SENATE DOCKET, NO. 2492        FILED ON: 3/2/2023

SENATE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No.         

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

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PRESENTED BY:

Joanne M. Comerford

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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 resolve:

Resolve providing for an investigation and study by a special commission relative to long COVID related needs in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts.

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PETITION OF:

SENATE DOCKET, NO. 2492        FILED ON: 3/2/2023

SENATE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No.         

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

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

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Resolve providing for an investigation and study by a special commission relative to long COVID related needs in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts.

Resolved, that a special commission is hereby established (1) for the purpose of identifying the socio-economic, medical, public health, mental health, social, and fiscal needs related to the surveillance, care and treatment of persons with Long COVID in the commonwealth, and (2) for the purpose of recommending and prioritizing governmental and legislative actions related to the said needs of people living with Long COVID in the commonwealth, and to ensure that any such recommendations consider the disparate impacts of Long COVID on populations across the commonwealth and our commitment to equity, including racial, cultural and regional equity.

Resolved, The special commission shall consist of: 1 person to be appointed by the Speaker of the House; 1 person to be appointed by the senate president; 1 of whom shall be the Secretary of EOHHS or a designee, who will act as chair; 1 of whom shall be the MassHealth Director or a designee; 1 of whom shall be the Secretary of Labor and Workforce Development or a designee, 1 of whom shall be the commissioner of the Department of Public Health or a designee; 1 of whom shall be the commissioner of the Department of Mental Health or a designee; 1 of whom shall be director of the statewide independent living council or a designee; 1 of whom shall be the chancellor of UMass Chan Medical School or a designee with expertise in medical education curriculum, 1 of whom shall be the medical director of the COVID Recovery Center or a designee; 1 of whom shall be the president of the Mass Medical Society or a designee with expertise in continuing professional education; 1 of whom shall be the president of the Massachusetts Nurses Association or a designee with expertise in clinical care and MNA continuing education; 1 of whom shall be the executive director of the Massachusetts National Association of Social Workers or a designee with expertise in clinical practice and professional development; 1of whom shall be the director of the Health Equity Core of the Harvard Medical School’s Massachusetts Consortium on Pathogen Readiness or a designee; 2 persons who are living with Long COVID to be appointed by the governor; and 1 person from a community-based organization currently serving people living with Long COVID to be appointed by the Governor.

Said commission will ensure that its meetings shall be open to the public, notes will be taken and made available. The appointment of the commissioners shall occur within 30 days after the effective date of this resolve. The commission shall convene its first meeting no later than 45 days after the bill’s enactment.

Said commission shall report to the Clerks of the House of Representatives and Senate, the Speaker of the House, the Senate President, the chairs of the joint committee on ways and means, the joint committee on public health, the joint committee on health care financing, the joint committee on COVID-19 & emergency preparedness & management, and the governor, the results of its investigation and its recommendations, together with drafts of legislation or regulations necessary to carry its recommendations into effect, by filing the same with the clerk of the house of representatives and the clerk of the senate on or before March 1, 2024.

The special commission shall dissolve 30 days after the submission of the report, unless upon a 2⁄3 vote of the Commission, a continuance is deemed necessary to complete the purpose of the Commission. The time frame of said continuance must be specified in the motion to extend time of operation.