SENATE DOCKET, NO. 1430        FILED ON: 1/19/2023

SENATE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No. 2021

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

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PRESENTED BY:

Jason M. Lewis, (BY REQUEST)

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To the Honorable Senate and House of Representatives of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts in General
Court assembled:

The undersigned legislators and/or citizens respectfully petition for the adoption of the accompanying bill:

An Act providing for the creation of a Massachusetts COVID-19 Memorial.

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PETITION OF:

SENATE DOCKET, NO. 1430        FILED ON: 1/19/2023

SENATE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No. 2021

[SIMILAR MATTER FILED IN PREVIOUS SESSION
SEE SENATE, NO. 2079 OF 2021-2022.]

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

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In the One Hundred and Ninety-Third General Court
(2023-2024)

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An Act providing for the creation of a Massachusetts COVID-19 Memorial.

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court assembled, and by the authority of the same, as follows:
 

SECTION 1. The Massachusetts General Laws are hereby amended by inserting the following new chapter:

PURPOSE:

The COVID-19 Pandemic, which began in the year 2020, and may well continue deep into future years, and possibly further, has already taken a toll that is massive, tragic, and devastating to the lives of tens of thousands, of Massachusetts residents; disrupted, and damaged the lives of the people of Massachusetts, their families, schools and other educational institutions, workplaces, friends; businesses, the economy, other institutions of society, and more. These losses, as they mount, are also accompanied by the damage to the health, perhaps for life, of many thousands of other individuals. The losses, as of the original writing of these words, are already at the level previously encountered, only in previous military conflicts; and these losses are likely to continue to mount, far beyond those levels.

Public Monuments, serve many purposes, including to honor significant persons, and to remember important losses; thereby providing specific respect, and some important roles in public education.

Therefore, this legislation, establishes a Purpose for developing a Massachusetts COVID-19 Memorial.

SECTION 2. To establish this Memorial, this enabling legislation, authorizes the creation of a Massachusetts COVID-19 Memorial Commission, to honor those who have died from the virus, been injured, and/or harmed by it, and to encourage thoughtful reflection on the circumstances of the Pandemic, in Massachusetts.

This Commission, shall have nineteen (19) members, appointed by the Governor of Massachusetts, and other specified officials:

•One (1) designee of the Governor

•One (1) designee of the President of the Senate

•One (1) designee of the Speaker of the House

•Five (5) Chief Executive Officers, or their designees, from accredited hospitals, whose primary offices, are in the Commonwealth

•One (1) representative of Massachusetts Nurses

•One (1) representative of Massachusetts Doctors

•One (1) representative of Massachusetts Educators

•One (1) representative of EMTs

•One (1) representative of Firefighters

•One (1) representative of Police Officers

•One (1) representative of Homemakers

•One (1) representative of Food Service Workers

•Three (3) Citizens At Large

SECTION 3. The life of this Commission, shall be up to three (3) years, from its appointment; and it shall select a Chairperson, from among its membership.

This Commission, shall publicize its Mission of Memorial, and welcome any, and all, appropriate ideas for a fixed Memorial, a location for such Memorial, in a statue type display, and possibly including a public health educational outreach program, on viruses, vaccines, and other similar effective disease controlling, and defeating; scientific, and public engaging activities. A report shall be produced, with analysis, recommendations, and suggestions for such a Memorial.