On Friday, the legislature approved the results of negotiations between the branches on the FY 25 Budget. The approved compromise now sits on the Governor’s desk for review.
There is a lot to like in the budget, notably including:
- Free community college, permanently established in law and funded
- The Commonwealth Cares for Children (early education) program, permanently established in law and funded
- Big increase in operational support for the MBTA
For the past few months, we have also been working on one less widely noticed provision: a new commission to make recommendations regarding collaboration and consolidation in the correctional system. This provision appears in Section 214 of the final document. Over the next couple of years, this commission may build consensus for some important and beneficial structural changes in our correctional systems.
This presentation prepared by the Senate Ways and Means Committee offers a helpful overview.