Massachusetts Budget Passes on Time. Here’s What’s Included

Massachusetts lawmakers submitted their fiscal year 2026 budget plan to Gov. Maura Healey on Monday, June 30. It is the first time in nearly 10 years that lawmakers approved the budget before the beginning of the state's fiscal year on July 1.

According to the Boston Globe, the $61 billion plan is only $1 billion less than the price of Healey's initial budget proposal and approximately $500 million less than what the House or Senate agreed to during recent months.

The final budget deal included the following items:

This measure would abolish mandatory tenant-paid broker's fees to eliminate unnecessary hurdles for renters. 

The budget requires regional transit authorities to provide fare-free service with an incentive of $209 million in funding to bring it into reality.

The budget bill would provide a 12% increase ($9 million) to Attorney General Andrea Campbell's office, extending $83 million for the 2026 fiscal year. This support is designed to help Campbell's office continue its fight against what it foresees will be continued legal action against the Trump administration's policies.

The state's fiscal year 2026 budget relies more heavily on funds generated from the "millionaires tax." The budget plan sent to Healey on June 30 commits spending $2.4 billion from this revenue, a $500 million increase from what House and Senate lawmakers originally committed to and more than $1 billion above what was budgeted for in surtax revenue in the 2025 fiscal year.

Language in the budget allows candidates campaigning for office to use campaign funds to pay caretakers for parents or other adult dependents. The Globe notes that similar campaign fund language was passed by the Legislature last year, which approved using campaign funds for child care.