WeVote
Log In

Bill

Bill

H 5555

An Act making appropriations for the fiscal year 2027 for the maintenance of the departments, boards, commissions, institutions, and certain activities of the commonwealth, for interest, sinking fund, and serial bond requirements, and for certain permanent improvements

194th Legislature (2025-2026)

Provides a comprehensive FY2027 appropriation across state agencies, focusing on funding for the judiciary, public safety, health, housing, and programs, with equity goals and deta

Laid before the Governor
0
WeVote Research Nonpartisan
Bill Summary · H 5555

Overview

  • Bill: H 5555
  • Session: 194th (Massachusetts)
  • Jurisdiction: Massachusetts
  • Title: An Act making appropriations for the fiscal year 2027 for the maintenance of the departments, boards, commissions, institutions, and certain activities of the commonwealth, for interest, sinking fund, and serial bond requirements, and for certain permanent improvements
  • Purpose: Immediate appropriations for the fiscal year starting July 1, 2026, plus various changes in law and program funding. The act is labeled an emergency measure to effectuate these appropriations and public purposes.

Main purpose and intent

  • Providing a comprehensive appropriation package for the Commonwealth of Massachusetts for FY2027 (fiscal year ending June 30, 2027), covering general operations, debt service, and certain permanent improvements.
  • Sets forth general fund appropriations to numerous state agencies, departments, courts, and programs.
  • Includes requirements to promote nondiscrimination and equal opportunity in spending and hiring within any agency receiving funds.

Key provisions and changes

  • Section 1: Establishes appropriations from the General Fund for various state operations and improvements for FY2027. Includes explicit nondiscrimination and equal opportunity mandates for agencies receiving funds.
  • Section 1A: Revenue section outlining sources of funds, baseline tax and non-tax revenues, statutory transfers, and summary of available resources for the budget. Requires quarterly and annual revenue reporting to finance committees.
  • Section 1B: Detailed non-tax revenue allocations and reporting requirements, breaking out receipts by department (Judiciary, Secretary of the Commonwealth, Treasurer/AG, DAs, etc.) and by fund source (federal, department revenues, transfers, restricted/unrestricted funds).
  • Section 2 (Conference Committee Report): Specific line-item appropriations for the Judiciary, including:
    • Supreme Judicial Court operations, clerk’s offices, trial court administration, and related programs.
    • Public defender and indigent defense funding with detailed reporting and compensation provisions.
    • Massachusetts Legal Assistance Corporation and related access-to-counsel programs.
    • Mental health legal services and prisoner-exile/innocence projects.
    • Extensive tribal and district court allocations, domestic relations, juvenile courts, probation services, and court infrastructure improvements.
    • Guardrails on reporting, performance standards, and in some items, explicit minimums or mandated allocations to ensure service levels (e.g., mental health clinicians in courts, eviction sealing study, race and bias initiatives in the trial court, and reentry program funding).
  • Multiple program-specific directives:
    • Community corrections and probation: reentry services, housing, employment supports, and data/evaluation requirements.
    • Recidivism reduction and cognitive-behavioral program expansions with grants to sheriffs and counties.
    • Special programs for veterans courts, DUI/diversion programs, and child advocacy services.
    • Grants and contract requirements to ensure fidelity to evidence-based practices.
    • Reporting deadlines (e.g., March 2, 2027; February 3, 2027) and data elements to be included in annual or quarterly reports.
    • Requirements for minimum contributions and salary floors for certain district attorneys’ offices.
    • Specific line items for transportation, housing, public safety, health and human services, and administrative services.

Who or what is affected

  • State agencies and departments receiving General Fund appropriations (Judiciary, Executive Offices, Health and Human Services, Education, Public Safety, Transportation, Administrative Services, etc.).
  • Judicial branch and related public defense and legal aid entities (Public Counsel Services, Massachusetts Legal Assistance Corporation, Mental Health Legal Advisors Committee, Prisoners’ Legal Services, New England Innocence Project, Social Law Library).
  • District Attorneys and associated offices across multiple counties.
  • Probation, community corrections, and reentry programs, including transitional housing and workforce development services.
  • Programs addressing recidivism reduction, mental health and substance use treatment within the criminal justice system.
  • Elections and secretary of the commonwealth activities (archives, records, civil records, census-related activities).
  • Non-tax revenues and transfers reporting, including state lotteries, gaming, and various enterprise-style accounts.

Timeline and procedural aspects

  • This act is framed as an emergency measure to take effect immediately for FY2027.
  • Various reporting deadlines are specified throughout (e.g., March 2, 2027; February 3, 2027; December 31, 2026) for program evaluations, budgeted transfers, and performance metrics.
  • Comptroller and EFA (Executive Office for Administration and Finance) are required to maintain distinct revenue accounts and quarterly comparisons to projections.

Summary assessment

  • The bill is a comprehensive FY2027 appropriation package with extensive program-specific allocations, emphasizing: access to counsel, mental health and recidivism reduction in the justice system, equity and nondiscrimination in state contracting and hiring, and rigorous reporting requirements to track budget and program outcomes. It sets broad funding across judiciary, health and human services, public safety, education, housing, and technology/administrative functions, with numerous mandated studies and performance reporting.

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

Sign in to ask a question.