SECTION 1. The General Court hereby finds and declares that:

(i) the 2019 novel coronavirus, SARS–CoV–2, also known as COVID-19, is a deadly illness caused by a virus that can transmit from person to person;

(ii) in 2020, COVID-19 began to spread throughout the world, creating a global pandemic that has had a catastrophic impact on human life, communities in the commonwealth, communities in the United States and the United States economy;

(iii) in March 2020, communities in every state began to experience increased loss of life and families lost loved ones, friends and neighbors to the virus;

(iv) the governor declared a state of emergency in response to the virus on March 10, 2020, which was subsequently terminated on June 15, 2021;

(v) beginning in 2020, many across the commonwealth and the United States were, and continue to be, personally impacted by COVID-19, including mourning their loved ones, friends and neighbors or suffering from the long-term health implications of the virus;

(vi) as of March 2022, there have been more than 1.5 million known cases of COVID-19 in the commonwealth and over 18,900 people who have tragically lost their lives;

(vii) as of March 2022, there have been more than 79.5 million known cases of the virus in the United States and more than 965,000 people who tragically lost their lives;

(vii) COVID-19 has had a disproportionate impact on low-income communities and communities of color, especially those older and vulnerable adults residing or working in nursing homes, with high rates of infection and death, exacerbating inequities and poor-quality care already prevalent in our systems that must be addressed throughout the commonwealth and the United States;

(viii) public servants, frontline and essential workers and health care professionals took selfless actions to protect their neighbors and communities, support struggling economies and find innovative ways to provide services;

(x) local, state, tribal and federal government entities provided critical support to businesses, communities and the people of the commonwealth and the United States in need;

(xi) the COVID-19 pandemic continues to have an impact on the commonwealth, the United States and countries around the world; and

(xii) each life lost to COVID-19, each inequity and broken system brought to light and each sacrifice made shall never be forgotten.

SECTION 2. Chapter 6 of the General Laws is hereby amended by inserting after section 15LLLLLL the following section:-

Section 15MMMMMM. The governor shall annually issue a proclamation setting apart the first Monday in March as COVID-19 Remembrance Day, in recognition of those who died from 2019 novel coronavirus, also known as COVID-19, the suffering of those who contracted COVID-19 and survived but carry with them the long-term health implications of the virus, the suffering of those who died or harmed from isolation and depression resulting from lack of visitation and inadequate staffing or oversight,  and to acknowledge the frontline and essential workers who provided services to our communities and the selfless actions of the many residents of the commonwealth who volunteered to support their neighbors and communities during the COVID-19 pandemic, and recommending the day be observed in an appropriate manner including, but not limited to, attention to strengthening prevention programs,  by the people of the commonwealth.