SECTION 1. To provide for supplementing certain items in the general appropriation act and other appropriation acts for fiscal year 2025, the sums set forth in section 2 are hereby appropriated from the General Fund unless specifically designated otherwise in this act or in those appropriation acts, for the several purposes and subject to the conditions specified in this act or in those appropriation acts, and subject to the laws regulating the disbursement of public funds for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2025. These sums shall be in addition to any amounts previously appropriated and made available for the purposes of those items. These sums shall be made available through the fiscal year ending June 30, 2025.
SECTION 2.
EXECUTIVE OFFICE OF VETERANS’ SERVICES
1410-0400 Veterans’ Benefits…………………………………………………….......$5,800,000
OFFICE OF THE COMPTROLLER
1599-3384 Settlements and Judgments $28,917,460
EXECUTIVE OFFICE OF EDUCATION
Department of Early Education and Care
3000-3060 DCF and DTA Related Child Care $95,554,342
Education and Transportation Fund……100%
3000-4060 Income-Eligible Child Care $94,015,214
Education and Transportation Fund……100%
EXECUTIVE OFFICE OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES
1595-1068 Medical Assistance Trust Fund $134,498,420
Department of Transitional Assistance
4400-1004 Healthy Incentives Program $7,500,000
Department of Public Health
4513-1012 Women Infants and Children Program Manufacturer Rebates $400,000
4590-0912 Western Massachusetts Hospital Retained Revenue $1,200,000
EXECUTIVE OFFICE OF HOUSING AND LIVABLE COMMUNITIES
Office of the Secretary of Housing and Livable Communities
7004-9316 Residential Assistance for Families in Transition $42,910,506
EXECUTIVE OFFICE OF PUBLIC SAFETY AND SECURITY
State Police
8100-0006 Private Detail Retained Revenue $7,750,000
8100-1004 State Police Crime Laboratory $4,193,083
Military Division
8700-0001 Military Division $593,539
EXECUTIVE OFFICE OF AGING AND INDEPENDENCE
Office of the Secretary
9110-1630 Home Care Services $60,000,000
SECTION 2A. To provide for certain unanticipated obligations of the commonwealth, to provide for an alteration of purpose for current appropriations, and to meet certain requirements of law, the sums set forth in this section are hereby appropriated from the General Fund unless specifically designated otherwise in this section, for the several purposes and subject to the conditions specified in this section, and subject to the laws regulating the disbursement of public funds for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2025. Except as otherwise stated, these sums shall be made available through the fiscal year ending June 30, 2026.
EXECUTIVE OFFICE FOR ADMINISTRATION AND FINANCE
Reserves
1599-1776 For a reserve to support celebrations of the United States’ semiquincentennial anniversary; provided, that funds may be made available for statewide initiatives to promote the anniversary and for grants to municipalities for public safety, transportation and logistical costs associated with anniversary celebrations; and provided further, that at the direction of the secretary of administration and finance, funds may be transferred from this item to the Massachusetts Tourism Trust Fund established in section 13T of chapter 23A of the General Laws $15,000,000
1599-1777 For a reserve to support capital improvements to the Edward A. LeLacheur park at the University of Massachusetts Lowell $6,000,000
EXECUTIVE OFFICE OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES
Department of Transitional Assistance
4400-1033 For the costs associated with the transition to chipped electronic benefits transfer cards by the department of transitional assistance; provided, that at the direction of the commissioner of transitional assistance, funds may be transferred from this item to item 4400-1000 of section 2 of chapter 140 of the acts of 2024; and provided further, that funds appropriated in this item shall be made not revert but shall be made available for these purposes through the fiscal year ending June 30, 2027 $15,500,000
Department of Public Health
4510-0794 For competitive grants to reimburse municipalities for extraordinary emergency medical service costs; provided, that funds in this item shall be administered by the department of public health and shall be reimbursed based on eligibility criteria established by the department $10,000,000
SECTION 3. Section 40 of chapter 6 of the General Laws, as appearing in the 2022 Official Edition, is hereby amended by striking out subsection (d) and inserting in place thereof the following subsection:-
(d) The boards of trustees for each state-operated veterans’ home may receive donations to benefit the homes. The state treasurer shall receive, deposit and invest all donations made to the state-operated veterans’ homes. The trustees may expend the donated funds for the direct benefit of the veterans who reside in the state-operated veterans’ homes, acting as fiduciaries with the care, skill and diligence that a prudent person would use.
SECTION 4. Section 61 of chapter 7 of the General Laws, as so appearing, is hereby amended by striking out, in line 132, the words “March 15” and inserting in place thereof the following words:- June 1.
SECTION 5. Section 11M of chapter 12 of the General Laws, as so appearing, is hereby amended by striking out, in lines 52 to 54, inclusive, the words “; provided, however, that the commission shall not approve such a request if the request would exceed an annual reimbursement of $3,000,000”.
SECTION 6. Chapter 29 of the General Laws is hereby amended by inserting after section 2JJJJJJ, inserted by section 7 of chapter 248 of the acts of 2024, the following section:-
Section 2KKKKKK. (a) There shall be established and set up on the books of the commonwealth a separate, non-budgeted special revenue fund known as the Office of the Inspector General Recovery Fund, which shall be administered by the office of the inspector general. The fund shall be credited with any monies payable to the inspector general from civil recoveries, settlement funds or recoupment of administrative and investigatory costs and may earn and be credited interest.
(b) Amounts credited to the fund shall be expended, without further appropriation, for the office of the inspector general’s operational, administrative and investigatory purposes.
(c) The unexpended balance in the fund at the end of a fiscal year shall remain available for expenditure in subsequent fiscal years. No expenditure made from the fund shall cause the fund to be in deficit at any point.
SECTION 7. The third paragraph of section 33 of chapter 31 of the General Laws, as appearing in the 2022 Official Edition, is hereby amended by inserting after the word “employment”, in line 52, the following words:- ; provided, however, that the length of service of a person appointed through an original appointment to a civil service position of municipal police officer or fire officer from a local public safety register pursuant to section 59A shall be calculated from and, in all instances shall remain, the date of such original appointment from the register and shall not be subject to adjustment at any time for prior employment by the commonwealth or another city or town.
SECTION 8. The second paragraph of section 59 of said chapter 31, as amended by section 145 of chapter 238 of the acts of 2024, is hereby further amended by striking out the words “three years after certification” and inserting in place thereof the following words:- 3 years after appointment and performance of the job duties.
SECTION 9. Subsection (a) of section 59A of said chapter 31, inserted by section 147 of said chapter 238, is hereby amended by striking out the words “police and firefighter” and inserting in place thereof the following words:- police, MBTA police and municipal firefighter.
SECTION 10. Said section 59A of said chapter 31, as inserted by said section 147 of said chapter 238, is hereby further amended by adding the following subsection:-
(h) Notwithstanding any prior appointments, for any person who receives an appointment pursuant to this section, the local public safety register appointment date shall be considered the person’s seniority date for all purposes under this chapter.
SECTION 11. Section 75 of said chapter 31, as amended by section 161 of said chapter 238, is hereby further amended by adding the following sentence:- Nothing in this section shall be construed to permit civil service employees to furnish information to, or cooperate with, law enforcement authorities in contravention of section 11I½ of chapter 12.
SECTION 12. Section 7I of chapter 90 of the General Laws, as so appearing, is hereby amended by inserting after the word “vehicles”, in line 8, the following words:- and vehicles operated by the Massachusetts emergency management agency.
SECTION 13. Section 1 of chapter 90F of the General Laws, as so appearing, is hereby amended by striking out, in line 65, the words “(49 App. USC 1801 et seq.)” and inserting in place thereof the following words:- (49 U.S.C. 5101 et seq.).
SECTION 14. Section 4 of said chapter 90F, as so appearing, is hereby amended by striking out, in line 17, the words “of from $2,750 to $11,000 inclusive” and inserting in place thereof the following words:- as required under subsection (b)(2) of Appendix B of 49 C.F.R. 386.
SECTION 15. Said section 4 of said chapter 90F, as so appearing, is hereby further amended by striking out, in lines 22 and 23, the words “of not more than $10,000” and inserting in place thereof the following words:- as required under subsection (b)(3) of Appendix B of 49 C.F.R. 386.
SECTION 16. Section 9 of said chapter 90F, as amended by chapter 313 of the acts of 2024, is hereby further amended by striking out paragraph (D) and inserting in place thereof the following paragraph:-
(D) Any person shall be disqualified from operating a commercial motor vehicle for life for: (i) using a commercial motor vehicle or a motor vehicle in the commission of any felony involving the manufacture, distribution or dispensing of a controlled substance or possession with intent to manufacture, distribute or dispense a controlled substance; or (ii) using a commercial motor vehicle in the commission of any felony involving trafficking in persons or organs as prohibited by sections 50, 51 or 53 of chapter 265 or any felony involving an act or practice of severe forms of trafficking in persons, as defined in 22 U.S.C. 7102(11).
SECTION 17. Subparagraph (3) of paragraph (E½) of said section 9 of said chapter 90F, as appearing in the 2022 Official Edition, is hereby further amended by striking out, in lines 66 and 67, the words “of not less than $1,100 and not more than $2,750” and inserting in place thereof the following words:- as required under subsection (b)(1) of Appendix B of 49 C.F.R. 386.
SECTION 18. Chapter 111 of the General Laws is hereby amended by adding the following section:-
Section 249. (a) For the purposes of this section, the definitions in section 1 of chapter 94C shall apply unless the context clearly requires otherwise.
(b) At the commissioner’s discretion, a pharmacy operated by the department may distribute controlled substances to health care providers and entities legally authorized to administer, possess, distribute, deliver or dispense controlled substances; provided, that such controlled substances shall be: (i) related to the provision of reproductive health care services, as defined in section 11I½ of chapter 12; or (ii) used to ensure access to controlled substances needed to provide treatment in the event of a public health emergency declared pursuant to section 2A of chapter 17.
(c) The department may exercise the authority granted in this section for the benefit of any person, whether or not the person is under the custody, care or supervision of an agency of the commonwealth.
(d) The department shall exercise the authority granted in this section in accordance with applicable law, including, but not limited to, applicable controlled substances registration requirements; provided, however, that the department shall be exempt from obtaining a pharmacy license in accordance with section 39 of chapter 112.
SECTION 19. Chapter 118E of the General Laws is hereby amended by striking out section 6 and inserting in place thereof the following section:-
Section 6. (a) There shall be a MassHealth program advisory committee to advise the executive office on matters of concern related to policy development and matters related to effective program administration. The assistant secretary for MassHealth or their designee shall select members for the advisory committee on a rotating and continuous basis in such numbers and for such terms as the executive office deems appropriate.
(b) The MassHealth program advisory committee shall include at a minimum: (i) 1 member of the MassHealth member advisory committee; (ii) 1 member of a state or local consumer group or other community-based organization that represents the interests of, or provides direct service to, MassHealth beneficiaries; (iii) 1 clinical provider or administrator who is familiar with the health and social needs of MassHealth beneficiaries and with the resources available and required for their care, including, but not limited to, providers or administrators of primary care, specialty care and long-term care; (iv) as applicable, 1 member of a Medicaid-participating managed care entity, including, but not limited to, managed care organizations, accountable care partnership plans, primary care accountable care organizations, one care plans, senior care options plans, the behavioral health vendor or the primary care clinician plan; and (v) 1 member of any other state agency that serves MassHealth beneficiaries, who shall serve as an ex officio, non-voting member.
(c) The executive office shall provide the committee with such staff and technical assistance as necessary to enable the committee to make effective recommendations and such financial arrangements as necessary to make possible the participation of recipient members.
(d) Annually, not later than October 1, the office of Medicaid shall report to the joint committee on health care financing and the house and senate committees on ways and means on the activities of the MassHealth program advisory committee in the previous fiscal year. The report shall include, but shall not be limited to, the names and titles of committee members, dates of committee meetings, agendas and minutes or notes from such meetings and any correspondence, memorandum, recommendations or other product of the committee’s work. MassHealth member advisory committee members shall have the option to omit their names from the report.
SECTION 20. Said chapter 118E is hereby further amended by striking out section 9F and inserting in place thereof the following section:-
Section 9F. (a) As used in this section, the following words shall, unless the context clearly requires otherwise, have the following meanings:
“Dual eligible”, or “dually eligible person”, any person age 21 or older and under age 65 at the time of enrollment in a dual eligible managed care organization who is enrolled in both Medicare and MassHealth.
“Dual eligible managed care organization”, a comprehensive network of medical, health care and long-term services and supports providers that integrates all components of care, either directly or through subcontracts, and has been contracted with by the executive office to provide services to dually eligible individuals under this section.
(b) The secretary of health and human services may establish, subject to appropriation, all required federal approvals and agreements and the availability of federal financial participation, a health care program for dual eligible individuals, aged 21 to 64 at the time of enrollment, who are dually eligible for benefits under MassHealth Standard or CommonHealth and Medicare under Title XVIII of the Social Security Act and do not have any additional comprehensive health coverage. Under the program, the executive office may contract to provide integrated, comprehensive Medicaid and Medicare services, including medical, behavioral health and long-term support services for a capitated payment.
(c) Notwithstanding any general or special law to the contrary, the secretary of health and human services may review a request for financial solvency certification by a care delivery organization based in the commonwealth applying to serve as a Medicare plan caring for residents who are dually eligible for Medicare and Medicaid. Upon determination that appropriate financial standards, which may be the standards already in place for organizations with contracts pursuant to this section, have been met, the secretary of health and human services shall so certify to the centers for Medicare and Medicaid services. The secretary of health and human services may require the requesting organization to pay a reasonable certification fee.
(d) Members of the MassHealth managed care program integrating care for dually eligible persons shall be provided an independent community care coordinator by the dual eligible managed care organization, who shall be a participant in the member’s care team. The community care coordinator shall assist in the development of a long-term support and services care plan. The community care coordinator shall:
(i) participate in initial and ongoing assessments of the health and functional status of the member, including determining appropriateness for long-term care support and services, either in the form of institutional or community-based care plans and related service packages necessary to improve or maintain enrollee health and functional status;
(ii) arrange and, with the agreement of the member and the care team, coordinate appropriate institutional and community long-term supports and services, including assistance with the activities of daily living and instrumental activities of daily living, housing, home-delivered meals, transportation and, under specific conditions or circumstances established by the dual eligible managed care organization, authorize a range and amount of community-based services; and
(iii) monitor the appropriate provision and functional outcomes of community long-term care services, according to the service plan as deemed appropriate by the member and the care team and track member satisfaction and the appropriate provision and functional outcomes of community long-term care services, according to the service plan as deemed appropriate by the member and the care team.
(e) The dual eligible managed care organization shall not have a direct or indirect financial ownership interest in an entity that serves as an independent care coordinator. Providers of institutional or community based long-term services and supports on a compensated basis shall not function as an independent care coordinator; provided, however, that the secretary may grant a waiver of this restriction upon a finding that public necessity and convenience require such a waiver. For the purposes of this section, an organization compensated to provide only evaluation, assessment, coordination, skills training, peer support and fiscal intermediary services shall not be considered a provider of long term services and supports.
SECTION 21. Section 10H1/2 of said chapter 118E, inserted by section 2 of chapter 388 of the acts of 2024, is hereby amended by striking out the second paragraph and inserting in place thereof the following paragraph:-
The division and its contracted health insurers, health plans, health maintenance organizations, behavioral health management firms and third-party administrators under contract to a Medicaid managed care organization or primary care clinician plan shall provide coverage for the treatment of Down syndrome through medically necessary speech therapy, occupational therapy, physical therapy and, for individuals under the age of 21, applied behavior analysis services.
SECTION 22. Said chapter 118E is hereby further amended by adding the following section:-
Section 87. Notwithstanding any general or special law to the contrary, the executive office may directly pay other state agencies, including county correctional facilities and department of correction facilities operated by such state agencies, for any claims related to Medicaid, under the provisions of Title XIX of the Social Security Act, the children’s health insurance program, under the provisions of Title XXI of the Social Security Act, the health safety net, under the provisions of sections 64 through 69, the children’s medical security plan, under the provisions of section 10F, and other similar healthcare programs; provided, that such state agencies meet all applicable conditions of participation in these programs, as determined by the executive office in its sole discretion.
SECTION 23. Item 0910-0210 of section 2 of chapter 140 of the acts of 2024 is hereby amended by inserting after the word “system” the following words:- ; provided further, that notwithstanding any general or special law to the contrary, funds may be collected in the prior fiscal year for service programs or activities delivered during the next fiscal year; and provided further, that any unspent balance at the close of the current fiscal year up to the ceiling shall remain in the account and may be expended for the item in the following fiscal year.
SECTION 24. Item 4513-1012 of said section 2 of said chapter 140 is hereby amended by striking out the figure “$27,400,000”, each time it appears, and inserting in place thereof, in each instance, the following figure:- $27,800,000.
SECTION 25. Item 4590-0912 of said section 2 of said chapter 140 is hereby amended by striking out the figure “$27,995,640”, each time it appears, and inserting in place thereof, in each instance, the following figure:- $29,195,640.
SECTION 26. Item 8100-0006 of said section 2 of said chapter 140 is hereby amended by striking out the figure “$37,250,000”, each time it appears, and inserting in place thereof, in each instance, the following figure:- $45,000,000.
SECTION 27. Item 9110-1630 of said section 2 of said chapter 140 is hereby amended by inserting after the word “placements” the following words:- ; and provided further, that the secretary of the executive office of aging and independence may transfer funds between items 9110-0600, 9110-1630 and 9110-1633.
SECTION 28. Item 1595-1068 of section 2E of said chapter 140, as amended by section 127 of chapter 248 of the acts of 2024, is hereby further amended by striking out the figure “$444,250,000” and inserting in place thereof the following figure:- $539,980,000.
SECTION 29. Said item 1595-1068 of said section 2E of said chapter 140, as amended by section 128 of said chapter 248, is hereby further amended by striking out the figure “$837,827,000” and inserting in place thereof the following figure:- $972,235,420.
SECTION 30. Subsection (c) of section 202 of said chapter 140 is hereby amended by striking out the words “February 1” and inserting in place thereof the following words:- October 15.
SECTION 31. Subsection (d) of section 127 of chapter 150 of the acts of 2024 is hereby amended by striking out the words “June 30” and inserting in place thereof the following words:- December 31.
SECTION 32. Subsection (d) of section 128 of said chapter 150 is hereby amended by striking out the words “June 30” and inserting in place thereof the following words:- December 31.
SECTION 33. Item 3000-1142 of section 2A of chapter 248 of the acts of 2024 is hereby amended by striking out the word “between” and inserting in place thereof the following words:- from this item to.
SECTION 34. Chapter 390 of the acts of 2024 is hereby amended by striking out the words “public way within 3 miles of the vessel’s waterfront location of origin in the town of Barnstable and which may pass over the roadways of the town of Yarmouth; provided, however, that said vessel shall be trucked by a professional licensed boat hauler” and inserting in place thereof the following words:- locally owned or controlled public way within 3 miles of the vessel’s waterfront location of origin in the town of Barnstable and which may pass over the locally owned or controlled roadways of the town of Yarmouth; provided, however, that said vessel shall be trucked by a professional licensed boat hauler. For the purposes of this section, public ways shall not include roadways owned or within the control of the Massachusetts Department of Transportation.
SECTION 35. Notwithstanding sections 185A to 185E, inclusive, of chapter 140 of the General Laws, as amended by sections 249 and 250 of chapter 238 of the acts of 2024, no person shall be required to be licensed to engage in the business of selling tickets or the business of reselling or facilitating a mechanism for 2 or more parties to participate in the resale of any ticket of admission under said section 185A of said chapter 140 until January 1, 2026.
SECTION 36. Notwithstanding any general or special law to the contrary, the comptroller shall transfer all funds currently in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, Inspector General Expendable Trust to the Office of the Inspector General Recovery Fund, established in section 2KKKKKK of chapter 29 of the General Laws, inserted by section 6, not later than 90 days from the effective date of this act.
SECTION 37. Notwithstanding any general or special law to the contrary, any unexpended balances, not to exceed a total of $40,000,000, in items 4000-0700 and 4000-1426 of section 2 of chapter 140 of the acts of 2024 shall not revert to the General Fund until September 1, 2025 and may be expended by the executive office of health and human services to pay for services enumerated in said items 4000-0700 and 4000-1426 provided during fiscal year 2025.
SECTION 38. Notwithstanding any general or special law to the contrary, for fiscal year 2025, the secretary of health and human services, with the written approval of the secretary of administration and finance, may authorize transfers of surplus among items 4000-0320, 4000-0430, 4000-0500, 4000-0601, 4000-0641, 4000-0700, 4000-0875, 4000-0880, 4000-0885, 4000-0940, 4000-0950, 4000-0990, 4000-1400, 4000-1420 and 4000-1426.
SECTION 39. The salary adjustments and other economic benefits authorized by the following collective bargaining agreements shall be effective for the purposes of section 7 of chapter 150E of the General Laws:
(1) the agreement between the Sheriff of Bristol County and the National Correctional Employees’ Union, Local 103, K-9 Unit, Unit SA7, effective from July 1, 2024 through June 30, 2027;
(2) the agreement between the Board of Trustees of the University of Massachusetts and Service Employees International Union, Local 888, Unit L95, effective from July 1, 2024 through June 30, 2027;
(3) the agreement between the Secretary of the Commonwealth and Service Employees International Union, Local 888 AFL/CIO on behalf of certain employees of the Suffolk Registry of Deeds, Unit SC2, effective from July 1, 2024 through June 30, 2027;
(4) the agreement between the Sheriff of Bristol County and the National Correctional Employees’ Union, Local 103 K-9 Unit, Unit SA7, effective from July 1, 2024 through June 30, 2027;
(5) the agreement between the Sheriff of Plymouth County and the New England Police Benevolent Association (NEPBA), Local 580 (BCI), Unit SP3, effective from July 1, 2024 through June 30, 2027;
(6) the agreement between the Sheriff of Norfolk County and the National Association of Government Employees, RI Local 202, Unit SN1, effective from July 1, 2024 through June 30, 2027;
(7) the agreement between the Sheriff of Norfolk County and the County Correctional Officers Association, NEPBA Local 570, Unit SN3, effective from July 1, 2024 through June 30, 2027;
(8) the agreement between the Board of Higher Education and the Association of Professional Administrators, MTA/NEA, Unit APA, effective from July 1, 2024 through June 30, 2027;
(9) the agreement between the Sheriff of Norfolk County and the County Correctional Officers Association, NEPBA Local 575, Unit SN2, effective from July 1, 2024 through June 30, 2027;
(10) the agreement between the Sheriff of Hampshire County and the Hampshire Sheriff’s Office Treatment Association (SOTA), Unit SH6, effective from July 1, 2024 through June 30, 2027;
(11) the agreement between the Sheriff of Hampshire County and the Hampshire Jail and House of Correction Supervisory Correctional Officers, Unit SH8, effective from July 1, 2024 through June 30, 2027;
(12) the agreement between the Commonwealth of Massachusetts and the New England Police Benevolent Association, Unit 4A, effective from July 1, 2024 through June 30, 2027;
(13) the agreement between the Sheriff of Barnstable County and NAGE-IBCO, Local 217, Unit S3B, effective from July 1, 2024 through June 30, 2027;
(14) the agreement between the University of Massachusetts and The American Federation of State, County, and Municipal Employees, Council 93, Local 1776, AFL-CIO, Unit A01, effective from July 1, 2024 through June 30, 2027;
(15) the agreement between the University of Massachusetts and the American Federation of State and County and Municipal Employees, Local 507/Council 93, AFL-CIO, Unit D82, effective from July 1, 2024 through June 30, 2027; and
(16) the agreement between the University of Massachusetts and the New England Police Benevolent Local 290, Unit B33, effective from July 1, 2024 through June 30, 2027.