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. 5188, “An Act providing for a long term and congregate care coronavirus transmission reduction guidance report.”

This bill was originally an outside section in the budget that I returned with an amendment.  The bill would require the Department of Public Health (DPH) to issue guidance and best practices by February 1st, 2021 on how to prevent the transmission of the coronavirus when patients are discharged from hospitals into the care of nursing homes, rehabilitation centers, and other congregate care facilities.  As I said in my amendment letter, the February 1st deadline does not give DPH sufficient time to prepare the report.  I again urge the Legislature, in any future bill addressing this matter, to extend the reporting deadline.

For these reasons, I am returning House Bill No. 5188 unsigned.

Respectfully submitted

Charles D. Baker,

Governor