OFFICE OF THE GOVERNOR
COMMONWEALTH OF MASSACHUSETTS
STATE HOUSE - BOSTON, MA 02133
(617) 725-4000

 

CHARLES E). BAKER KARYN E. POLITO
GOVERNOR LEEUTENANT GOVERNOR

ORDER EXTENDING THE TEMPORARY CLOSING OF ALL
NON-EMERGENCY CHILD CARE PROGRAMS

COVID-19 Order No. 27

WHEREAS, on March 10, 2020, 1, Charles D. Baker, Governor of the Commonwealth
of Massachusetts, acting pursuant to the powers provided by Chapter 639 of the Acts of 1950
and Section 2A of Chapter 17 of the General Laws, declared that there now exists in the
Commonwealth of Massachusetts a state of emergency due to the outbreak of the 2019 novel
Coronavirus 1 

WHEREAS, on March 11, 2020, the outbreak was characterized as a
pandemic by the World Health Organization;

WHEREAS, in response to the pandemic, on March 18, 2020, I issued an Order
requiring all child care programs in the Commonwealth to suspend normal operations March 22, 2020, and not to re-open for normal operations before Monday, April 6,
2020, and further authorizing the Department of Early Education and Care to establish
emergency child care programs;

WHEREAS, on March 25, 2020, I issued an Order extending the closure Of child care
programs for normal operations and providing that such programs would not be permitted to
re-open before May 4, 2020, with the exception of those authorized by the Department of Early
Education and Care to continue operation as emergency programs;

WHEREAS, the number of continued cases of COVID-19 continues to rise dramatically
in the Commonwealth. As of April 20, 2020, the Department of Public Health had reported
39,643 cases of including 1,809 deaths, with all counties across the Commonwealth

affected;

WHEREAS, sections 7, 8, and 8A of Chapter 639 of the Acts of 1950 authorize the
Governor, during the effective period of a declared emergency, to exercise any and all authority

PRENTED ON RECYCLEESJ PAPER

over persons and property necessary or expedient for meeting a state of emergency, including but
not limited to authority over assemblages to protect the health and safety of persons, over
educational facilities that are supported in whole or in part by public funds, and over variances of
the terms and conditions of licenses issued by the Commonwealth or any of its agencies;

NOW, THEREFORE, I hereby Order the following:

All licensed, approved, or exempt child care programs in the Commonwealth shall
remain closed and shall not re-open for normal operations before Monday, June 29, 2020, unless
speci?cally authorized by the Department of Early Education and Care to continue operations as
emergency programs. This directive supersedes the provision of the March 25, 2020 Order
establishing an earlier date for re?opening.

The Department of Public Health and the Department of Early Education and Care, along
with any board of health or authorized agent pursuant to G.L. c. 111, 30, shall enforce this
Order. In addition, I hereby direct the Commissioner of Public Health to act under the authority
of G.L. c. 17, 2A to supplement the terms of this Order in the event she determines additional
measures are required to ensure that the terms of this Order are observed. Violation of the terms
of this Order may result in penalties pursuant to Section 8 of Chapter 639 of the Acts of 1950.

This Order is effective immediately and shall remain in effect until rescinded or further
extended.

. 
Given in Boston at th AM this 2lst day
of April, two thousand and twenty

     
 

 

CHARLES D. BAKER
GOVERNOR
Commonwealth of Massachusetts