Signed by Governor Charlie Baker

Vote Smart's Synopsis:

Vote to pass a bill that amends measures adopted during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Highlights:

• Establishes a notice to quit for non-payment of rent given in writing by a landlord to a residential tenant will be accompanied by a form that includes, but is not limited to (Sec. 13): 

• Documentation of any agreements between the tenant and landlord for the tenant to repay the landlord for non-payment of rent; and

• Information on:

• Rental assistance programs including, but not limited to, the residential assistance for families in transition program;

• Applicable trial court rules, standing orders, or administrative orders about actions for the summary process; and

• Any relevant federal or state legal restrictions on residential evictions.

• Requires the governor to provide notice to the clerks of the house of representatives and senate and the house and senate committees on ways and means not less than 45 days before the termination of the public health emergency declared by the governor on May 28, 2021, in response to the COVID-19 pandemic (Sec. 18.a).

• Authorizes a city or town to approve a request for expansion of outdoor table service, including in the description of licensed premises, or an extension of an earlier granted approval (Sec. 19.b).

• Prohibits a public body from being required to conduct its meetings in a public place that is open and physically accessible to the public; provided, that if the public body does not conduct the meeting in a public place that is open and physically accessible to the public, the public body will ensure public access to the deliberations of the public body for interested members of the public through adequate, alternative means of public access (Sec. 20.b).

• Establishes a student who graduated from a registered nursing or practical nursing program approved by the board of registration in nursing or who is a senior nursing student attending the last semester of a registered nursing or practical nursing program approved by the board may practice nursing and is not be subject to the prohibitions against the unlicensed practice of nursing; provided, however, that (Sec. 25):

• The individual is employed by or providing health care services at the direction of a licensed health care facility or a licensed health care provider;

• The individual is directly supervised while providing health care services;

• The health care services are provided in response to the COVID-19 outbreak; and 

• The employing licensed health care facility or licensed health care provider has verified that the individual is a graduate of a registered nursing or practical nursing program approved by the board or that the individual is a senior nursing student attending the last semester of a registered nursing or practical nursing program approved by the board.

Full Bill Text