How I Voted: Making Critical Investments to Address State Budget Needs

Bill: Fiscal Year 2026 Supplemental Budget

Date of Vote: June 10, 2026

What Problem Was This Bill Trying to Solve?

Throughout the year, unexpected costs and changing needs can create gaps in the state budget. This supplemental budget addresses urgent funding needs that were not fully anticipated in the original Fiscal Year 2026 budget, including winter storm recovery, public safety operations, substance use treatment, emergency management, homelessness services, and other critical programs.

This legislation ensures that essential state services have the resources they need while also making targeted investments in education, veterans, and local communities.

What Does the Bill Do?

• Provides $228 million to address time-sensitive state budget needs. 

• Allocates funding for winter storm response and recovery efforts, including snow and ice removal. 

• Supports public safety operations, including funding for sheriffs and the Department of Corrections. 

• Provides additional resources for substance use treatment and recovery services. 

• Maintains funding for homelessness assistance programs serving vulnerable individuals and families. 

• Supports Massachusetts National Guard costs related to emergency response activities. 

• Expands the Massachusetts School Building Authority’s ability to support local school construction projects. 

• Directs future online lottery revenue toward early education initiatives. 

• Updates eligibility requirements for certain veterans’ bonus programs. 

• Extends emergency shelter support for eligible families with children and pregnant women. 

• Removes the $10 surcharge on car-sharing rentals. 

• Strengthens oversight of pharmacy benefit managers (PBMs). 

How I Voted

I voted YES.

Why I Voted This Way

As a legislator, one of my most important responsibilities is ensuring that state government meets its obligations and that critical services have the resources necessary to serve our communities.

This supplemental budget addresses immediate needs that arose after the passage of the original state budget, including emergency response costs, public safety needs, support for individuals struggling with substance use, and assistance for families experiencing homelessness.

I was also supportive of the investments this bill makes in education and our local communities. Expanding the ability of the Massachusetts School Building Authority to support school construction projects will help communities address aging infrastructure and provide students with safe, modern learning environments. Directing future online lottery revenue toward early education provides another potential source of support for programs that help children and families.

I supported this legislation because it balances responsible fiscal management with the need to address urgent challenges facing residents across the Commonwealth.