Dear Friends and Neighbors,
This week I voted in the affirmative to support legislation that will provide relief to workers and small businesses in the Commonwealth while shoring up our unemployment system for the future. This important legislation addresses the financial hardships of the COVID-19 pandemic by:
- Ensuring access to a week of paid sick time leave that can be used for COVID related sickness, quarantine, caregiving, and vaccination to over 1.5 million workers who don’t have emergency paid sick time now.
- Allowing individuals making up to 200% of the poverty level who received unemployment insurance to claim a tax credit on their state filing.
- Allowing recipients of the PPP loans who report business income and expenses through their personal income tax to avoid being taxed on any PPP loans that were forgiven by the federal government.
- Freezing the rate employers would have to pay into unemployment insurance.
Yours in Service,
Denise
Local Updates
- In Needham, the Recycling and Transfer Station Superintendent Greg Smith has shared some tips on how to properly recycle in a short video. Improper recycling results in pests at the RTS and additional costs to the Town. To watch the video, click here.
- In Dover, the Dover Town Library is offering a gift for book lovers. When you make a donation of $100, the library will print your loved one’s name on a bookplate to be added to the Dover Town Library’s circulating collection. For more information, click here.
- In Medfield, the Planning Board, Conservation Commission, and Historical Commission will be holding a joint meeting for public comment on Monday, April 5, 2021 at 7:30 PM. This meeting is on the proposal of 5 new scenic roads in Town. To learn more, click here.
Statewide Updates
- The Department of Public Health has updated the COVID-19 Travel restrictions for people who are fully vaccinated. Individuals that are fully vaccinated may travel to Massachusetts without needing a negative COVID-19 test or quarantine for 14 days.
- Starting Thursday, K-12 educators, early childhood educators, and school staff are eligible to register for the COVID-19 vaccine at all 170 vaccine sites in Massachusetts. To learn more, click here.
- Starting today, eligible residents will be able to preregister for a vaccine appointment at one of the state’s seven mass vaccination sites. To preregister, you must complete an online form or call 2-1-1 if you are unable to access the internet. To learn more about preregistration, click here.
Reopening Updates – Phase 3: Vigilant
- Massachusetts is currently in Phase 3, Step 2 of the Massachusetts Reopening plan. Under this phase indoor performance venues and indoor recreational activities will be able to reopen at 50% capacity. In addition, capacity limits across all sectors will increase to 50% and restaurants will no longer have a percent capacity limit. To learn more, click here.
- If you have questions, input, or comments regarding the Reopening Massachusetts plan, you can submit comments online. These comments can be used by the Administration to support efforts to methodically reopen the economy amidst the COVID-19 pandemic. Click here for the form.
Resources
- If you are in need of resources, information, or support, please visit my website for a list of resources. Additionally, our local boards of health, the Department of Public Health, and the Centers for Disease Control are continuing to maintain websites with the most updated information regarding COVID-19 that you can access here:
- Needham Health Department Updates
- Medfield Updates
- Dover Updates
- Department of Public Health: Click here or Call 2-1-1.
- Reopening Massachusetts
- COVID-19 Travel Order
- Centers for Disease Control
Please remember social distancing and wearing a mask is the most effective tool to contain the spread of COVID-19.
In addition to these updates, my office is still accessible so please continue to reach out and we will get back to you.
Email: Denise.Garlick@mahouse.gov
Phone: 617-722-2380
