COVID-19 Order No. 1

The record

Jurisdiction

Massachusetts

Level

State

Authority

St. 1950, c. 639, ss. 7, 8, 8A; G.L. c. 17, s. 2A

Issued

2020-03-12 Mar. 12, 2020

Effective

2020-03-12, immediately (read as 2020-03-12)

End

Continued to June 15, 2021 by Order No. 69 s. 2(a); remote-meeting allowances continued by ch. 20 of the Acts of 2021, s. 20 (read as 2021-09-30)

In force

Mar. 12, 2020 to Sept. 30, 2021

Quarters

2020 Q22020 Q32020 Q42021 Q12021 Q22021 Q3

2020 Q22020 Q32020 Q42021 Q12021 Q22021 Q3

Limitation types

Gathering capCourts and public offices

Addressees

• all public bodies (State and municipal)

Functions reached

• CRT permit boards, licensing boards, zoning and planning boards meeting remotely
• BD/PJ public hearings and approvals moved online

Collection

Massachusetts MA

Operative words

A public body, as defined in section 18 of chapter 30A of the General Laws, is hereby relieved from the requirement of section 20 of chapter 30A that it conduct its meetings in a public place that is open and physically accessible to the public, provided that the public body makes provision to ensure public access to the deliberations of the public body for interested members of the public through adequate, alternative means.... Public bodies are hereby authorized to allow remote participation by all members in any meeting of the public body. The requirement that a quorum of the body and the chair be physically present at a specified meeting location, as provided in G.L. c. 30A, s. 20(d) and in 940 CMR 29.10(4)(b), is hereby suspended.

Enforcement

Notes