Education

This bill appropriates funds for the fiscal year 2027 to support various state departments, boards, and institutions, including specific allocations for education, healthcare, and social services. It authorizes the lottery commission to enter into new contracts for games not previously authorized, allowing contractors to receive a percentage of revenues without those payments being subject to future appropriation. The legislation also adjusts the percentage of lottery proceeds distributed to specific trust funds, such as the Youth Development and Achievement Fund and the Public Health Trust Fund, while modifying the authority of the inspector general regarding report submissions. Additionally, the bill sets spending limits and reporting requirements for programs addressing homelessness, child welfare, and special education.

Text of amendments, recommended by the committee on Ways and Means, to the Senate Bill to promote student learning and mental health (Senate, No. 2581, amended). April 7, 2026.

This bill allocates $1.25 billion in state funds for capital improvements at Massachusetts public higher education institutions (state universities, community colleges, and vocational schools). It directly affects these institutions by funding deferred maintenance, modernization, decarbonization, lab upgrades, and facility renovations to support educational missions and regional economic development. Key provisions include $80 million for energy efficiency projects, $100 million for repurposing campus buildings into housing, and $120 million for student support facilities and collaborations between community colleges and vocational schools. The bill requires annual reporting on project progress and outcomes, such as student participation in collaborative programs, to ensure accountability.