THE REVERE ADVOCATE – FRIDAY, MAY 15, 2026 Page 7 MASS. HOUSE | FROM Page 5 improve connections between diff erent RTAs and between RTAs and the MBTA; $8.5M to support RTAs in delivering enhanced service and workforce initiatives; $4M for the Community Transit Grant Program, which expands mobility options for older adults, people with disabilities, and lowincome residents. Early education and care Continuing the House’s longstanding commitment towards investing in the early education and care (EEC) workforce, this budget includes $157.2M more than in FY26 to sustain recent rate increases and other historic investments in child care access and aff ordability. This investment is in addition to the Fair Share supplemental budget that was recently passed by the House, which included $38.7M to reduce the income-eligible waitlist, $8M for child care providers and $7.5M for an EEC educator loan forgiveness program. Other early education and care investments in this budget: • $598.6M for child care for children involved with the Department of Children and Families (DCF) and the Department of Transitional Assistance (DTA); also allows for expanded access to families involved in the Emergency Assistance (EA) Shelter System • $623.6M for child care for lowincome families • $475M for Commonwealth Cares for Children (C3) grants • $20M for Child Care Resource and Referral Agencies • $20M for Head Start • $7.5M for an EEC Educator Scholarship Program Public Higher Education This budget allocates $866.5M for the UMass system, $419.8M for community colleges and $407.9M for state universities. Other higher education investments include $176.7M for scholarship funding, $18M for the Community College SUCCESS program, $18M for the State University SUCCESS program, $10M for the UMass SUCCESS program, $15M for Early College, $12.9M for Dual Enrollment. Health and Human Services This budget includes $22.41 billion for MassHealth and invests in primary care rates and behavioral health. It extends the Health Connector’s ConnectorCare Pilot program, which off ers lower premiums, no deductibles and reduced copays, until the end of 2027. As of January 1, 2026, residents with incomes of only up to 400% of Federal Poverty Level (FPL) were eligible because of the expiration of the ACA tax credits. The Pilot Program included in this budget extends coverage to those with an income of up to 500% of the FPL. This budget invests in the human services workforce by including $175M for Chapter 257 rates for health and human service workers and $132M for rate increases for nursing facilities. This budget also extends the Personal Care Attendant Program working group and mandates that any additional cuts to the program can only occur with the agreement of the working group. It also funds the following initiatives: • $5.6M for the Betsy Lehman Center for Patient Safety • Maintains $16 per elder formula grant and $2.2M for Service Incentive Grants for Councils on Aging • Permits MassHealth to set coverage limits of $1,750 per year on dental services provided to MassHealth members and Health Safety Net patients, in alignment with caps on Group Insurance Commission (GIC) members. This would save the state $35M annually. This budget ensures greater access to HIV-prevention medications, including pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP). It prohibits cost sharing and prior authorizations, improves access for incarcerated individuals in the Commonwealth consistent with 1115 waivers and requires insurers to accept prescriptions from any licensed health care provider. To alleviate the cost of living, this budget makes investments to lower food costs and ensure access to our most vulnerable populations. It includes $60M for the Emergency Food Assistance Program, $20M for the Massachusetts Healthy Incentives Program (HIP) to provide a dollar-for-dollar match to Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) recipients purchasing locally grown healthy food and $11M for the SNAP for Low-Income Workers program, increasing the benefi t to $35 per eligible family. Public Health and Mental Health This budget funds the Department of Public Health (DPH) at $1.16 billion and the Department of Mental Health (DMH) at $1.32 billion for FY27. Investments include: • $184.1M for the Bureau of Substance Abuse Services (BSAS) • $35M for HIV/AIDS Treatment and Preservation • $11.1M for a Gun and Violence Prevention Program • $10.1M for Community Health Centers, including $4M for the Gender Affi rming Care program • $4M to address safety, health and quality of life at the “Mass & Cass” area of Boston • $679.7M for Adult Mental Health Supports • $136.7M for Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services • $3M for the DMH Loan Forgiveness Program Affordable and Accessible Housing This budget maintains the House’s commitment to protecting renters and homeowners across the Commonwealth from eviction and homelessness by investing in the following programs: $115M for programs for homeless individuals; $10M for shelter workforce assistance; $281.3M for the Massachusetts Rental Voucher Program (MRVP); $210M for the Rental Assistance for Families in Transition (RAFT) program; $82.3M for HomeBASE; $8M for a new Winter Beds program; $3M to the Access to Counsel program, which provides legal representation for low-income families in eviction proceedings. This budget includes $258.6M for the EA Shelter System, which accounts for $17.1M in savings because of a decreased shelter portfolio and several savings initiatives. The budget also expands protections for children in the shelter system by requiring any child under the age of three to be referred for an Early Intervention evaluation and assessment. Workforce Development and Economic Development The FY27 House budget funds the Executive Office of Labor and Workforce Development at $112.8M and the Executive Offi ce of Economic Development at $123.9M. Additionally, it invests in the following workforce development initiatives: • $58.4M for Adult Basic Education Services • $20.4M for DTA Employment and Training Services • $17.4M for Summer Jobs for At-Risk Youth • $10M for the Workforce Competitiveness Trust Fund • $8.9M for Career Technical Institutes • $7.9M for One-Stop Career Centers • $6.5M for School-to-Career Connecting Activities • $3.3M for a Registered Apprenticeship Expansion • $3.1M for Career and Technical Education Grants • $1.5M for fi rst-time homebuyer counseling and best lending practices • $1M for Social Enterprise Grants, a new workforce development program This budget requires 7.5 percent of sports wagering revenue to be deposited into the Sports and Entertainment Events Fund, which was created in 2025 to provide competitive matching grants for major sports or entertainment events in the Commonwealth. Based on recommendations issued by the COLA working group that was established in the FY25 budget, the FY27 House budget establishes a funding process to trigger cost-of-living adjustments for retirees in the State Employees’ and Teachers’ Retirement Systems and provides an opt-in for local retirement systems. Energy and Environmental Affairs The House budget includes $477.1M for the Executive Offi ce of Energy and Environmental Aff airs, continuing investments in conservation and sustainable development while keeping the Commonwealth on track to meet its climate goals. This investment includes $153.3M for the Department of Conservation & Recreation; $81.1M for the Department of Environmental Protection; $71.4M for the Department of Agricultural Resources; $63.4M for the Clean Water Trust and a $10M transfer to the Massachusetts Clean Energy Center. Criminal Justice The budget annualizes the second phase of increases to Committee For Public Counsel (CPCS) raises for private bar advocates and the hiring of more staff attorneys. The budget also increases the minimum salary of Assistant District Attorneys to $76,000 a year. The House budget includes $812.1M for the state’s sheriff offi ces, which is a $52.6M increase. The budget takes the fi rst step in an ongoing process toward eliminating funding defi ciencies by adopting reforms that were outlined in the IG’s preliminary recommendations. To better track cost drivers, the budget separates out funding for costs that have been identifi ed as reasons for the defi ciencies: operations, payroll, no cost calls, and medication-assisted treatment. Other criminal justice investments: $33.7M for the Office of Community Corrections; $16.1M for CommunityBased Reentry Services; $6.9M for Emerging Adults Pre-andPost Release Reentry Grants; $52M for Massachusetts Legal Assistance Corp. to provide legal services to the Commonwealth’s most vulnerable populations; $7M for the Immigration Legal Assistance Fund for nonviolent off enders.
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