Budget & Taxes

This bill (S 2521) allocates specific funding for child care programs under the Executive Office of Education for fiscal year 2025. It provides $95,554,342 for DCF and DTA-related child care and $94,015,214 for income-eligible child care, supplementing existing appropriations. The funds are intended to support low-income families and early education services through established state agencies. The bill was enacted as an emergency measure on May 29, 2025, with no new policy requirements beyond the specified funding amounts.

This bill appropriates $425 million from the General Fund for supportive services and safe shelter for unhoused families in Massachusetts, supplementing existing housing programs. It requires emergency housing applicants to disclose unsealed criminal convictions (excluding sealed/expunged records) and mandates criminal background checks before program placement. The bill limits eligibility for families with no other children to six consecutive months of benefits, with extensions possible for documented hardships like domestic violence, veteran status, or disabilities. It also requires translated informational handouts about resources and benefit duration for recipients, applying to the emergency housing assistance program.