By Bob Katzen
House 149-9, Senate 38-0, approved and sent to Gov. Maura Healey a $2.3 billion fiscal year 2025 budget to close out the books on fiscal year 2025.
Provisions include $1.67 billion for MassHealth, with a $303 million net cost to the state after federal reimbursements; $374 million for Steward hospital payments, with a $236 million net cost to the state; $10 million for Health Care For All to conduct a public awareness campaign to inform vulnerable populations about new Medicaid work requirements put in place by the recent federal spending bill; $5 million in for reproductive health care; $2.5 million for the Committee for Public Counsel Services for indigent persons; $60.7 million for snow and ice removal; and $50 million for the Housing Preservation and Stabilization Trust Fund.
Other provisions require an investigation into sheriffs’ fiscal year 2025 spending deficits; create a new Sports and Entertainment Fund initially provided with $10 million to support transportation, public safety and other costs related to Massachusetts’ seven 2026 FIFA World Cup matches; criminalize the impersonation of a federal officer and increase penalties for impersonating a public official, including a federal officer; protect unpaid federal employees from residential eviction or foreclosure during and immediately after any federal shutdown; and remove the automatic requirement of a public notice for name-change petitions filed in court.
“This closeout supplemental budget effectively closes the books on fiscal year 2025 by following through on our commitments across the health care, education and public safety sectors,” said Sen. Mike Rodrigues (D-Westport), Chair of the Senate Committee on Ways and Means. “Besides responsibly wrapping up the last fiscal year, our bill takes meaningful action such as providing for technological upgrades to the delivery of SNAP benefits to our residents, penalizing the impersonation of a federal agent and protecting federal workers from evictions or foreclosures during a government shutdown. This agreement not only reflects our priorities, but also responsibly reconciles spending gaps and puts the fiscal year to bed.”
“This supplemental budget will close the books on fiscal year 2025 in a balanced and fiscally responsible manner,” said Rep. Aaron Michlewitz (D-Boston), Chair of the House Committee on Ways and Means. “By making critical investments into much needed programs in health care, education and housing to name a few, the commonwealth will be in a strong fiscal position for fiscal year 2026 and beyond.”
“Beacon Hill is once again using a closeout bill to expand government costs without addressing the underlying fiscal issues driving them,” said Paul Craney, executive director of the Mass Fiscal Alliance which opposed the budget. “Lawmakers approved more spending for free inmate phone calls while quietly pumping another $50 million into rental assistance, a growing cost burden driven in large part by the state’s shifting costs from the self-inflicted migrant shelter crisis. Instead of shifting money around to paper over the problem, the Legislature should confront the policies that created these unsustainable obligations. Taxpayers deserve accountability and a long-term plan, not another round of reactive spending.”
None of the nine representatives who voted against the budget responded to repeated requests by Beacon Hill Roll Call asking them why they voted against it. Those nine representatives are Reps. Donald Berthiaume (R-Spencer), Nicholas Boldyga (R-Southwick), Colleen Garry (D-Dracut), John Gaskey (R-Carver), Marc Lombardo (R-Billerica), Joseph McKenna (R-Sutton), Alyson Sullivan-Almeida (R-Abington), Kenneth Sweezey (R-Hanson) and Justin Thurber (R-Somerset).
(A Yes” vote is for the budget. A “No” vote is against it.)
Rep. Christine Barber Yes Rep. Mike Connolly Yes Rep. Paul Donato Yes Rep. Erika Uyterhoeven Yes Sen. Patricia Jehlen Yes