See What's In New MA $389 Million Supplemental Budget

MASSACHUSETTS — A supplemental state budget signed last week by Gov. Maura Healey will fund critical social services and extend some pandemic-era rules as lawmakers work toward a permanent budget for the next fiscal year.

The $389 million budget signed by Healey Wednesday is about $100 million larger than the one she sent to Beacon Hill at the end of January. Healey initially proposed the budget to fund programs that were running out of money ahead of the next fiscal year, including the state's shelter system and a universal school lunch pilot program.

Here's a look at some key items in the budget:

Shelter: The budget includes a total of $45 million to expand the state's at-capacity emergency shelter program. There's also nearly $16 million for the Residential Assistance for Families in Transition (RAFT) program, which provides up to $10,000 to residents to pay for housing emergencies, including the prevention of an eviction.

Food benefits: A bulk of the supplemental budget funds an "off-ramp" for Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits. The federal government took away pandemic-boosted SNAP benefits at the beginning of March, but the state will use $130 million to partially restore assistance for three months. There's also $2 million to reimburse SNAP recipients who've had their benefits stolen by skimming machines.

School meals: There's $65 million in the supplemental budget to continue free universal meals in public schools through the end of the current school year.

Remote meetings: Allows governments across the state to continue holding meetings remotely until March 2025 — a move originally made to keep governments running during the start of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Reproductive health: There's $1.25 million for these services, but the bulk — $1 million — will go toward a public awareness campaign about crisis pregnancy centers, which attempt to divert pregnant people away from abortion providers. The remaining money will go to Reproductive Equity Now’s legal hotline.

Childcare: The budget provides $68 million for the state's Commonwealth Cares for Children (C3) program, which helps pay for early education staffing and other costs.

Migrant care: There's $7 million for services for immigrants and refugees coming to Massachusetts. The state welcomed about 2,000 migrants last summer alone — double the number in all of 2021. Some funding for housing services will also benefit newly arrived residents.

Bond authorizations: The supplemental budget also authorizes borrowing to fund capital improvement programs, including $400 million for MassWorks, $104 million for the Clean Water Trust Fund and $30 million in matching funds for a federal broadband access program.