Massachusetts' Pandemic Response Bill - Miss Famine

We here at MGGtSTA like to joke around and have fun. We are a lighthearted bunch. But sometimes we read something that worries us a bit. Today's downer comes from a local journalist who picked up this story yesterday.

The Massachusetts Pandemic Bill 2028 was passed by the MA State Senate on April 28th. The affectionately termed "Zombie Bill" is now awaiting approval in the House.

That's right, folks. True to the horror stories we like to tell, this would allow authorities the power to do the following:

* to require the owner or occupier of premises to permit entry into and investigation of the premises;

* to close, direct, and compel the evacuation of, or to decontaminate or cause to be decontaminated any building or facility, and to allow the reopening of the building or facility when the danger has ended;

* to decontaminate or cause to be decontaminated, or to destroy any material;

* to restrict or prohibit assemblages of persons;

* to require a health care facility to provide services or the use of its facility, or to transfer the management and supervision of the health care facility to the department or to a local public health authority;

* to control ingress to and egress from any stricken or threatened public area, and the movement of persons and materials within the area;

* to adopt and enforce measures to provide for the safe disposal of infectious waste and human remains, provided that religious, cultural, family, and individual beliefs of the deceased person shall be followed to the extent possible when disposing of human remains, whenever that may be done without endangering the public health;

* to procure, take immediate possession from any source, store, or distribute any anti-toxins, serums, vaccines, immunizing agents, antibiotics, and other pharmaceutical agents or medical supplies located within the commonwealth as may be necessary to respond to the emergency;

* to require in-state health care providers to assist in the performance of vaccination, treatment, examination, or testing of any individual as a condition of licensure, authorization, or the ability to continue to function as a health care provider in the commonwealth;

* to waive the commonwealth's licensing requirements for health care professionals with a valid license from another state in the United States or whose professional training would otherwise qualify them for an appropriate professional license in the commonwealth;

* to allow for the dispensing of controlled substance by appropriate personnel consistent with federal statutes as necessary for the prevention or treatment of illness;

* to collect specimens and perform tests on any animal, living or deceased;

Local public health authorities will be required to keep records of reports containing the name and location of all people who have been reported, their disease, injury, or health condition and the name of the person reporting the case. In addition, citizens may be subject to "involuntary transportation."

Health care or health scare? 

Welcome to the End of Days.