The Legislature today approved and sent to Governor Healey a Fiscal Year 2024 Supplemental Budget that contains statutory language making permanent the state’s COVID-19 pandemic policies of allowing any nursing school graduates and students in their final semester of nursing education to practice nursing in in-patient health care settings for a limited time, as determined by DPH. In addition, the budget would extend for another year through March 31, 2025 the policy allowing a nurse employed by an Assisted Living Residence (ALR) to provide skilled nursing care in accordance with valid medical orders.