Budget Amendment ID: FY2025-S4-842-R2

2nd Redraft OTH 842

Corrective Amendment

Mr. Rodrigues moved that the proposed new text be amended in section 2, in item 0640-0300, by striking out the figure “$25,546,197” and inserting in place thereof the following figure:- “$25,646,197”; and

in said section 2, in item 0699-0015, by adding the following words:- “provided further, that the state treasurer may expend from the Technology Education Fund, under items 7070-6606 and 7070-6607 in the state accounting system, payments to the University of Massachusetts and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology for interest accrued in fiscal year 2025 and prior fiscal years on bonds held pursuant to section 4 of the Morrill Land-Grants Act, Public Law 37-130”; and

in said section 2, by striking out item 0930-0100 and inserting in place thereof the following item:-

“0930-0100 For the operation of the office of the child advocate; provided, that not less than $300,000 shall be expended on efforts to ensure that transition-age youth who are aging out of the care or custody of the department of children and families or the department of youth services are well-prepared for and supported in their transition into adulthood; provided further, that such services shall include, but not be limited to, staff support through case management and the provision of direct housing services……….$3,892,352”; and

in said section 2, in item 1410-0010, by striking out the figure “$11,729,113” and inserting in place thereof the following figure:- “$12,293,113”; and

in said section 2, in item 1410-0012, by adding the following words:- “; provided further, that not less than $50,000 shall be expended to Vietnam Veterans of America, Chapter 207, Westport, Massachusetts, Inc. for transportation improvements and upgrades necessary to support and service veterans in Bristol county”; and

in said section 2, in said item 1410-0012, by striking out the figure “$8,470,622” and inserting in place thereof the following figure:- “$9,348,622”; and

in said section 2, in item 1410-1616, by striking out the figure “$250,000” and inserting in place thereof the following figure:- “$425,000”; and

in said section 2, in item 1599-0026, by striking out the figure “$12,000,000” and inserting in place thereof the following figure:- “$12,965,000”; and

in said section 2, in item 2000-0100, by striking out the figure “$18,598,482” and inserting in place thereof the following figure:- “$19,698,482”; and

in said section 2, in item 2030-1000, by striking out the figure “$16,209,738” and inserting in place thereof the following figure:- “16,609,738”; and

in said section 2, in item 2200-0100, by striking out the figure “$54,009,482” and inserting in place thereof the following figure:- “$54,359,482”; and

in said section 2, in item 2200-0107, by adding the following words:- “; provided further, that not less than $75,000 shall be expended to the town of Rochester for improvements to the town's transfer station; provided further, that not less than $75,000 shall be expended to the town of Westport for improvements to the town’s transfer station”; and

in said section 2, in said item 2200-0107, by striking out the figure “$499,997” and inserting in place thereof the following figure:- “$1,299,997”; and

in said section 2, in item 2511-0100, by striking out the figure “$11,120,744” and inserting in place thereof the following figure:- “$11,970,744”; and

in said section 2, in item 2511-0107, by adding the following words:- “; provided further, that not less than $100,000 shall be expended for Food Link, Inc. to address food insecurity in the city of Woburn and the towns of Arlington, Billerica, Burlington and Lexington”; and

in said section 2, in said item 2511-0107, by striking out the figure “$100,000” and inserting in place thereof the following figure:- “$1,450,000”; and

in said section 2, in item 2800-0501, by adding the following words:- “; provided further, that not less than $75,000 shall be expended for equipment upgrades to support beach operations at Horseneck beach state reservation”; and

in said section 2, in said item 2800-0501, by striking out the figure “$28,470,635” and inserting in place thereof the following figure:- “$28,545,635”; and

in said section 2, in item 2810-0100, by striking out the figure “$109,984,560” and inserting in place thereof the following figure:- “$110,134,560”; and

in said section 2, in item 2810-0122, by striking out the figure “$100,000” and inserting in place thereof the following figure:- “$1,866,500”; and

in said section 2, in item 3000-1045 , by striking out clauses (1) and (2) and inserting in place thereof the following 2 clauses:- “(1) communities identified as high-need through an equity-based index of local opportunities and resources; and (2) communities with a significant number of families with income below 85 per cent of the state median income”; and 

in said section 2, in item 3000-3060, by striking out clauses(ii) and (iii) and inserting in place thereof the following 2 clauses:- “(ii) former recipients who are working or are engaged in an approved service need activity for up to 1 year after termination of their benefits; (iii) participants who are working or are engaged in an approved service need activity for up to 1 year after the transitional period"; and

in said section 2, in item 4000-0005, by striking out the figure “$13,000,000” and inserting in place thereof the following figure:- “$13,300,000”; and

in said section 2, in item 4000-0300, by striking out the figure “$146,849,925” and inserting in place thereof the following figure:- “$146,824,925”; and

in said section 2, in item 4003-0122, by striking out the figure “$1,295,460” and inserting in place thereof the following figure:- “$1,460,460”; and

in said section 2, in item 4401-1000, by striking out the figure “$18,388,929” and inserting in place thereof the following figure:- “$18,888,929”; and

in said section 2, in item 4510-0110, by striking out the figure “$3,948,660” and inserting in place thereof the following figure:- “$6,000,000”; and

in said section 2, in item 4512-0205, by striking out the figure “$100,000” and inserting in place thereof the following figure:- “$965,000”; and

in said section 2, in item 4513-1136, by striking out the figure “$75,558,041” and inserting in place thereof the following figure:- “$75,828,041”; and

in said section 2, in item 4590-1503, by striking out the following words:-“for its doula workforce pilot program”; and

in said section 2, in said item 4590-1503, by striking out the figure “$13,990,988” and inserting in place thereof the following figure:- “$14,515,988”; and

in said section 2, in item 4590-1507, by striking out the figure “$7,700,000” and inserting in place thereof the following figure:- “$9,775,000”; and

in said section 2, in item 4800-0038, by striking out the figure “$373,873,635” and inserting in place thereof the following figure:- “$374,388,635”; and

in said section 2, in item 7002-0010, by striking out the figure “$5,803,258” and inserting in place thereof the following figure:- “$6,253,258”; and

in said section 2, in item 7003-0100, by striking out the figure “$1,754,807” and inserting in place thereof the following figure:- “$1,904,807”; and

in said section 2, in item 7004-0107, by striking out the figure “$100,000” and inserting in place thereof the following figure:- “$1,810,000”; and

in said section 2, in item 7007-0952, by striking out the figure “$5,200,000” and inserting in place thereof the following figure:- “$5,525,000”; and

in said section 2, in item 7008-0900, by striking out the figure “$568,309” and inserting in place thereof the following figure:- “$1,373,309”; and

in said section 2, in item 7008-1116, by adding the following words:- “; provided further, that not less than $75,000 shall be expended to the town of Swansea for improvements to Swansea memorial park; provided further, that not less than $75,000 shall be expended to the town of Lakeville for ADA-compliant improvements to enhance and improve accessibility at the Lakeville public library; provided further, that not less than $37,500 shall be expended to LexSeeHer, Inc. for the construction, installation and community education of the Lexington Women's Monument in the town of Lexington; provided further, that not less than $50,000 shall be expended for the construction of an outdoor stage at the Forbes library in the city of Northampton; provided further, that not less than $50,000 shall be expended for the New Dawn Arts Center, Inc. in the town of Ashburnham; provided further, that not less than $105,000 shall be expended for Social Capital Inc. in the city of Woburn for youth leadership and civic engaging programming, migrant support and health equity work in the city of Woburn”; and

in said section 2, in said item 7008-1116, by striking out the figure “$100,000” and inserting in place thereof the following figure:- “$9,706,545”; and

in said section 2, in item 7010-1192, by adding the following words:- “; provided, that not less than $137,500 shall be expended for Arlington Youth Counseling Center, Inc. in the town of Arlington for youth mental health support; provided further, that not less than $120,000 shall be expended for English at Large, Inc. in the city of Woburn for English language tutoring and small group instruction; provided further, that not less than $300,000 shall be expended to communities in the Metrowest region, including the city of Framingham and the towns of Ashland, Holliston, Hopkinton, Medway and Natick to address mental health needs in schools; provided further, that not less than $50,000 shall be expended for cultural proficiency programs at Hopkinton public schools; provided further, that not less than $50,000 shall be expended to Medway public schools for mental health programs; provided further, that not less than $106,000 shall be expended for improvements to the Swift River elementary school in the town of New Salem”; and

in said section 2, in said item 7010-1192, by striking out the figure “$100,000” and inserting in place thereof the following figure:- “$5,368,911”; and

in said section 2, in item 7027-0019, by striking out the figure “$7,318,346” and inserting in place thereof the following figure:- “$7,593,346”; and

in said section 2, in item 7035-0002, by striking out the figure “$59,408,278” and inserting in place thereof the following figure:- “$59,758,278”; and

in said section 2, in item 7061-9634, by striking out the figure “$1,500,000” and inserting in place thereof the following figure:- “$3,050,000”; and

in said section 2, in item 7066-0000, by striking out the figure “$4,695,011” and inserting in place thereof the following figure:- “$5,195,011”; and

in said section 2, in item 7100-0200, by striking out the figure “$760,555,874” and inserting in place thereof the following figure:- “$760,630,874”; and

in said section 2, in item 7100-4000, by striking out the words “, one who shall be appointed by the secretary of education and one who shall be appointed by the Massachusetts Association of Community Colleges”; and 

in said section 2, in said item 7100-4000, by striking out the words “, who shall be appointed by the secretary of education”; and 

in said section 2, in said item 7100-4000, by striking the following words “, who shall be appointed by the chair of the Massachusetts Association of Community Colleges or a designee”; and  

in said section 2, in item 8000-0313, by adding the following words:- “; provided, that not less than $294,000 shall be expended for a police training program offered by Greenfield Community College”; and

in said section 2, in item 8000-0313, by striking out the figure “$100,000” and inserting in place thereof the following figure:- “$2,610,864”; and

in said section 2, in item 8100-0111, by striking out the figure “$12,857,730” and inserting in place thereof the following figure:- “$13,332,730”; and

in said section 2, in item 8100-1001, by striking out the figure “$382,853,231” and inserting in place thereof the following figure:- “$383,103,231”; and

in said section 2, in item 8324-0050, by adding the following words:- “; provided, that not less than $65,000 shall be expended to the town of Freetown fire department for the purchase of turnout gear”; and

in said section 2, in item 8324-0050, by striking out the figure “$100,000” and inserting in place thereof the following figure:- “$1,176,500”; and

in said section 2, in item 8900-0001, by striking out the figure “$775,349,595” and inserting in place thereof the following figure:- “$776,674,595”; and

in said section 2, in item 8910-0102, by adding the following words:-“; provided further, that the office shall provide relevant data to the Massachusetts Sheriffs Association, Inc. to allow for the reporting of all requirements under item 8910-7110”; and

in said section 2, in item 8910-0105, by adding the following words:-“; provided further, that the office shall provide relevant data to the Massachusetts Sheriffs Association, Inc. to allow for the reporting of all requirements under item 8910-7110”; and

in said section 2, in item 8910-0107, by adding the following words:-“; provided further, that the office shall provide relevant data to the Massachusetts Sheriffs Association, Inc. to allow for the reporting of all requirements under item 8910-7110”; and

in said section 2, in item 8910-0108, by adding the following words:-“; provided further, that the office shall provide relevant data to the Massachusetts Sheriffs Association, Inc. to allow for the reporting of all requirements under item 8910-7110”; and

in said section 2, in item 8910-0110, by adding the following words:-“; provided further, that the office shall provide relevant data to the Massachusetts Sheriffs Association, Inc. to allow for the reporting of all requirements under item 8910-7110”; and

in said section 2, in item 8910-0145, by adding the following words:-“; provided further, that the office shall provide relevant data to the Massachusetts Sheriffs Association, Inc. to allow for the reporting of all requirements under item 8910-7110”; and

in said section 2, in item 8910-0619, by adding the following words:-“; provided further, that the office shall provide relevant data to the Massachusetts Sheriffs Association, Inc. to allow for the reporting of all requirements under item 8910-7110”; and

in said section 2, in item 8910-8200, by adding the following words:-“; provided further, that the office shall provide relevant data to the Massachusetts Sheriffs Association, Inc. to allow for the reporting of all requirements under item 8910-7110”; and

in said section 2, in item 8910-8300, by adding the following words:-“; provided further, that the office shall provide relevant data to the Massachusetts Sheriffs Association, Inc. to allow for the reporting of all requirements under item 8910-7110”; and

in said section 2, in item 8910-8400, by adding the following words:-“; provided further, that the office shall provide relevant data to the Massachusetts Sheriffs Association, Inc. to allow for the reporting of all requirements under item 8910-7110”; and

in said section 2, in item 8910-8500, by adding the following words:-“; provided further, that the office shall provide relevant data to the Massachusetts Sheriffs Association, Inc. to allow for the reporting of all requirements under item 8910-7110”; and

in said section 2, in item 8910-8600, by adding the following words:-“; provided further, that the office shall provide relevant data to the Massachusetts Sheriffs Association, Inc. to allow for the reporting of all requirements under item 8910-7110”; and

in said section 2, in item 8910-8700, by adding the following words:-“; provided further, that the office shall provide relevant data to the Massachusetts Sheriffs Association, Inc. to allow for the reporting of all requirements under item 8910-7110”; and

in said section 2, in item 8910-8800, by adding the following words:-“; provided further, that the office shall provide relevant data to the Massachusetts Sheriffs Association, Inc. to allow for the reporting of all requirements under item 8910-7110”; and

in said section 2, in item 9110-1630, by striking out the figure “$236,582,945” and inserting in place thereof the following figure:- “$236,882,945”; and

in said section 2, in item 9110-9002, by adding the following words:- “; provided further, that not less than $85,000 shall be expended for an accessible minivan equipped with a wheelchair lift for the Holliston council on aging”; and

in said section 2, in said item 9110-9002, by striking out the figure “$28,000,000” and inserting in place thereof the following figure:- “$28,583,500”; and

in section 2E, in item 1595-6368, by striking out the figure “$538,011,082” and inserting in place thereof the following figure:- “$538,261,082”; and

in said section 2E, in item 1595-6369, by striking out the figure “$314,000,000” and inserting in place thereof the following figure:- “$314,280,000”; and

in section 2F, in item 1596-2412, by adding the following words:- “; provided further, that funds may be expended for programs or activities during the summer months"; and 

in said section 2F, in item 1596-2501, by inserting after the word “department”, the first time it appears, the following words:- “, after consultation with the Massachusetts Association of Community Colleges,”; and 

in said section 2F, in said item 1596-2501, striking the words “Pell-Grant eligible”; and 

in said section 2F, in said item 1596-2502, by inserting after the word “attendance” the following words:- “excluding tuition and fees”;  and

by striking out section 3 and inserting in its place the following section:-

“SECTION 3. Notwithstanding any general or special law to the contrary, for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2025 the distribution of unrestricted general government aid to cities and towns of the balance of the State Lottery and Gaming Fund, as paid from the General Fund in accordance with clause (c) of the second paragraph of section 35 of chapter 10 of the General Laws, and additional funds from the General Fund and the Gaming Local Aid Fund, shall be $1,308,713,668 and shall be apportioned to cities and towns in accordance with this section.

For fiscal year 2025 the total amounts to be distributed and paid to each city, town and regional school district from item 7061-0008 of section 2, shall be as set forth in the following lists. If there is conflict between the language of this section and the distribution listed below, the distribution below shall control. The specified amounts distributed from said item 7061-0008 of said section 2 shall be deemed in full satisfaction of the amounts due under chapter 70 of the General Laws.

For fiscal year 2025, a district’s school aid shall be calculated according to the provisions of said chapter 70, as most recently amended by Chapter 132 of the Acts of 2019, also known as the Student Opportunity Act. The foundation budget category of “low-income enrollment” for the purpose of calculating foundation enrollment shall be determined by financial eligibility for certain federal programs, as defined by the provisions of section 2 of said chapter 70, and including a number of students identified and approved as low income through the supplemental claiming system established and posted by the department for that purpose, as well as students identified and approved as homeless for purposes of calculating the McKinney-Vento homelessness grant program administered by the department, consistent with the conditions provided for in said section 2. Provided further, that the assumed special education enrollment percentage for vocational school students shall be set at 4.93 per cent and the assumed special education enrollment percentage for non-vocational school students shall be set at 3.93 per cent.

The per-pupil rates for the employee benefits and fixed charges allotments shall be adjusted by the foundation employee benefits inflation rate and the per-pupil rates for all other foundation allotments shall be adjusted by the foundation inflation index. Foundation increments shall be the additional resources provided for the education of students designated as English learners or low-income; provided, however, that for low-income students the amount of the foundation increment shall be determined by the low-income group into which each district is assigned. Foundation budget rates for employee benefits and fixed charges, guidance and psychological services, special education out-of-district tuition, English learners and low-income students shall be increased by four-sixths of the gap between the rates used in fiscal year 2021 and the rates established in tables 1 and 2 of section 3 of said chapter 70, consistent with adjustments prescribed in said section 3 and set at the rates identified in the table below. Required local contributions shall be calculated pursuant to said chapter 70; provided, that municipal revenue growth factors shall be calculated in a manner consistent with calculations made in fiscal year 2024; provided further, that the total statewide target local contribution shall be 59 percent and the effort reduction percentage shall be 100 percent; and provided further that the minimum aid per pupil dollar amount shall be $110.

Chapter 70 aid for fiscal year 2025 shall be the greater of: (i) foundation aid, or (ii) the sum of base aid and minimum aid. No non-operating district shall receive chapter 70 aid in an amount greater than the district’s foundation budget.

The department of elementary and secondary education shall not consider health care costs for retired teachers to be part of net school spending for any district in which such costs were not considered part of net school spending in fiscal year 1994 and for any district that has not accepted the provisions of section 260 of chapter 165 of the acts of 2014; provided, however, that any district for whom such costs are not so considered shall have included as part of net school spending an amount equal to the increase in the foundation budget for the district associated with health care costs of retired teachers.

No payments to cities, towns or counties maintaining an agricultural school under this section shall be made after November 30 of the fiscal year until the commissioner of revenue certifies acceptance of the prior fiscal year’s annual financial reports submitted under section 43 of chapter 44 of the General Laws. Advance payments shall be made for some or all of periodic local reimbursement or assistance programs to any city, town, regional school district or independent agricultural school that demonstrates an emergency cash shortfall, as certified by the commissioner of revenue and approved by the secretary of administration and finance, under guidelines established by the secretary.

Base Rates

Special Education & Incremental Rates

”; and

in section 13, by striking out, in line 5, the word “residents” and inserting in place thereof the following word:- “students”; and

in said section 13, in proposed subsection (a) of section 5B of chapter 15A, by striking out clause (iv); and

in said section 13, by inserting after the word “fees”, in line 18, the following words:- “, subject to appropriation under subsection (c)”; and

in said section 13, by striking out, in line 22, the words “Pell-eligible”; and

in section 15, by striking out, in line 15, the words “the presidents of each segment” and inserting in place thereof the following words:- “a president from each segment”; and

in section 29, by striking out, in line 29, the figure “$75,000,000” and inserting in place thereof the following number:- “$70,000,000”; and

by inserting after section 34 the following section:-

“SECTION 34A. Said section 2BBBBBB of said chapter 29 is hereby further amended by striking out subsection (f), as appearing in section 34, and inserting in place thereof the following subsection:-

(f) The annual spending threshold shall be equal to the prior year spending threshold, less the dedicated transportation income surtax revenue amount, plus an adjustment factor equal to the 10-year rolling rate of growth of income subject to the tax specified in subsection (d) of section 4 of chapter 62 as certified by the commissioner of revenue. For years in which the tax specified in said subsection (d) of said section 4 of said chapter 62 was not in effect, the commissioner shall calculate the amount of income that would have been subject to the taxes, adjusted for increases in the cost of living in the same manner as described in Article XLIV of the Amendments to the Constitution of the Commonwealth and set forth pursuant to said subsection (d) of said section 4 of said chapter 62.”; and

by striking out section 44 and inserting in place thereof the following section:-

“SECTION 44. Said section 13 of said chapter 46, as so appearing, is hereby further amended by adding the following subsection:-

(l) Upon application of both parties to a marriage, the record of marriage shall be amended to remove the sex of either or both parties to the marriage and change either or both parties' names upon receipt of the following by the state registrar or town clerk: (i) an affidavit executed by the parties to the marriage on a form provided by the registrar attesting to their concurrence that the record be amended to reflect or remove the gender identity or sex of the any such party; and (ii) a request by a party for a change of name along with evidence of the party's legal change of name.”; and

by inserting after section 74 the following 2 sections:-

"SECTION 74A. Item 2300-0101 of section 2 of chapter 126 of the acts of 2022 is hereby amended by striking out the figure 2024”, as appearing in section 72 of chapter 77 of the acts of 2023, and inserting in place thereof the following figure:- 2025.

SECTION 74B. Item 4590-0250 of said section 2 of said chapter 126 is hereby amended by striking out the figure 2025, as appearing in section 84 of chapter 77 of the acts of 2023, and inserting in place thereof the following figure:- 2025.”; and

by inserting after section 76 the following section:-
“SECTION 76A. Item 2000-0100 of section 2 of chapter 28 of the acts of 2023, is hereby amended by inserting after the word “program”, the third time it appears, the following words:-“and funds shall be made available until June 30, 2025”; and

by striking out section 77 and inserting in place thereof the following section:-

“SECTION 77. Section 18 of chapter 28 of the acts of 2023 are hereby repealed.”; and

in section 85, by striking out, in line 4, the words “house of correction and” and inserting in place thereof the following word:- “a house of correction or a”; and

in said section 85, in subsection (b), by striking out clause (xv) and inserting in place thereof the following clause:- “(xiv) recognize the alternative needs that county sheriffs may address”; and

in said section 85, by striking out, in line 40, the word “the”; and

in section 106, by striking out, in line 1, the words “There shall be a special commission for the purposes of studying and making” and inserting in place thereof the following words:- “The board of higher education shall convene a task force to study and make”; and

in said section 106, by striking, out in lines 6, 14 and 18, the word “commission” and inserting in place thereof, in each instance, the following words:- “task force”; and

in said section 106, by striking out, in lines 19 and 20, the words “The commission shall consist of: the chairs of the joint committee on higher education, who shall serve as co-chairs” and inserting in place thereof the following words:- “The task force shall consist of: 2 members of the board of higher education, who shall serve as co-chairs; the chairs of the joint committee on higher education or their designees”; and

in said section 106, by inserting after the word “designee”, in line 20, the following words:- “; 1 member appointed by the minority leader of the house of representatives; 1 member appointed by the minority leader of the senate”; and

in said section 106, by adding the following subsection:-

“(c) The commission shall submit an initial report to the clerks of the senate and house of representatives and the house and senate committee on ways and means not later than December 15, 2024. The commission shall submit a final report to the clerks of the senate and house of representatives and the house and senate committee on ways and means not later than March 31, 2025.”; and

by inserting after section 114 the following section:-

“SECTION 114A.  Section 34A shall take effect on July 31, 2025.”