(BOSTON 3/25/2024) — Last week, after extensive debate, the Massachusetts Senate passed S.2708, a supplemental budget which would make additional appropriations to the emergency shelter system while taking proactive and fiscally responsible steps to ensure its long term effectiveness. It also supports workforce training programs for families who have recently migrated to Massachusetts.

The bill requires each sheltered family in to receive an individualized rehousing plan; eligibility for shelter after nine months would be contingent upon compliance with the rehousing plan, with certain categorical exemptions. The bill comes on the heels of Congress torpedoing bipartisan, commonsense federal immigration reforms which would have brought assistance to the Commonwealth.

Separately, the legislation permanently codifies outdoor dining flexibility made popular during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic.

“Nothing Massachusetts can do will make up for Washington, D.C.’s inaction on our broken immigration system, but I believe this supplemental budget bill represents a first step in getting the crisis facing our emergency shelter system under control,” said Senator Michael Moore (D-Millbury). “Coming to a yes vote was not easy for me – voting no would mean letting funding run out for our emergency housing system which would lead to pain and suffering for migrants and Bay State residents alike, while voting yes would mean continuing to let Massachusetts taxpayers bear the burden of a failing federal immigration system. I believe voting yes was the right thing to do for Massachusetts, but with that being said, it is absolutely imperative that our representatives on Capitol Hill step up to do their jobs and pass the recently negotiated bipartisan Senate immigration bill.”

The legislation authorizes the Office of Administration and Finance to spend $75 million per month for the remaining few months of Fiscal Year 2024 from the Transitional Escrow Fund to help shelter families and promote self-sufficiency, and thereafter in FY25 articulates clear, decreasing amounts that the Office of Administration and Finance can spend per month from the Traditional Escrow Fund for this purpose. It also appropriates an additional $10 million in funds for housing intervention services and workforce supports in the emergency shelter program and provides $15 million to fund settlement obligations and judgements.

To ensure the long-term sustainability of the state’s shelter system, the legislation authorizes a family to remain eligible for emergency housing assistance benefits for nine months, with the possibility of 90-day extensions if the emergency housing recipient family is complying with their rehousing plan or meets certain circumstances.

The bill further creates a special commission to study and make recommendations on the sustainability, efficiency and effectiveness of the emergency housing assistance program. The commission would also be tasked with studying how to best support and ensure the long-term sufficiency of those seeking shelter while also helping to shore up regional based responses concerning the support of families in need of shelter. The supplemental budget continues to require the Executive Office for Administration and Finance to submit biweekly reports regarding certain metrics of the Emergency Housing Assistance program.

During Senate debate, Senator Moore voted to support a number of amendments, including Amendment 26 which would direct resettlement agencies to work more closely with the Healey Administration to help better forecast its shelter capacity and ensure the Commonwealth always has space for those who need it, as well as Amendment 49 which would have allowed officials to take into account an individual’s length of residency in Massachusetts when determining priority for emergency shelter. These amendments did not win approval into the final bill.

Conversely, Senator Moore did secure an amendment that reallocates funds that were previously earmarked for the Worcester Fire Department in the FY24 budget, allowing the dollars to be broadly used to purchase equipment for the department. The funding was originally meant to purchase “a self-contained breathing apparatus vehicle,” but due to the Governor’s 9C cuts, the original $350,000 earmark was cut in half and could no longer cover the entire cost of the vehicle.

The bill also contains an array of other measures to support the Commonwealth’s businesses, students, and residents, including:

Allowing a city or town to approve requests for expansion of outdoor restaurant service.
Allowing graduates and students in their last semester of nursing education programs to the practice nursing, in accordance with guidance from the Massachusetts Board of Registration in Nursing.
Extends the ability of nurses employed by assisted living residences to provide skilled nursing care in accordance with valid medical orders, provided the nurse holds a valid license to provide such care.
Makes technical changes to certain line items from the fiscal year 2024 budget.

A version of this supplemental budget recently passed the House, the differences will now need to be resolved between the House and Senate.

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