SECTION 1. Notwithstanding any provision to the contrary in chapter 30A of the General Laws or in 940 CMR 29, and notwithstanding the termination of the state of emergency concerning the novel coronavirus disease outbreak declared by the Governor on March 10, 2020, public bodies may conduct deliberations entirely by remote means in a manner consistent with the allowances of the Governor’s Order Suspending Certain Provisions of the Open Meeting Law, G. L. c. 30A, § 20, dated March 12, 2020, provided that a public body complies with all of the requirements specified in said Governor’s Order. 

SECTION 2. Notwithstanding chapter 40A of the general laws, or any special permit, variance or other approval thereunder, or any other general or special law to the contrary, and notwithstanding the termination of the state of emergency concerning the novel coronavirus disease outbreak declared by the Governor on March 10, 2020, a chief executive or local licensing authority of a city or town may elect to extend until November 29, 2021 or until an earlier date any approval granted to permit or expand outside table service or outdoor alcohol service that has issued under the terms of and through a process adopted in accordance with (i) section 1 of the Governor’s Order Making Certain Phase III Adjustments, dated September 10, 2020; and (ii) section 4 of the Governor’s Order Clarifying the Progression of the Commonwealth’s Phased Workplace Re-Opening Plan and Authorizing Certain Re-Opening Preparations at Phase II Workplaces, dated June 1, 2020. 

SECTION 3. Notwithstanding chapter 260 of the acts of 2020 or any other general or special law to the contrary, and notwithstanding the termination of the state of emergency concerning the novel coronavirus disease outbreak declared by the Governor on March 10, 2020, the provisions of the Governor’s Revised Order Expanding Access to Inpatient Services, dated January 21, 2021, that prohibit balance billing shall continue to prohibit a health care provider, as defined in section 1 of chapter 111 of the General Laws, from billing an insured for any balance or other amount above the reimbursement paid by a carrier for medically necessary emergency or inpatient services provided to the insured for COVID-19 related treatment, including all professional, diagnostic and laboratory services.  For purposes of this section, the term carrier shall include the Group Insurance Commission and all Commercial Health Insurers, Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Massachusetts, Inc., and Health Maintenance Organizations regulated by the Division of Insurance.

SECTION 4. Section 1 is hereby repealed.

SECTION 5. Section 3 is hereby repealed.

SECTION 6. Section 4 shall take effect on September 1, 2021.

SECTION 7. Section 5 shall take effect on January 1, 2022.