When state legislative leaders meet Monday afternoon, it won't be their typical weekly confab. With all eyes on the spread of COVID-19, few around Beacon Hill are even mentioning what were the hot topics of only a week ago: the push to raise gas and corporate taxes to enhance the MBTA, the annual $40-plus billion state budget and efforts to spur more housing construction.
Instead, as the coronavirus spreads rapidly and the state's response dominates the resources of local government, House Speaker Robert DeLeo and Senate President Karen Spilka are set to receive a package of bills Gov. Charlie Baker wants passed into law soon to better respond to the economic impact of the crisis.
"One of the things we're going to ask them for is help with respect to unemployment insurance and we'll probably file legislation on that tomorrow," Baker said Sunday at a press conference.
In addition to waiving the one week waiting period for unemployment insurance, Baker plans to ask lawmakers to expand access to benefits for workers laid off by business shutdowns. Baker's office also plans to file legislation letting municipalities delay town meetings and push back their budget deadlines.
If the $15 million lawmakers set aside for public health last week doesn't prove enough for the state's needs, or if the economic impact of the crisis damages the state's finances, the $3.5 billion dollar rainy day fund could come into play.
Hard to avoid is the start of the next fiscal year, which falls on July 1. No amount of social distancing will allow legislators to delay the work that goes into crafting their version of a $40 billion budget.
An ongoing House-Senate dialogue over which taxes to raise and by how much in order to finance transportation projects was expected to accompany the budget. Under any circumstances, Beacon Hill doesn't have a god record of walking and chewing gum at the same time. This puts the timeline of most legislative work in question.
Lawmakers are sorting out how to work remotely as they respond to constituent calls, school closings, and municipal public health efforts. Even the House's budget chief, Rep. Aaron Michlewitz, who represents Boston's North End and most of downtown, is focused on his district.
"Representing the restaurant capital of the commonwealth, I agree with Governor Baker's difficult decision to restrict bars and restaurants to take-out and delivery," Michlewitz wrote on social media Sunday night after Baker's order to close down on-site dining in eateries.
"Public safety must come first in these difficult times," Michlewitz wrote, adding that the House is prepared to help mitigate the economic damage caused by the ban.
At the same time they are worrying about their constituents, lawmakers are making changes to how they meet. The House met Monday in an informal session attended by a handful of members. The Senate held an open session at the same time and went the additional step of turning on their webcast cameras so senators not in attendance, and the public, can tune in.
In the best of times, the slim window lawmakers give themselves to negotiate bills from the spring to the summer gets narrower mighty quickly. The caronavirus crisis will make this much worse.
Lost in the crunch could be issues like housing construction, abortion access, immigration and transportation funding - issues that were not that weeks ago were seen as top proprieties requiring immediate action.
