Free Community College, School Meals, More: What's In MA $56.2 Billion Budget

BOSTON, MA — A month past the start of the new fiscal year, state lawmakers have finally put forward a budget deal that will fund state government operations, plus new initiatives like paid community college tuition, an extension of free school lunches and a plan for using revenue from the new Fair Share tax approved by voters in 2022.

The $56.2 million budget exited a legislative conference committee Sunday night, where state House and Senate budget leaders hashed out not only regular department funding, but also new initiatives introduced in recent months by lawmakers and Gov. Maura Healey.

During sessions on Monday, all 39 members of the state Senate voted in favor of the package, while the House approved it 156-2. State Reps. Nicholas Boldyga, R-Southwick, and Marc Lombardo, R-Billerica, were the two "nay" votes.

Here are some key items in the compromise budget:

• Mandates free meals for every public school student. The state will spend $172 million in fiscal year 2024 on this initiative, reimbursing districts for the cost of meals above federal funding.
• A $50 million allotment will begin a program providing community college free of charge for students beginning in fall 2024. Students over 25 and some nursing programs would be free as soon as this fall.
• Increases K-12 funding to about $6.6 billion, which equals about $60 per pupil
• Extends in-state tuition rates for undocumented students
• Funds free phone calls for inmates in county and state prisons and jails
• Provides a spending plan for about $1 billion from the Fair Share tax — also called the millionaire's tax — with about $520 million for education and $480 million for transportation, including $205 million for the T.

"The budget represents a major step forward for our Commonwealth, particularly in making higher education more affordable and more accessible to everyone — which is crucial to securing our long-term competitiveness, providing residents with concrete ways to create the futures they dream of, and continuing our state's commitment to education at every level," Senate President Karen Spilka, D-Ashland, said Sunday.

Healey has 10 days to review the budget and decide whether to sign off.