Press Room

239 amendments added to FY2027 budget during first day of deliberations

(BOSTON—5/19/2026) The Massachusetts Senate today added provisions to the proposed Fiscal Year 2027 budget to fund the Museum of African American History, promote small main street businesses across the state, and boost programming for young mothers who have experienced trauma.

In total, the Senate took action on 574 amendments during the first day of debate. The chamber adopted 239 amendments and rejected 142 amendments. 585 amendments remain to be debated in the coming days.

Among the amendments passed by the Senate are: 

Museum of African American History — Amendment 30

Appropriates $1 million to help the Museum of African American History continue its work in the face of the Trump administration’s pressure to sanitize the way in which American history is told and recorded. The museum, with two campuses and its Black Heritage Trails, is committed to “connecting colonial and early African American history & culture in Boston and the larger New England area with the abolition of slavery and current explorations of race and the struggle for human rights.”

Massachusetts Downtown Initiative — Amendment 134

Promotes small businesses, lifts up local main streets, and invests in vibrant town centers by adding $600,000 in funding for the Massachusetts Downtown Initiative grant program. MDI grants help municipalities to revamp downtowns into places that residents are excited to visit for shopping and recreation. Grants support the creation of local downtown improvement plans, implementation of streetscape and signage upgrades, and improvements to public facilities and gathering spaces.

State Parks and Recreation Operations — Amendment 315

Strengthens recreational spaces and natural preservation across Massachusetts by boosting the line item for Department of Conservation and Recreation park operations by $1 million.  DCR is responsible for stewarding nearly half a million acres of land.

Elder Nutrition — Amendment 412

Makes a meaningful investment in senior wellbeing with $500,000 to support elder nutrition programs such as Meals on Wheels. Meals on Wheels delivers fresh, hot meals to homebound seniors.

Roca Young Mothers Experiencing Acute Trauma Program — Amendment 415

Supports victims of abuse with $1.25 million for Roca Inc.’s groundbreaking programming for young mothers who have experienced acute trauma. Roca offers a “nationally recognized, four-year behavioral health intervention model” to give young mothers “skills they need in order to choose to live and set their children up for success.”

Endometriosis Task Force — Amendment 530

Advances support for women living with endometriosis, a consistently misdiagnosed or hard-to-diagnose condition that affects one in 10 women. A task force would be responsible for researching and summarizing the advances in treatment, diagnoses, access to care, and available support services, along with developing a comprehensive plan to improve health outcomes for people with endometriosis.

MCPAP for Schools — Amendment 426

Devotes $500,000 to support school-based mental health services through the Massachusetts Child Psychiatry Access Program.  Building on successful pilot programs in Agawam and Somerville, this funding will help MCPAP develop and implement behavioral health consultation services for K-12 students and school personnel across the state.

A full list of amendments to the Senate’s budget and their status is available online.

The Senate’s budget debate will continue tomorrow at 10:00 a.m. and be livestreamed online.

###