BOSTON — Massachusetts House lawmakers passed a $63.4 billion FY27 budget bill 149 to 9 on April 29 — and a line-by-line read of the engrossed text reveals millions of taxpayer dollars earmarked for immigration legal aid, abortion-fund grants, migrant family hotel shelters, and a half-dozen cultural commissions.
The bill, House No. 5501, now heads to the Massachusetts Senate, which will produce its own version before the two chambers reconcile in conference committee ahead of the July 1 fiscal-year start.
Here's what's inside the House version of the bill, line by line.
The Massachusetts House chamber at the State House on Beacon Hill, where H.5501 passed 149-9.
$9 million for immigrant legal services — with a $2 million Mattapan earmark
Line item 4003-0124 appropriates $9 million for "the implementation of an immigration legal services program" — funds distributed to nonprofits to "increase access to legal representation for immigrants and refugees in the commonwealth, including, but not limited to, legal assistance in a single consultation or ongoing legal representation and all legal advice, advocacy and related assistance."
Of that $9 million, $2 million is earmarked for one organization: the Immigrant Family Services Institute, Inc. (IFSI-USA), for offices "including but not limited to" Mattapan, Brockton, Everett, Worcester, Methuen and Lowell. The bill specifies funds for "facilities, operations, programming, legal and mental health services."
$259 million for the family shelter program that explicitly funds hotel stays
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Line item 7004-0101 appropriates $259,100,649 for the state's Emergency Assistance shelter program.
The bill text directs, in plain language, that "funds shall be expended for expenses incurred as a result of families being housed in hotels due to the unavailability of contracted shelter beds" — the legal mechanism by which migrant families have ended up housed at state expense in Massachusetts hotels.
Eligibility extends to "persons permanently residing under color of law" — a category that includes asylum-seekers and other immigrants without permanent status — when a child in the family is a US citizen or lawful permanent resident.
Governor Maura Healey and Massachusetts House Speaker Ronald Mariano. The Senate's version of the FY27 budget will reconcile with the House's H.5501 in conference committee before reaching the governor's desk.
$2.46 million in grants to abortion funds
Line item 4513-1001 directs $2,460,200 to the Department of Public Health for "grants to support improvements in reproductive health access, infrastructure and security," with three named recipients written directly into the bill text.
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The bill requires the department to report grant amounts to the House and Senate Ways and Means committees by March 2, 2027.
$1.6 million for the LGBTQ Youth Commission
Line item 0950-0050 appropriates $1,600,000 for the "Commission on Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer and Questioning Youth," established under Chapter 3, Section 67 of the General Laws. The bill specifies that funds shall be used to address issues related to the state's anti-bullying law.
Other receipts inside H.5501
- $1,361,246 for a "Citizenship for New Americans" program, with the bill specifying priority for "persons who would qualify for benefits under chapter 118A of the General Laws but for their status as legal noncitizens."
- $993,777 for the Office for Refugees and Immigrants operations.
- $586,188 for the Commission on the Status of Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders.
- A $30.3 million senior-centers appropriation includes a $100,000 earmark for OutstandingLife, Inc. to operate a "statewide virtual senior center for LGBTQIA+ older adults."
- A $22 million public health appropriation flags funding "to address the recommendations of the commission on lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer and questioning youth" for "the reduction of health disparities for gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender, queer and questioning youth."
What's next
The House passed H.5501 149 to 9 on April 29. The Senate will produce its own version of the FY27 budget, and the two chambers will reconcile differences in conference committee before sending a final version to Governor Maura Healey for signature ahead of the fiscal year that starts July 1.
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