The Massachusetts Legislature passed a supplemental budget that prioritizes affordability for Massachusetts residents and protections for those being negatively impacted by decisions at the federal level on Nov. 20.
As part of allocating the final expenses of Fiscal Year 2025, the legislation, H.4761, provides funding for MassHealth, hospitals, and reproductive care; ensures that students at public colleges and universities are delivered the financial aid they depend on; adds funding for the universal meals program for children in public schools; and funds operational enhancements to improve how Massachusetts residents access supplemental nutrition assistance, or SNAP.
“I was proud to vote with my colleagues for this critical legislation that addresses the ongoing needs of our residents in a targeted, impactful, and responsible manner,” said Sen. Joan Lovely (D-Salem). “With the passage of this legislation, we are taking important steps to protect the health of our residents, ensure their ability to receive an education, and ensure access to food resources, among other measures.”
The legislation also directs state funds to support transportation and public safety ahead of the upcoming 2026 World Cup, ensures accountability in sheriffs’ operations, and brings transparency to former state institutions where residents with intellectual and developmental disabilities suffered abuse.
“Our message is clear: while the federal government plays games with people’s livelihoods and health, the Massachusetts Legislature stands firmly on the side of providing our residents and communities the support they need,” Senate President Karen Spilka said. “We are reconfirming our commitment to public higher education by restoring and protecting key funding to support college student success. We are protecting our residents from dangerous federal actions by ensuring they have access to the vaccines they need to keep themselves and their families safe. And we are taking steps to remedy decades of hurt experienced by those who lived in state-run institutions, and their families, by allowing access to family records.
Details of policy and spending contained in the closeout supplemental budget agreement are below.
Policy Provisions
Accountability for sheriffs: Directs an investigation into sheriffs’ Fiscal Year 2025 spending deficits. The investigation will include analyses of compliance with state finance law, spending on programs that are outside required operations, and payroll changes over time. Funds no-cost phone calls program and Section 35 treatment programs for people with alcohol and substance use and withholds funding the remainder of the sheriffs’ deficit until the Inspector General (IG) reports on sheriff spending, with a preliminary report due on Feb. 27, 2026, and a final report due May 31, 2026.
Transparency for institutional records: Opens the door for families and scholars to access archived patient records from state institutions for people with intellectual or developmental disabilities or mental health conditions, if the records are at least 75 years old or if 50 years have passed since the patient’s death. The policy change applies to records from more than 25 institutions — many of them now closed, including the Fernald Developmental Center — where residents were abused or neglected by practices in the institutions.
Matching funds program for World Cup 2026: Creates a new Sports and Entertainment Fund initially provided with $10 million to support transportation, public safety, wayfinding, and similar costs related to Massachusetts’ seven 2026 FIFA World Cup matches. State dollars spent on the initiative would have to be privately matched. Going forward, the Sports and Entertainment Fund would be able to receive funding to support a competitive grant program administered by the Massachusetts Office of Travel and Tourism to attract major sports or entertainment events to provide event services, sports development, sports marketing, or construction, functioning, and operation of an event.
State leadership on immunization standards: Grants authority to the Department of Public Health Commissioner to determine routine childhood immunizations and vaccination schedules rather than relying on the recommendations of the CDC’s Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices.
Criminalizing impersonation of federal agents: Criminalizes the impersonation of a federal officer and increases penalties for impersonating a public official, including a federal officer.
Housing stability for federal employees: Protects unpaid federal employees from residential eviction or foreclosure during and immediately after any federal shutdown.
Privacy for people seeking name changes: Removes the automatic requirement of a public notice for name-change petitions filed in court.
Managed care organizations: Adjusts the managed care organization assessment to align with federal changes that require a broad-based and uniform assessment.
Harness racing and simulcasting extension: Extends authorization for harness racing and simulcast wagering from December 15, 2025, to December 15, 2027.
Collective bargaining agreements: Ratifies 14 new collective bargaining agreements for public employees.
Fiscal Provisions
The legislation resolves outstanding expenses from the fiscal year that ended in June and has a net cost to the state of $806.9 million after accounting for federal reimbursements. The legislation includes $2.31 billion in total gross spending.
Health care: Addresses a number of deficiencies across the public health and health care sectors, including:
- $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 direct support for reproductive health care.
Student financial assistance: Establishes a Public Higher Education Student Support Fund to maintain financial aid benefits for students attending public colleges and universities. Also appropriates $18.3 million to strengthen student financial aid assistance and ensure existing student stipend amounts are maintained.
Universal school meals: Provides $12 million to support the universal meals program for public school students.
DTA enhancements: Provides $10 million for operational and technical enhancements at the Department of Transitional Assistance to improve recipients’ access to SNAP benefits with the aim of mitigating against harmful federal cuts.
Life sciences: Transfers $10 million to the Massachusetts Life Sciences Center to support and bolster scientific research and development in the Commonwealth.
Public defense services: Provides $2.5 million for Committee for Public Counsel Services indigent persons fees and court costs.
Snow and ice removal: Provides $60.7 million for MassDOT snow and ice expenditures.
Affordable housing support: Transfers $50 million to the Housing Preservation and Stabilization Trust Fund.
Excess capital gains: After accounting for spending contained in the agreement, the remainder of collected excess capital gains will be distributed as follows:
- $502.2 million (90%) to the Transitional Escrow Fund;
- $25.1 million (5%) to the State Retiree Benefits Trust Fund; and
- $25.1 million (5%) to the Commonwealth’s Pension Liability Fund.
Student opportunity act transfer: Transfers $100 million in excess surtax collections to the Student Opportunity Act Investment Fund.
Both branches of the Legislature voted to enact the closeout supplemental budget on Wednesday, sending it to the Governor for her signature.
