The Massachusetts Senate today approved a $61.4 billion state budget for Fiscal Year 2026 (FY26). Over three full days of debate, the Chamber adopted 493 amendments, adding a total of $81.1 million in spending for statewide initiatives and local priorities for communities throughout the Commonwealth to the Senate Ways and Means Committee’s originally proposed budget.
Read MoreThe Massachusetts Senate today added provisions to the proposed Fiscal Year 2026 budget to lower prescription drug costs, expand benefits for Gold Star spouses, and increase funding for pediatric palliative care, among other amendments adopted during debate.
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The Massachusetts Senate today passed a $240 million supplemental budget that will direct funds to the Group Insurance Commission (GIC), the health insurance agency responsible for delivering coverage to state and local government employees. The funding ensures that health care providers will continue to be paid for services rendered to employees.
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The Massachusetts Senate today passed a $1.33 billion plan to invest in public education and transportation across the Commonwealth.
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The Senate Committee on Ways and Means today released a $61.3 billion Fiscal Year 2026 (FY26) budget proposal that safeguards the state’s financial health, protects the state’s most vulnerable residents, and makes investments that reinforce the Commonwealth’s economic vitality in the face of mounting federal threats.
Read MoreThe proposal, S.2512, primarily uses funds from the Fair Share surtax, which is paid by households in Massachusetts earning more than $1 million per year, to expand career and technical education opportunities, to help construction projects at local schools and college campuses, and to support public transit and road and bridge funding for city and town governments.
Read MoreThe exhibit will be open from 9:30 am to 4:30 pm on Fridays, in Senate President Karen Spilka’s ceremonial office on the third floor of the Massachusetts State House, directly outside the Senate Chamber.
Read MoreBuilding on our past efforts to support genocide education and guard against hate-based attacks, our chambers are each committing $5 million in state funds, $10 million in total, to support the Holocaust Museum Boston, an institution that will serve as a powerful reminder of the atrocities perpetrated because of prejudice, the importance of resisting hate in every form, and the power of democratic institutions to fight back against bigotry and dehumanization.
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In 2023 the Massachusetts Legislature passed, and Governor Healey signed into law, a historic tax relief bill aimed at lowering costs for working families, homeowners, renters and the Commonwealth’s seniors, among others. Residents can expect to see the effects of this tax relief package as they file their taxes for tax year 2024.
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In response to federal actions under the second Trump Administration that threaten critical programs and institutions, the Massachusetts Senate is launching RESPONSE 2025, a coordinated effort to protect residents, defend the Commonwealth’s values, and lead Massachusetts through a potentially difficult time.
Read MoreToday, Massachusetts Senate President Karen Spilka announced that busts of women’s rights leader and presidential advisor Abigail Adams, as well as freedom fighter Elizabeth Freeman, the first enslaved woman to successfully sue for her freedom in the United States of America, will be commissioned and placed in the Massachusetts Senate Chamber.
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Today, the Massachusetts Legislature passed legislation to extend the hybrid public meeting option, allowing cities and towns to offer remote participation through June 2027. The extension applies to public bodies and representative town meetings.
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Today, the Legislature passed a $425 million supplemental budget to support emergency housing assistance for unhoused families across the Commonwealth.
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Today, Senate President Karen E. Spilka announced the membership of the Senate Art Committee, a group of Senators and arts leaders who will be tasked with making the art and symbols in the Senate more representative of the residents of the Commonwealth.
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On February 13, Senate President Karen Spilka hosted her third annual Galentine’s Day Celebration, bringing together women leaders from government, business, philanthropy, nonprofits, and the arts. With comedy and dialogue, the evening recognized and celebrated the contributions of the women shaping industries and communities across Massachusetts and the nation.
Read MoreThe Senate’s rules proposals for the 2025-2026 session aim to create a transparent and efficient Legislature that meets our current moment. These proposals will build on the Senate’s commitment to transparency and create a framework for increased productivity during legislative sessions.
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Today, the Massachusetts Senate passed legislation to allocate $425 million to support emergency housing assistance for unhoused families across the Commonwealth. The bill adds cost controls and reporting mechanisms to ensure the state responsibly uses taxpayer dollars, while continuing to fund a system that serves Massachusetts mothers, fathers, and children in crisis.
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