On Thursday, the Massachusetts State Senate unanimously passed a $49.78 billion budget for the Fiscal Year 2023. This budget makes critical targeted investments in the areas of education, health care, housing and community supports to meet the on-the-ground challenges brought on by the global pandemic and ongoing financial uncertainty. Included within the $49.78 billion spending plan is a $854.4 million deposit into the state’s rainy-day fund, bringing that account’s total to $6.74 billion, and Unrestricted General Government Aid funded at $1231 billion based on a consensus revenue estimate of 2.7% growth. Other budget highlights include:
-$6 billion in Chapter 70 funding to fully fund and implement the Student Opportunity Act (SOA) by FY 2027.
-$435 million for the special education circuit breaker.
-$1.5 million for the Genocide Education Trust Fund.
-$514.6 million for Department of Mental Health adult support services, including assisted outpatient programming and comprehensive care coordination among health care providers.
-$356.6 million for Transitional Assistance to Families with Dependent Children (TAFDC) and $140.7 million for Emergency Aid to Elderly, Disabled and Children (EAEDC) to provide the necessary support as caseloads increase, and lift families and individuals out of so-called ‘deep poverty’.
-$175 million for the Massachusetts Rental Voucher Program (MRVP), including $20.7 million in unspent funds carried forward from FY 2022.
-$96.5 million for Regional Transit Authorities (RTAs) to support regional public transportation systems, including $2.5 million for the implementation of pilot programs for fare innovation and reduction across the state.
The Senate also passed a budget amendment that would extend COVID-19 state-of-emergency provisions related to remote public meetings, flexible town meetings, remote notaries, remote corporate meeting, and remote mortgage video conferencing.
You can view the Senate’s FY23 budget on the Massachusetts legislature website: https://malegislature.gov/Budget/SenateWaysMeansBudget. Having passed their respective budget proposals, the Senate and House of Representatives will now convene a conference committee and reconcile differences.