today will protect our health care workers and health care facilities during this time of crisis as they work to care for an unprecedented number of patients,” said House Speaker Robert A. DeLeo (D – Winthrop). “This legislation will give our health care providers a sense of relief as they heroically treat the residents of the Commonwealth. I appreciate the leadership of Senate President Spilka as well as the work of Chairs Michlewitz and Murphy to bring these issues forward.”

“With the COVID-19 surge now upon us, our health care system is under duress and being tested like it’s never been tested before,” said Senator Michael J. Rodrigues (D-Westport), Chair of the Senate Committee on Ways and Means. “With the passage of this important legislation today, the Senate has acted with urgency to provide peace of mind protections to our front-line health care workers who are going above and beyond to help those in critical need of care during this incredibly difficult time.”

“This necessary legislation will provide much needed liability relief for our health care workers and facilities so they can continue to focus on combating the COVID-19 public health crisis," said Representative Aaron Michlewitz, Co-Chair of the Joint Committee on Ways & Means (D-Boston).

“This is a major step in ensuring that we have the workforce necessary to address the healthcare needs of our residents during the current pandemic,” said Senator Cindy F. Friedman (D- Arlington), co-chair of the Joint Committee on Health Care Financing. “This bill maximizes protections for a wide variety of healthcare workers on the front lines of the COVID-19 response, who are sometimes being asked to work in very unique settings like field hospitals and other locations. I want to thank the Senate President and Chair Rodrigues for recognizing the urgency of this issue and for moving this bill forward quickly.”

“Health care professionals from a variety of disciplines, and from different stages of their careers are risking their lives to join the fight against this pandemic,” said Senator James T. Welch (D- West Springfield). “As a Commonwealth, we owe it to these dedicated amazing medical personnel to relieve them of this burden. We have to show them that we value their courage and that we trust that they are giving the best possible care available for all patients.”

“During this time, we must do all that we can to protect front line workers,” said Representative James Murphy (D – Weymouth), Chair of the Financial Services Committee. “This legislation will go a long way to ensure that our health care professionals who are thrust into this worldwide pandemic are afforded vital legal protections enabling them to do their job in an extremely trying health care environment. We owe a debt of gratitude to all of them and I know together we will get through this.”

“The stress and strain imposed on health care professionals right now is unlike anything that they have endured; by taking legislative action we lessen some of that burden," said Senate Minority Leader Bruce Tarr (R-Gloucester). "These healers are heroes and they deserve the legal protection to make good decisions based on their best medical judgement in this
uncharted territory.”

“Our health care professionals are on the front lines caring for COVID-19 patients while operating under extraordinarily difficult and strenuous conditions,” said House Minority Leader Bradley H. Jones, Jr. (R-North Reading). “Protecting these essential workers from the threat of lawsuits and civil liability will help make their jobs a little easier, while sending a strong message to the health care community that we fully support their continuing efforts to keep us all safe and healthy.”

Under the legislation, health care professionals, facilities and volunteer organizations assisting in the state’s efforts to respond and treat COVID-19 would be protected from suit and civil liability for alleged damages related to the virus. Health care facilities and professionals would still be subject to consumer complaints brought by the Attorney General and protections would not extend to acts of negligence, recklessness, or intent to harm or acts of discrimination. These protections would apply retroactively to March 10, 2020, and remain in effect for the duration of the State of Emergency.

The bill, which is the latest action by the Legislature to address the COVID-19 public health crisis and its effects on Massachusetts, has been signed by the Governor.

"The ruling allows for a limited use of electronic signatures"

From the Milford Daily News, articles of interest for Franklin:

"Solving an issue that Democrats have been at loggerheads over for weeks, the Supreme Judicial Court made clear Friday that the inaction of the Legislature left it with little choice but to intervene and reduce the signature-gathering requirements for candidates this year.

The state’s highest court issued its ruling one day after hearing oral arguments in a lawsuit brought by three candidates running for offices with the highest and lowest requirements for collecting the signatures of voters.

The decision, written by Chief Justice Ralph Gants, ordered that requirements for all candidates seeking to appear on the Sept. 1 primary ballot be reduced by 50% in order to ensure easier access to the political process for office-seekers struggling to collect signatures from voters during the coronavirus pandemic.

The court also extended the deadline for candidates for state and county offices to submit signatures to local election clerks from April 28 until May 5, and will allow for some use of electronic signatures. The new May 5 deadline is consistent with the deadlines for candidates running for federal office."

Continue reading the article online (subscription may be required)
https://www.milforddailynews.com/news/20200418/high-court-slashes-candidate-signature-requirements

Strawberry Stroll - Canceled for 2020

Strawberry Stroll Canceled for 2020

"After thoughtful consideration, the board of the Franklin Downtown Partnership has regretfully decided to cancel this year’s Strawberry Stroll. Normally held in June, the Strawberry Stroll is a tremendous community event attracting thousands of people to downtown Franklin. Given the current pandemic, however, it is impossible to know if such a community gathering will be possible or safe in June. So the FDP Board has decided to plan for an even larger Harvest Festival on Oct. 3, 2020.

In place of the Strawberry Stroll, the FDP is developing several smaller events in late summer and early fall.

“We’re considering events such as restaurant walks, small business Tuesdays, and other promotional events geared towards rebuilding local business,” said Lisa Piana, executive director of the FDP. “We are planning to hold those events once social distancing guidelines have been relaxed or removed.”

If you have some creative ideas about smaller events the FDP could organize to support local business, please email Executive Director Lisa Piana."

For more about the Franklin Downtown Partnership visit their page
https://www.franklindowntownpartnership.org/

Saturday, April 18, 2020

Recycling Center open this weekend for Yard Waste Only

"DPW News:

Due to the storm this past week, we know many residents have yard waste to dispose of. The Recycling Center will be open THIS* WEEKEND ONLY for yard waste.

Saturday 8 AM - 3 PM and Sunday 9 AM - 1 PM. Only 5 customers at a time to practice and enforce social distancing.

Shared from Twitter:
https://twitter.com/TOFranklinMA/status/1251152127902113794?s=09

* April 18, and April 19, 2020

Recycling Center open this weekend for Yard Waste Only

Senator Rausch: COVID-19 Update #13

CORONAVIRUS / COVID-19 UPDATE #13

Friday, April 17, 2020

Hi friends,

Warm greetings from virtual Beacon Hill. The Legislature has been hard at work this week. I was proud to participate in the first and second virtual public hearings ever to occur in Massachusetts, in my capacities as the Vice Chair of the Joint Committee on Elder Affairs and a member of the Joint Committee on Children, Families and Persons with Disabilities. I expect more of these virtual hearings to come in the near future, especially with regard to election reform and my 2020 Vote By Mail Act. I've also been hard at work on efforts to support our first responders and public safety personnel.

We got some big news today in access to our democracy and elections -- the Supreme Judicial Court issued a ruling halving the signature requirements for all seats, pushing the deadline for signature submission back as far as it could go, and requiring the Secretary of the Commonwealth to go digital. I've supported signature reductions all along, and am glad to see this ruling.

As you likely know, we are in the coronavirus surge period. Everyone, please maintain extensive social distancing. Wear facial coverings if you need to go out in public, including going to the grocery store. Wash your hands. Stay hydrated. Get sleep. Get some exercise every day, preferably outside (if we're not in the middle of a massive wind and rainstorm). Be vigilant. We will get to the other side of this, eventually. The more safeguards and protections we maintain now, the quicker we'll get to recovery.

Thank you to those who have reached out to tell us that stimulus checks haven't arrived and unemployment claims have gone unanswered and small business loans aren't coming through. This is how we know to work these problems and push for solutions.

Yours in service,

Senator Becca Rausch

This newsletter was shortened for publication here, to review the full set of contents visit this link https://mailchi.mp/3f60d12f7092/covid19-update-12314218

Senator Rausch: COVID-19 Update #13

FM #247 Doug McPherson HMEA Virtual IncredABLE 5K

FM #247 = This is the Franklin Matters radio show, number 247 in the series.

This session of the radio show shares my conversation with Doug McPherson, Vice-President of Development and Public Relations for Horace Mann Education Association (HMEA). We had our conversation via conference bridge to adhere to the ‘social distancing’ requirements of this pandemic period.

In our first conversation, Doug and I talked about the preparation for the HMEA’s IncredABLE 5K scheduled for May 17, 2020. Alas, in this pandemic period, the road race, community walk, and family fun field day has been converted to a virtual event. Virtual? Yes, we talk about how you can run your 5K on a certified 5K course and send your results in to HEMA to count.

Our conversation includes the other elements of the virtual event still to occur on May 17, but all virtual, not on the fields at Dell/EMC.

The recording runs about 20 minutes, so let’s listen to my conversation with Doug https://www.hipcast.com/podcast/HVMrv2m7

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https://www.hmea.org/incredable-5k/

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The music for the intro and exit was provided by Michael Clark and the group "East of Shirley". The piece is titled "Ernesto, manana" c. Michael Clark & Tintype Tunes, 2008 and used with their permission.

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