Page 8 THE MALDEN ADVOCATE–Friday, August 28, 2020 Rep. Lipper-Garabedian provides update on productive House session D uring the ongoing Massachusetts 191st General Court’s 2019-2020 session – which has been extended through legislative action – the House has passed emergency legislation in response to the COVID-19 pandemic as well as major legislation relating to education, transportation and climate change. Following a decisive vote in July to extend the formal legislative session, the House remains at work on bills vital to the Commonwealth. This action followed the passage of major legislation relating to the COVID-19 State of Emergency that included provisions to extend unemployment benefits, protect public health and institute landmark provisions for remote voting in the House and mail-in voting for local, state and federal elections held in 2020. The emergency legislation also included one of the strongest moratoriums in the country protecting tenants and homeowners from eviction and foreclosure and creating opportunities for restaurants to serve alcohol, beer and wine for carryout service. “While my first legislative session has been far from normal, it has definitely been one to remember,” said State Representative Kate Lipper-Garabedian. “I am proud of all that my colleagues and I have accomplished to protect public health, mitigate financial impacts and reinforce community supports during the ongoing pandemic. We also advanced important legislation focused on economic development, support A.B.C. CIGAR 170 REVERE ST., REVERE (781) 289-4959 Same Location * Same Service for 48 Years! for schools, law enforcement, health care and the climate crisis. I am glad to be able to continue working alongside them as our session continues into the fall.” For the first time in the history of the Commonwealth, the House voted on emergency rules to establish procedures for remote voting. These temporary changes enabled the House to vote on items requiring formal votes (such as a measure facilitating the postponement of the tax deadline) while reinforcing public health and safety. Amid a difficult fiscal climate, the House also voted to keep Chapter 90 level-funded at $200 million for key repairs for the maintenance and upkeep of municipal roads and bridges in Massachusetts. As part of a sweeping economic development bill, the House passed legislation to legalize sports betting, provide supports to small businesses and at-risk populations and make investments in affordable housing. In SCHOOLS | FROM PAGE 3 Chris Dan Steve COME ON DOWN...WE ARE OPEN AND READY TO SERVE YOU...MASK REQUIRED! * Desktop Humidors * Travel Humidors * Vapes * Juice * Cigar Accessories * Bongs * Lighters & Ash Trays * Glass Pipes * Gift Cards * Rewards Program * Juuls * CBD Infused Products Buy your Cigars by the Box & Save! Plus our “Golfers’ Special” 15 Handmade Cigars - Churchill Size including a Cohiba! Only $43.95 SPECIAL OF THE MONTH SERIOUS CIGAR USERS SHOULD HAVE A HUMIDOR TO PROTECT THEIR SMOKES. THIS IS YOUR CHANCE TO GET A COMPLETE HUMIDOR THAT HOLDS UP TO 25 CIGARS FROM OUR SELECTED INVENTORY...FREE WITH THE PURCHASE OF ANY BOX OF Montecristo 27’s...RETAIL VALUE OF $100...Limited time! STORE HOURS 8 AM - 8 PM Mon. - Sat., Sun. 8 AM - 6 PM in developing our strategy for reopening the Malden Public Schools,” Oteri said. He reported that 3,615 parents responded to an online survey asking for opinions of how MPS should educate their children in 2020-21, either in-person, hybrid or remote learning. Oteri said a series of three community listening sessions on the same subject drew over 500 participants. MPS also conducted a survey (which drew nearly 100 responses) to parents of special education students. “The support and trust that these participants in our surveys and listening sessions demonstrated in our school community was inspiring to us…Our primary goal through all of this is the safety of our students, their families, our educators and staff,” Oteri said. “That has driven all of our decisions and strategies in starting this school year, which is like no other.” The Superintendent said teachers will be returning to working full-time on Monday, August 31, where they begin 10 days of training in professional development related to the MPS commitment to remote learning. Labor Day will be observed on Monday, September 7 and classes will begin remotely on Monday, September 16. Supt. Oteri said that when remote learning starts, every sturecognition of the House’s commitment to a safe, accessible, and reliable transportation system, the House also approved an $18 billion investment in the Commonwealth’s transportation infrastructure. In keeping with the House’s ongoing commitment to protecting public health and safety, the House passed health care legislation to facilitate the use of telemedicine as well as strengthen community hospitals. The House also passed legislation aimed at eliminating racial inequities in maternal health that have resulted in women of color dying of pregnancy-related causes at more than double the rate of white women. Under a policing reform bill, the House voted to establish a certification process for police, creating an independent and empowered oversight board, and codifying restrictions on useof-force measures. The House also voted to protect public sector SESSION | SEE PAGE 10 dent in grades K-12 will have a Chromebook issued by the school to use. Any student or family without access to Wi-Fi internet will be provided access via a hotspot from MPS. In a survey result of note, over 95 percent of MPS reported they had access to internet in their homes. Oteri said much work has been done in preparing a “robust and detailed remote learning curriculum” that will be both valuable and inclusive to the Malden school community, and “one geared to the academic progress and academic integrity of all students.” The safety of the students and educators when there is, as is hoped, an eventual return to the school buildings will be enhanced by some extensive purchases of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) for use by students and school personnel and many other safety practices involving cleaning and disinfecting. Much of the cost for these items is being covered by a federal CARES Act grant administered to the school districts through the state. Supt. Oteri said he and his central staff are in continuing discussions and negotiations on protocols, guidelines and response strategies related to training and implementation of protocols with the Malden Education Association (MEA), which represents MPS teachers and some other staff members.
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