House of Representatives Passes $3.65 Billion COVID Recovery Bill

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: October 28, 2021

CONTACT: Jacqui Manning, Office of Representative Michael S. Day

Massachusetts House of Representatives Passes $3.65 Billion COVID-19 Recovery Bill

State Representative Michael Day recently announced the passage of a $3.65 billion spending plan by the Massachusetts House of Representatives that will make significant, targeted expenditures to expedite the Commonwealth’s continued recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic.

“The House bill we passed today makes needed investments that will help us in our continued recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic,” said Representative Day. “I very much appreciate the support of Speaker Mariano and Chairman Michlewitz for funds specially allocated to Stoneham and Winchester. I am confident that the House’s spending plan will keep us on the path toward a full and equitable economic recovery.”

Through Representative Day’s advocacy, the House included the following funds for Stoneham:

• $150,000 for the planning and development of an auxiliary fire station on the south side of Stoneham;
• $125,000 for the redesign and revitalization of the south corridor of the Stoneham center district;

The spending plan, known as An Act relative to immediate COVID-19 recovery needs, uses dollars given to Commonwealth of Massachusetts from the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) as well as the Fiscal Year 2021 (FY21) budget surplus to assist in the recovery in areas such as housing, schools and workforce development throughout the Commonwealth.

Other highlights of the bill:

• $600M for homeownership aid and housing production and maintenance, with a focus on developing both affordable housing and supportive housing stock as a much-needed response to ongoing housing instability and homelessness
• $350M for environmental infrastructure and development spending, with a focus on environmental justice communities, climate change resilience, and clean energy, including:
  • $100M for Marine Port Development and Offshore Wind
  • $100M for Environmental Infrastructure for communities to become more climate resilient
  • $100M for Water and Sewer infrastructure improvements
  • $25M for State Parks and recreational facilities upgrades
• $500M in the state’s unemployment insurance system
• $25M for small businesses

• $200M worth of tax relief for small businesses that paid personal income taxes on State or Federal relief awards over the last year and a half
• $70M specifically for nursing facilities
• $250M for behavioral health programs
• $100M for workforce initiatives ranging student loan assistance, tuition reimbursements to workshop training programs
• $150M over three years to better address health disparities and improve data systems
• $20M for improve technical infrastructure for community health centers
• $20M for Special Education needs including $10M for workforce
• $78M in funding to address food insecurity across the Commonwealth

The bill now moves to the State Senate for consideration and debate.

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