The Massachusetts House of Representatives this week passed three education bills that seek to improve reading outcomes among elementary school students, educate middle- and high-school students on personal financial literacy, and update the criteria for awarding a Seal of Biliteracy for bilingual graduating students.  

Yesterday, the Massachusetts House of Representatives passed legislation that strengthens protections for public transit workers by expanding current laws on assault and battery against public employees. The bill, An Act relative to assault and battery upon a transit worker, ensures that transit employees receive the same legal heightened protections as other public employees while performing their jobs.  

Yesterday, the Massachusetts House of Representatives passed comprehensive legislation to strengthen oversight, transparency, and accountability within the Commonwealth’s child welfare system. An Act Enhancing Child Welfare Protections modernizes the Department of Children and Families’ (DCF) statutory reporting, clarifies the independence of the Office of the Child Advocate (OCA), improves educational stability for children in care, and updates the state’s child fatality review process.   

This week, the Massachusetts House of Representatives passed a supplemental budget to address deficiencies, to make new necessary investments, and to close the books on Fiscal Year 2025 (FY25). The legislation appropriates $2.25 billion in gross spending, at a net cost to the state of $750 million, representing a reduction of almost $200 million from the Governor’s original proposal.  

The Massachusetts Legislature last week enacted a supplemental budget bill that prioritizes care for the state’s most vulnerable populations by strategically targeting support to fiscally-strained hospitals and community health centers. 

This week, the Massachusetts Legislature enacted a $61.01 billion state budget for Fiscal Year 2026, a fiscally responsible plan that protects core services for the state’s most vulnerable residents, maintains critical investments, and positions the Commonwealth to confront the underlying budget challenges that are a result of federal funding uncertainty. 

The Massachusetts Legislature approved $1.39 billion in new investments in public transportation and public education across the Commonwealth. The supplemental budget—funded by surplus revenue from the Fair Share surtax on incomes over $1 million, allocates $716 million for transportation and $593.5 million for education at every level. 

Saturday, August 9, 2025, and Sunday, August 10, 2025, are the official dates of Massachusetts’ annual sales tax holiday thanks to actions taken by the Massachusetts Legislature this week. During the holiday, the state’s 6.25 per cent sales tax is suspended for most retail items priced under $2,500. 

The Massachusetts House of Representatives passed a set of reforms to the Commonwealth’s cannabis laws that would allow the cannabis industry to continue growing responsibly. The bill makes changes to the structure of the Cannabis Control Commission (CCC), increases the number of retail licenses that an entity may have, lowers the barrier to entry for medical marijuana retail, increases purchase limits for consumers and patients, and addresses the selling of hemp products.  

The Massachusetts House of Representatives this week passed a $537 million Fiscal Year 2025 (FY25) supplemental budget that provides funding to ensure the continuation of state programs such as child care financial assistance, home care services, emergency funding for housing, and food access initiatives, as well as municipal grants for the 250th anniversary of American independence. The bill has a net cost to the state of $325 million after offsets.