Massachusetts to Temporarily Suspend Bottle Redemption Enforcement

BOSTON – Out of an abundance of caution due to the spread of COVID-19 in Massachusetts, the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection and the Massachusetts Attorney General’s Office are suspending enforcement of the requirements for retailers to accept beverage containers that have a deposit effective immediately until further notice or until the current state of emergency is terminated.

This action is being taken because many grocers, supermarkets, and other retail operations have indicated that they are overwhelmed with an unprecedented volume of customers purchasing provisions so they can spend time at home to help in the effort to reduce the spread of COVID-19. Temporarily suspending enforcement of these requirements will allow individual retailers to assess their operations and, if necessary and appropriate, shift staffing to enable smoother operations. This action will also limit any contamination that potentially could occur from staff handling used beverage containers.

Consumers are encouraged to hold on to their deposit containers for redemption at a later date or to recycle those containers with existing household recycling.

MassDEP and the Attorney's General Office will assess the situation on an ongoing basis and notify grocers, supermarkets, and other retailers when redemption services must resume and the temporary enforcement suspension ends.

Under state regulations, retailers are usually required to accept for redemption all containers of the same size, type and brand they sell to the public that carry the five-cent deposit and, without the suspension announced today, failures to redeem those containers can subject retailers to enforcement and potential penalties under the statute.

MassDEP’s Bottle Bill Hotline is available at 617-556-1054 for questions and information requests.

Announcements on Childcare, Small Business Tax Relief and Unemployment Insurance Legislation Related to COVID-19

The Governor's office has distributed the following press release on these subjects -
* All Massachusetts early education and family child care providers must close in 5 days.
* Pharmacists, Physician’s Assistants, and Local Board of Health.
* Small Business Relief - Tax Relief.
* Unemployment Benefits - unemployment assistance to workers.

Baker-Polito Administration Releases New Announcements on Childcare, Small Business Tax Relief and Unemployment Insurance Legislation Related to COVID-19

BOSTON – Today, Governor Charlie Baker announced a series of new measures to adapt childcare operations, enhance the Commonwealth’s healthcare system’s capacity, assist small businesses, and support unemployment benefits during the COVID-19 outbreak.

Childcare Operations: Governor Baker issued an Executive Order requiring all early education centers and family childcare providers to close, starting Monday March 23 to mitigate the spread of COVID-19. The Department of Early Education and Care (EEC) also issued emergency procedures to set forth a process for opening Exempt Emergency Child Care Programs during the COVID-19 outbreak to provide priority access for families of emergency personnel, medical staff, and others critical to confronting COVID-19.

Exempt Emergency Child Care Programs: Exempt Emergency Child Care Programs will be the only child care programs able to operate during the COVID-19 outbreak. Families who work to maintain the health, safety, and welfare of all Commonwealth citizens will receive priority access to emergency childcare programs and these centers should only be used by people who must go to work. Vulnerable children will also receive priority access and space will be made for people who must go to work but aren’t necessarily emergency personnel.

The Department of Early Education and Care put procedures in place to quickly review applications for emergency child care programs, and to conduct expedited background record checks for childcare teachers and staff.

The Department is working to ensure there is sufficient access to emergency child care programs in each region of the Commonwealth, so those workers who need childcare can still access it.

A proposed program can be either a currently-licensed child care program, or a new program such as a location within or near a medical facility.

Providers impacted by these closures will continue to receive child care subsidy payments from the state. This ensures that programs will be able to re-open once the crisis is over. Parents who receive subsidies will not lose their vouchers, and will be able to eventually resume care. EEC will cover the cost of parent fees for subsidized families enrolled in care.

All programs that would like to operate must complete the EEC’s Emergency Licensing and Background Record Check process. Programs that have a current license and educators with confirmed background checks will be expedited for approval.

· Programs must adhere to strict safety and health standards established by the Department of Public Health and Executive Office of Health and Human Services.

Public Health Orders: Department of Public Health Commissioner Monica Bharel has signed three public health orders today which do the following:
· The first Order relaxes administrative requirements so as to allow physician’s assistants who previously worked on elective surgeries to be used elsewhere in the hospital under a different supervising physician.
· The second Order, due to the expected demands on nursing staff, would allow pharmacists to administer certain medication for the treatment of opioid use disorder, where, under normal circumstances, such medication must be administered by a nurse.
· The third Order requires Local Board of Health to disclose the addresses – but no other identifying information – of those diagnosed with COVID-19 to the official in charge of emergency calls in the jurisdiction. That information can only be used for responding to emergency calls and is to be kept confidential.

Extending the Licenses of Certain Licensed Professionals: Governor Baker signed a new emergency order to ensure that licensed professionals do not have their licenses or registrations lapse due to unforeseen problems with renewal during the COVID-19 emergency. Specifically, under this order, occupational or professional licenses of individuals that are in good standing and that would otherwise be up for renewal during the COVID-19 emergency shall be extended for 90 days after the end of the public health emergency. This order does not affect license extensions that have already been granted in earlier emergency orders.

Small Business Relief: The Baker-Polito Administration today announced administrative tax relief measures for small local businesses which have been impacted by the ongoing COVID-19 outbreak, especially in the restaurant and hospitality sectors. This tax relief includes postponing the collection of regular sales tax, meals tax, and room occupancy taxes that would be due in March, April and May so that they will instead be due on June 20. Additionally, all penalties and interest that would otherwise apply will be waived.
· Businesses that paid less than $150,000 in regular sales plus meals taxes in the year ending February 29, 2020 will be eligible for relief for sales and meals taxes, and business that paid less than $150,000 in room occupancy taxes in the year ending February 29, 2020 will be eligible for relief with respect to room occupancy taxes.
· The Department of Revenue is currently drafting emergency regulations to implement these administrative relief measures, and they are expected to be finalized before Friday, March 20, 2020.
Unemployment Benefits: Governor Baker also today signed S.2599 to provide unemployment assistance to workers impacted by COVID-19. This legislation will allow new claims to be paid more quickly by waiving the one week waiting period for unemployment benefits.

UNEMPLOYMENT BENEFITS WAIVER

Governor Charlie Baker has now signed this unemployment benefits assistance bill into law. Protects those laid off through no fault of their own.

Help For Impacted Workers

The Senate just adopted a bill to allow workers who become separated from work as a result of Coronavirus to make a claim for unemployment benefits without the 1 week waiting period. This bill will take effect upon the signature of Governor Charlie Baker. #MaPoli

On the Air With North Shore 104.9

About to go on the air with the hosts of NorthShore1049 Erika & Donnie. Giving updates from Beacon Hill and beyond on our responses to combat the coronavirus. MBTA schedules, food pantry access, unemployment benefits.

The Open Door – Feeding People and Changing Lives

The Open Door is a non-profit organization that connects hungry people with more than 2 million pounds of healthy food each year in 10 communities in the northeast corner of Essex County.

They are committed to the continuation of food distribution to our clients, especially individuals at high risk during this time. Here are the extra steps they are taking:
Gloucester Food Pantry Open Monday–Friday, 10 AM–5 PM, for curbside pick-up; clients are asked NOT to enter the building. Pull up to the front of the building on Emerson Ave., a volunteer or staff member will bring your household sized prepacked groceries. If you work during this time, or are quarantined and unable to pick up groceries, please call 978-283-6776 or email gethelp@foodpantry.org.

Ipswich Community Food Pantry Normal hours, March 17-19. Beginning next week (March 24), we will move to curbside pick-up; clients are asked not to enter the building. Pull up to the front of the building on Emerson Ave., a volunteer or staff member will bring your household sized prepacked groceries. If you work during this time, or are quarantined and unable to pick up groceries, please call 978-283-6776 x204 or email gethelp@foodpantry.org.

Community Meals Take-out only, with curbside pick-up between 12–5 PM, Monday–Friday, with extra food provided on Fridays for the weekend. Pull up to the front of the building on Emerson Ave., a volunteer or staff member will bring your household sized prepacked groceries. For those unable to pick up at the pantry, please call 978-283-6776 x204 by 3pm to arrange a delivery by a volunteer. Leave your name, phone number, address, and the number of meals requested. You must call each day that you need a meal.

Second Glance Thrift Store remains closed through March 29; no shopping or donations.

Mobile Markets are on hold with the exception of Millbrook Park Market, which will have a modified distribution.

Emerson Market is on hold until further notice.

Senior Markets are on hold until further notice.

On Your Mark is on hold until further notice.

Senior Soup & Salad at Rose Baker is on hold until further notice.

Large volunteer groups have been cancelled, but they still need regular volunteers to participate if they are healthy and able.

They are working to keep ALL safe while continuing to provide food to our community. We thank you for your patience and understanding.

Massachusetts RMV Re-Opening Seven Locations on March 18th

Prioritizing required in-person transactions; Road tests suspended through at least March 20th 

BOSTON - The Massachusetts Registry of Motor Vehicles (RMV) is announcing that on Wednesday, March 18th it will reopen seven of its 30 customer service center locations, while asking that customers who do not have immediate needs for required in-person services delay their visits. The RMV facilities that are being reopened prioritize regional availability, accessibility and facility size and capacity. To assist with “social-distancing” and reducing facility volume, customers are asked to not bring multiple individuals with them. Meanwhile, AAA locations will continue to offer select RMV services to AAA members and road tests will be suspended indefinitely.

These steps are being taken following Governor Charlie Baker’s declaration of a State of Emergency the week of March 9th to complement the work that has been underway for weeks across state government to keep residents safe and healthy.

“While we are re-opening seven Registry of Motor Vehicles Service Centers to address the needs of residents and business customers, we strongly encourage those who can, to conduct their business online, by phone, by mail or to postpone a visit to the RMV and take advantage of the extension of expiration dates for licenses,” said Transportation Secretary and CEO Stephanie Pollack. “Customers should expect longer waits as we will need to limit any crowding in the centers to comply with social distancing protocols. We will be limiting the number of people allowed inside Service Centers and once those limits are reached, customers will have to either leave and come back or wait outside until it is possible to let them in while still maintaining social distancing.”

“The RMV is trying to offer necessary in-person transactions while striking a balance between protecting the health and safety of the public,” said Acting Registrar Jamey Tesler. “Due to the COVID-19 outbreak, in-person transactions will be conducted in keeping with guidelines from the Massachusetts Department of Public Health (DPH) and Commonwealth’s COVID-19 Response Command Center.”

Only the following seven RMV centers will be open effective March 18th until further notice: Boston/Haymarket, Brockton, Fall River, Lawrence, Pittsfield, Plymouth, and Worcester. Hearings will be conducted at Boston/Haymarket, Brockton, Fall River, Lawrence, and Worcester. Hearings at the Pittsfield RMV occur weekly on Wednesdays and are scheduled to resume on March 25th . No hearings will be conducted in Plymouth.

Road tests for permit holders are postponed at all locations through at least Friday, March 20th. Road testing will resume only after cleaning, personal protective equipment and social distancing protocols have been put in place to mitigate the risk of COVID-19 transmission for permit holders, road test examiners and others who accompany permit holders for their tests. Because the Governor’s Executive Order provides that Learner’s Permits dated between March 1, 2020 and April 30, 2020 will continue to have an active status until sixty days after the printed expiration date.

Earlier this week, the RMV began helping residents with ‘social-distancing’ by reducing the need for some customers to physically come into a Service Center for certain transactions. As of March 16th, the RMV implemented a 60-day extension: residents with Class D and Class DM driver’s licenses, ID cards, and Learner’s Permits that have an expiration date between March 1, 2020 and April 30, 2020, will have a 60-day extension applied to that customer’s credential.

· This deadline extension does not apply to customers with Commercial Driver’s Licenses (CDLs) or those whose end of stay in the United States is the same as the expiration date on their driver’s license, ID card, or Learner’s Permit.
· Customers eligible for this extension should wait to visit an RMV Service Center or AAA office (if a member of AAA), to renew until after the State of Emergency is over.

The RMV has taken other steps to help mitigate the spread of COVID-19. In keeping with recommendations from the Massachusetts Department of Public Health (DPH), the RMV has adopted enhanced cleaning practices for facilities, purchased additional contactless hand sanitizer dispensing stations, issued anti-viral disinfectant wipes and individual size hand sanitizers to certain employees, and expanded areas to be disinfected.

During the COVID-19 outbreak, the RMV has continued with safety-critical “back office” functions, even as all Registry customer service locations closed on March 16th and 17th. The critical work of ensuring license discipline continues, including the processing of both in-state and out-of-state convictions and mail.

More than 40 Registry transactions may be conducted online at www.mass.gov/rmv.