Baker-Polito Administration Authorizes $1 Billion in COVID-19 Spending
The Baker-Polito administration filed a supplemental budget bill for FY20 that will authorize $1 billion in spending necessary to cover incurred and expected costs during the COVID-19 public-health crisis. It is expected that this spending will result in no net cost to the Commonwealth, after anticipated federal reimbursement and other federal funding sources. These expenses include the purchase of personal protective equipment, rate adjustments for providers of congregate care and other essential human services, incentive pay for state employees on the front lines at certain facilities in operation 24 hours a day, costs of temporary field hospitals and shelters, National Guard pay, the first statewide contact-tracing program in the country, emergency child care for essential workers, and increased costs of local housing authorities and the family and individual shelter system.