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S 4

Amendment S.4

194th Legislature (2025-2026)

The budget expands education funding and local aid while maintaining no new taxes, using Fair Share revenues and prior estimates to support education, housing, and health services.

See H5501
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Bill Summary · S 4

Summary of Bill S.4 (Senate, 194th Session) — Massachusetts FY 2027 Budget Recommendations

Note: This summary focuses on the substantive content and potential impact of the Senate Ways and Means FY 2027 budget proposal (Bill S.4), including its main objectives, key funding provisions, and anticipated effects on programs and populations.

1. Purpose and Intent

  • Provide the FY 2027 General Appropriations Act (GAA) for the Commonwealth, detailing operating and certain capital needs across agencies, departments, and programs.
  • Present a balanced, gradual growth budget that:
    • increases education funding (including full SOA implementation), local aid, housing, health care, and public safety.
    • funds priorities without increasing taxes or fees and without drawing on the Stabilization (Rainy Day) Fund.
    • relies on Fair Share surtax revenues for education and transportation investments and on prior year revenue consensus estimates.

2. Key Provisions and Changes

Overall Budget

  • Total General Fund spending proposed: $63.3 billion (FY 2027), with $62.46 billion from the General Fund and related sources plus $836.3 million retained revenue (Net: $63.30B).
  • Fair Share surtax allocations: $2.7 billion in Fair Share funding, directed to education and transportation, plus adjustments from a recently passed supplemental budget.
  • Rainy Day Fund: Proposed to deposit an additional $51 million, bringing the fund to a historic level (~$8.2 billion) by end of FY 2027.
  • No tax or fee increases proposed; no use of Stabilization Fund for this budget.

Education

  • SOA Implementation: $7.66 billion for Chapter 70 education aid (up $297 million vs. FY 2026).
  • Additional support: $52 million in FY 2027 for higher minimum aid, raising minimum aid to $160 per pupil.
  • Foundation Budget Review Commission revived to re-examine the K-12 funding formula in light of rising costs (special education, transportation, health care, enrollment shifts).
  • Special Education: $652.6 million for Special Education Circuit Breaker (plus $200 million in Fair Share supplemental budget) totaling $852.6 million.
  • Regional school transportation: $114.2 million in reimbursements (90% cost coverage).
  • Rural school aid: $20 million (plus $4M in Fair Share supplement).
  • Other education investments include: reimbursements for charter school attendance costs, Adult Basic Education, METCO, Early College/Dual Enrollment, civics and social-emotional learning initiatives, AP math/science, and state initiatives like 988 suicide prevention hotlines; Preschool/Pre-K initiatives supported via CPPI and related programs.
  • Higher Education: Funding for UMass ($884M), community colleges ($419.4M), state universities ($409.8M), and universal community college ($137M). Also includes wraparound supports and MAIPSE (Inclusive Postsecondary Education) investments.

Local and Regional Aid

  • UGGA (Unrestricted General Government Aid) to towns: $1.376B (up $53M over FY 2026) to stabilize municipal budgets.
  • Regional Transit Authorities (RTAs) funding: $217.5M (plus provisions to support fare-free service regionally).
  • PILOT payments for state-owned land: $55.3M to support impacted municipalities.
  • Arts, culture, libraries: $53.4M in libraries and $27.4M to the Massachusetts Cultural Council.

Health and Human Services

  • MassHealth (Medicaid/CHIP): $22.74B gross ($9.32B net), up 2.8% from FY 2026, to preserve access for over 1.9 million residents.
  • Mental Health: Over $1.3B total across adult, children, and related services; substantial funding for jail diversion, hospital/community services, and homelessness prevention.
  • Public Health: Nearly $1.16B for core public health programs, including infectious disease, maternal/child health, HIV/AIDS programs, suicide prevention, and neonatal/infant services.
  • People with Disabilities: Over $3.35B across DDS and related programs (residential, day/work programs, autism services, Turning 22, etc.). Creation of a Turning 22 Commission to study and improve transition services.
  • Aging and Independence: Just over $1B for community-based aging services, meals, protective services, housing assistance for seniors, and caregiver supports.
  • Children and Working Families: SNAP-related cost-shift mitigation planning, increased anti-hunger funding ( Emergency Food Assistance, HIP, WIC, BR job supports), TAFDC/EAEDC continuity, and a $500 clothing allowance per child to offset school costs.

Housing and Homelessness

  • Housing investments total over $1.1B, including:
    • Massachusetts Rental Voucher Program (278M)
    • Emergency Assistance shelters and Residential Assistance for Families in Transition
    • Local housing authorities and homeless shelters
    • HomeBASE and related housing stabilization supports
  • Streamlined local permitting provisions to facilitate housing production, with updated timelines and flexibility for pre-existing nonconformities and variance standards.

Economic and Workforce Development

  • YouthWorks, One-Stop MassHire, Career Technical Institutes, and various innovation and small business supports.
  • Investments to bolster regional economic development and workforce pipelines.

Climate and Environment

  • Continues funding momentum from the MassReady framework and allocates more than $455M for environmental and energy initiatives, including parks, DEP, environmental protections, and clean energy workforce investments.

Public Safety and Judiciary

  • Trial Court operations: $1.0B; other judiciary funding includes Public Counsel Services, Probation, and Legal Aid.
  • Public Safety agencies receive robust funding aimed at reducing recidivism, improving crisis response, and expanding jail-diversion and rehabilitation programs.
  • Special attention to diversity, equity, and bias initiatives within the Trial Court.

3. Who would be Affected

  • Students, families, and school districts (SOA, Chapter 70, transportation, special education, and early education supports).
  • Local governments and towns (UGGA, regional transit funding, PILOT payments).
  • MassHealth enrollees and health care providers (MassHealth, behavioral health, and public health services).
  • People with disabilities and aging residents (DDS, elder services, Turning 22, home-based supports).
  • Veterans, housing-insecure individuals, and homeless populations (veterans’ services, shelter programs, rental assistance).
  • Court users and indigent litigants (Trial Court, CPCS, legal aid, and race/bias initiatives).
  • Businesses and workers (MassHire centers, career tech training, and small business assistance).
  • Environment and energy sectors (MassReady-related and climate/energy programs).

4. Procedural and Timeline Aspects

  • The bill represents the Senate’s FY 2027 budget recommendations, aligning with a January consensus revenue estimate and presenting a balanced approach for a full year starting July 1, 2026, through June 30, 2027.
  • It calls for reviving the Foundation Budget Review Commission to reexamine K-12 funding formulas and respond to rising costs and enrollment dynamics.
  • Specific programmatic reporting requirements are included for several line items (e.g., CPCS reports on indigent defense; Probation program outcomes; trial court quarterly revenue reports; Turning 22 Commission planning).
  • Several components rely on Fair Share revenue (education and transportation) and supplemental Fair Share actions, as well as federal SNAP-related cost-sharing considerations anticipated for FY 2028.

Overall, S.4 lays out a comprehensive, education-centric, locally supportive, and fiscally cautious budget plan for FY 2027, emphasizing education equity, housing stability, health and human services, and responsible local governance without new taxes.

Compiled from official sources — confirm details with the bill’s official record.

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