(BOSTON 7/25/2024) – The Massachusetts Senate yesterday passed a supplemental budget directing funding to childcare assistance, community services, and workforce initiatives vital to the wellbeing of Massachusetts residents. The legislation directs funding to deficiencies outlined by the Healey-Driscoll Administration and makes numerous clarifications to state policies to cut red tape and create efficiencies in state government.

“This supplemental budget provides essential funding for services that touch the lives of nearly every Bay Stater – supporting child care, expanding health care, fighting hunger, and more,” said Senator Michael Moore (D-Millbury). “Investments like these help keep Massachusetts a leader amongst its peers in the United States. I’m pleased to have voted to approve this legislation, and I’m thankful to my colleagues in the Senate for acting swiftly to fill the gaps in these important systems.

The legislation appropriates $432 million in funding from Fiscal Year 2024 appropriations that would be made available through Fiscal Year 2025. It directs $228 million in funding for the American Rescue Plan Act Home and Community Based Services (ARPA HCBS) Reserve to promote innovative services that enhance the quality of life and independence of people in their home and community, an investment that comes at no net cost to the state.

It includes $61 million for a critical health and human services and workforce reserve to cover projected deficiencies in Fiscal Year 2024 related to the continued need for direct care staffing to respond to health needs in nursing homes, group care settings, state hospitals, and veterans’ homes, as well as other patient health and safety supports. It also includes $45 million in financial assistance for fiscally strained hospitals and $25 million in assistance to fiscally strained community centers, supporting the state’s most stressed providers serving high-need areas.

Additional investments include:

$29.7 million in early education and care subsidies to ensure that providers are able to maintain access for all income-eligible families in need of child care.
$20.0 million for services to victims of crime, known as the ‘VOCA bridge.’
$5.6 million for tax abatements for veterans, widows, blind persons and the elderly.
$5.1 million to support increased demand for the Healthy Incentives Program (HIP), which provides fresh, healthy food options and supports our local growers.
$2.8 million for the Elections Division of the Secretary of the Commonwealth.
$2.1 million to be used for Women, Infants and Children (WIC) nutrition services to fully support the current caseload of recipients

The legislation includes changes and clarifications to policy, including:

Permitting the Operational Services Division (OSD) to procure both electric vehicles and charging equipment on one contract, an efficiency that will help the state reach its climate goals.
Increasing the amount that the Division of Capital Asset Management and Maintenance (DCAMM) is able to contract with utility vendors for energy conservation projects from $300,000 to $500,000, enhancing the division’s ability to support the state in reaching its climate goals.
Adding tribes as eligible entities to receive funding through the broadband municipal grant program.
Providing flexibility on the use of ARPA funds for local boards of health.
Allowing the Department of Conservation and Recreation (DCR) to enter into new long-term leases of up to 30 years for the operations of ice rinks.

The legislation passed the Senate by a vote of 38-1.

A previous version of this bill having passed the House of Representatives, the two branches will now reconcile the differences between the bills before sending a compromise bill to the Governor’s desk

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