To the Honorable Senate and House of Representatives,

Pursuant to Part the Second, Chapter I, Section I, Article II of the Constitution of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, I am returning unsigned House Bill No. 5187, “An Act establishing a federal coronavirus relief funds website.”

This bill would require the Executive Office for Administration & Finance (“A&F”) to develop and operate a publicly accessible and searchable website to report on expenditures made by the Commonwealth from Federal funds that have been received for the COVID-19 pandemic response. 

As I indicated in my amendment letter, I am supportive of this section’s objective and A&F is in the process of developing such a website and will have it online as soon as possible. However, some of the bill’s requirements for the website are infeasible or administratively burdensome, such as the requirement that the website be updated weekly.  These requirements would add additional costs and divert resources from the Commonwealth’s ongoing pandemic response efforts.  They also duplicate reporting that is already being managed by the Comptroller’s office.

In addition, the bill’s February 1, 2021 deadline does not give A&F sufficient time to develop the website.  I therefore again urge the Legislature, in any future bill addressing this matter, to incorporate my proposed modifications to this bill, including an extension of the deadline to develop this website.

For these reasons, I am returning House Bill No. 5187 unsigned.

Respectfully submitted

Charles D. Baker,

Governor