Press Room

Chamber also boosts funding for firefighter health, gang violence prevention, and immigrant citizenship services

(BOSTON—5/20/2026) The Massachusetts Senate today adopted a series of amendments to its proposed Fiscal Year 2027 budget, including new investments in youth social media education and increased funding for Head Start programs facing federal cuts. The chamber also advanced measures to expand firefighter cancer screenings, boost anti-gang violence initiatives, and support immigrants pursuing citizenship.

“The amendments added by the Senate today reflect the collaborative and deliberative approach that defines our chamber’s work and have further strengthened our spending plan for the Commonwealth,” said Senate President Karen E. Spilka (D-Ashland). “We are making targeted investments in the services people across Massachusetts rely on every day, while responding thoughtfully and in real time to the challenges facing our communities. I am grateful to my colleagues for their thoughtful contributions throughout this debate, and I look forward to continuing our work together when we reconvene tomorrow morning.”

“The first two days of substantive debate on the Senate’s Fiscal Year 2027 budget have seen the passage of impactful amendments that support school-based mental health support, prioritize the health and safety of firefighters, promote small Main Street businesses, and expand Head Start funding in Massachusetts,” said Senator Michael J. Rodrigues (D-Westport), Chair of the Senate Committee on Ways and Means. “The budget is reflective of our values and our focus on collaboration. The actions we have taken over these last two days to further improve upon our budget are a strong example of our commitment to address shared priorities and produce clear results for the Commonwealth.”

In total, the Senate took action on 428 amendments during the second day of debate. Senators adopted 243 amendments and rejected 86 others. There are 157 amendments still pending.

Among the amendments adopted by the Senate are:

Healthy Social Media Use — Amendment 612

Jump-starts the effort to tackle young people’s addictive social media usage through school-based educational programs. Appropriates $2 million for a new grant program to support programs in local school districts that teach kids how to have safe, responsible, and healthy social media usage.

Head Start State Supplemental — Amendment 635

Continues the Senate’s long-standing support for early education by boosting grant funding to support Head Start programs in the midst of federal funding challenges. Raises the line item for Head Start grants by $1.5 million, for a total of $21.5 million.

DESE/DDS Residential Placement Prevention Program — Amendment 710

Assists students aged 6-21 who receive special education services with wraparound support through the Residential Prevention Program, which promotes skill building, independence, and social integration at the student’s home, in school, and in the community. Increases dedicated funding for the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education/Department of Developmental Services wraparound services by $1.2 million, for a total of $11.7 million.

Citizenship for New Americans Program — Amendment 905

Supports immigrants and refugees on the pathway to U.S. citizenship by increasing funding for the Citizenship for New Americans Program by $250,000. CNAP helps legal permanent residents who are pursuing naturalization by providing civics classes, citizenship application assistance, English language classes, interview preparation, and other supportive services.

Firefighter Health and Wellness — Amendment 908

Prioritizes the health and safety of firefighters by adding $250,000 for a municipal grant program to fund firefighter cancer screenings, including advanced blood testing and imaging.

Nonprofit Security Personnel Grants — Amendment 945

Increases funding for security grants to help protect nonprofit organizations at high risk of being targeted for terrorist attacks or hate crimes, including protection from hateful acts based on bigotry around religion, race, or gender. Boosts funding for security personnel by $450,000 for a total of $750,000 specifically for personnel-related grants, and a total of $5,450,000 in funding for the entire program.

Shannon Grants — Amendment 967

Helps prevent gang and youth violence by boosting funding for the Shannon Community Safety Initiative by $500,000. Shannon Grants address gang and youth violence through strategies like social intervention, suppression, and community mobilization. The program, now in its 20th year, currently serves thousands of youth every year and funds anti-gang violence initiatives in 25 communities across Massachusetts.

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.

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