(Framingham) Representative Jack Patrick Lewis joined the Massachusetts House in finalizing a Fiscal Year 2027 budget that drives down costs for residents, boosts the state's economy, and adds to the state’s savings account.
“This budget comes at an important fiscal, political, and social moment for Massachusetts,” expressed Rep. Lewis (Framingham). “We, thanks to the irresponsibility of the federal government, find ourselves balancing the unpredictability of near-future trends while also safeguarding against attacks from every element of national government. It’s a difficult task, but this budget stands on firm ground.”
The plan makes record investments in public education, unlocks new housing production, strengthens the state’s public transportation systems, and protects vulnerable residents from the impact of federal cuts.
The bill spends $63.4 billion, a 4 percent increase from last year, and includes $2.7 billion in Fair Share funds that will support public education and transportation as voters intended. The budget raises no taxes and adds $51 million to the state’s ‘Rainy Day’ Stabilization Fund, which is projected to reach a historic $8.2 billion balance by the end of Fiscal Year 2027.
Priorities of Rep. Lewis’ included in the Final Conference Committee report include:
“I particularly want to highlight the items that my office secured in this budget, namely local aid for Ashland and Framingham, legislation removing barriers to HIV medication, and support for organizations such as the Massachusetts Down Syndrome Congress,” added Rep. Lewis (Framingham). “I thank Chair Michlewitz, Speaker Mariano, and Senate President Spilka for their cultivation of this final bill.”
“As a result of the Trump Administration’s sweeping federal funding cuts, reckless trade policies, and war with Iran, this budget has come during a period of significant economic uncertainty. That’s why I’m incredibly proud of the investments that this budget makes despite those challenges, from funding for free school meals and for the final year of the Student Opportunity Act, to robust support for the MBTA, to nearly $10 billion for cities and towns across the Commonwealth – all without raising taxes,” expressed House Speaker Ronald J. Mariano (Quincy). “I want to thank Chairman Michlewitz and my colleagues in the House, along with our partners in the Senate, for working to ensure that this budget delivers for every community across Massachusetts.”
“This final $63.4 Billion Fiscal Year 2027 conference committee report will better position the Commonwealth for the challenges that lie ahead while also ensuring that we protect the programs that some of our most vulnerable populations rely on the most. Whether it is greater investments into programs like housing stability, food security, or early education the initiatives contained in this budget are a reflection of our shared values,” noted Representative Aaron Michlewitz, Chair of the House Committee on Ways & Means (Boston). “By reinvesting in the people of the Commonwealth we will continue to assist those in need while making our economy more competitive and equitable for years to come. I want to thank Speaker Mariano for his leadership during this budget process, as well as my fellow House conferees, Representative Diggs and Representative Smola. I also want to thank my counterparts in the Senate, specifically my co-chair Senator Rodrigues, for their partnership in bringing this proposal over the finish line.”
“Our budget is a chance each year to make life more affordable for residents while strengthening the public services we all rely on, including our schools and transit systems—and the Senate delivered for FY27,” noted Senate President Karen E. Spilka (Ashland). “As a longtime advocate for expanded public education from cradle to career, I am especially proud of our commitment to reexamining how we address K-12 costs at the very moment we fulfill the promise of the Student Opportunity Act. Overall, this final budget protects our residents, grows opportunities, supports our municipalities and cuts costs for individuals and families. I want to thank Chair Rodrigues, Vice Chair Comerford, and Senator O’Connor for their diligent work to reach a final compromise bill, the members and staff of the Senate Ways and Means Committee, and my Senate colleagues, as well as Speaker Mariano and our partners in the House, for their hard work in getting this budget completed on time.”
Education
The agreement completes the Legislature’s commitment to fully fund and implement the Student Opportunity Act with $7.66 billion in Chapter 70 aid to public school districts, an increase of $297 million over Fiscal Year 2026 and the highest level ever, along with a record $160-per-pupil minimum in local school aid.
The budget also revives the Foundation Budget Review Commission (FBRC) to examine the K-12 funding formula and assess how the state can address rising costs in special education, student transportation, personnel, and educator health care statewide.
The agreement funds the Special Education Circuit Breaker at $654.6 million to help students who need support, which, combined with $152 million from the recent Fair Share supplemental budget, brings the total investment to $806.6 million, reimbursing school districts for 75 percent of the costs of educating students with disabilities and complex needs.
Other education investments include $475 million for the Commonwealth Cares for Children (C3) grant program to support early education and care providers’ day-to-day operational and workforce costs, $137 million for the MassEducate and MassReconnect free community college programs, $20 million for rural school districts, and $180 million for universal free school meals, which serve nearly 150 million free meals to Massachusetts kids every year.
The budget also includes $11.7 million to support students receiving special education services through the DESE/DDS Residential Prevention Program, and $2 million for a new grant program helping schools address young people’s social media use.
Transportation
The agreement provides $465 million in direct investment for the MBTA, which, combined with $595 million from the recent Fair Share supplemental budget, brings the total new investment in the system to over $1 billion for Fiscal Year 2027. It also includes $217 million for Regional Transit Authorities (RTAs), including $40 million to sustain fare-free transit service statewide. The state’s fare-free Regional Transit program has resulted in ridership exceeding pre-pandemic levels.
The budget also responds to a string of fatal wrong-way driving incidents on Massachusetts highways, including the tragic line-of-duty death of State Trooper Kevin Trainor, by directing MassDOT to implement new infrastructure and officer training, including directional striping, signage, lane delineators, and motorist alert systems.
Municipalities and Housing
The agreement provides record support to cities and towns across the state, including $1.363 billion for Unrestricted General Government Aid (UGGA), a $40 million increase over Fiscal Year 2026 and the highest level ever. For new dollars, the legislation implements a new funding formula to equitably distribute the increase throughout all of the state’s 351 communities.
In another step toward addressing the housing crisis and building homes faster statewide, the budget builds on last session’s Affordable Homes Act by streamlining local permitting, supporting development on nonconforming properties, providing reasonable timelines for projects under existing zoning, and modernizing the variance standard, all aimed at boosting housing production and driving down costs.
Health Care
The agreement extends the ConnectorCare expansion pilot program through 2027. Since 2024, the pilot has helped more than 115,000 residents access more affordable insurance through lower premiums, no deductibles, and reduced co-pays.
The budget also codifies existing federal protections requiring comprehensive insurance coverage of HIV pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) without cost sharing or utilization management barriers and directs a new study to modernize and improve the long-term sustainability of emergency medical services in the Commonwealth.
Retiree COLA Reform
This budget includes comprehensive, fiscally prudent reforms to cost-of-living adjustments (COLAs) for retired public employees, based on recommendations from the Special COLA Commission. It establishes a COLA Reserve Fund financed in part by pension investment returns above target, provides enhanced COLA benefits for certain current retirees based on years in retirement, and allows the base amount used to calculate future COLAs to increase in $1,000 increments as funding allows.
Food and Economic Security
The agreement protects access to benefits through Transitional Aid to Families with Dependent Children (TAFDC) and Emergency Aid to the Elderly, Disabled and Children (EAEDC), and includes a $500 clothing allowance per child for families receiving TAFDC benefits.
It repeals the Learnfare law, which cut off TAFDC benefits when children had too many unexcused school absences and ended up hurting families who lost needed assistance.
It also provides $56.1 million for Emergency Food Assistance, an increase of $6.1 million over Fiscal Year 2026, and $21.5 million for the Healthy Incentives Program (HIP), which supports local farmers and access to healthy food.
Protecting Vulnerable Residents
The agreement includes provisions protecting children aged 16 and 17 from sexual interactions with mandated reporters and others responsible for their care and oversight, including teachers, coaches, police officers, and social workers.
In response to the tragic fire at Gabriel House in Fall River, the agreement provides $500,000 to implement recommendations from the Assisted Living Residences (ALR) Commission to improve safety standards, emergency preparedness, and oversight at assisted living facilities statewide.
The budget also establishes a commission to study transitional youth services for individuals with disabilities whose access to special education services will end due to high school graduation or turning 22, as the Legislature works to preserve community-based care options amid federal challenges to the Olmstead decision.
Sports Wagering Revenue
The agreement adjusts the distribution of sports wagering revenue, directing 5.5 percent to the Sports and Entertainment Fund and 2 percent to the Economic Development Trust Fund, dedicating new resources to support the Commonwealth’s economic growth.
The full text of the Fiscal Year 2027 budget is available online.
Having been passed by the Legislature, the bill has been sent to Governor Healey for her signature.
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