A provision in the enacted state budget for fiscal year 2023 would have amended the Massachusetts Paid Family and Medical Leave Act (PFMLA) to provide employers and employees more flexibility to use other accrued benefits to...more
On March 17, the same day we wrote about proposed legislation in Connecticut to cap drug price increases, Governor Charlie Baker of Massachusetts included a similar proposal in his proposed budget. Similar to the Connecticut...more
Today, Governor Charlie Baker released his Fiscal Year 2023 (FY2023) budget recommendations. This is the unofficial start of “budget season” in Massachusetts that will culminate with a legislative conference committee...more
During his annual State of the Commonwealth address, Governor Charlie Baker highlighted the heroic work of frontline workers and first responders throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, while reminding the Commonwealth that though...more
On December 11, 2020, Massachusetts Governor Charlie Baker signed the Commonwealth’s FY21 budget into law. While the $45.9 billion budget does not raise taxes, it includes a number of significant tax provisions summarized...more
On July 31, 2019, Governor Charlie Baker signed a $43.3 billion fiscal year 2020 budget (“General Appropriations Act”). Originating from the Conference Committee’s budget, the General Appropriations Act accounts for any...more
On July 22, 2019, the Massachusetts House of Representatives (“House”) and Senate Conference Committee (“Conference Committee”) released the Commonwealth’s $43.1 billion fiscal year 2020 budget bill (“H. 4000”). It passed the...more
On January 23, 2019, Massachusetts Governor Charlie Baker revealed his fiscal year 2020 budget for the Commonwealth of $42.7 billion. While the budget contains a number of new initiatives, one new initiative is particularly...more
Governor Baker announced on Friday that, as part of his FY 2020 budget, he would be proposing to increase the real estate excise tax in order to fund the Global Warming Solutions Trust Fund. The Governor stated that, in the...more
Governor Baker has sent some mixed messages to the environmental community in his first term. After promising during the campaign to increase environmental spending to 1% of the state budget, he’s made essentially no progress...more
On Wednesday, January 24, 2018, Governor Charlie Baker released a $40.9 billion budget proposal for FY2019. The plan, commonly referred to as House 2, is the fourth Baker has proposed since assuming office and increases...more
Massachusetts lawmakers have returned from summer recess and are preparing to tackle a robust legislative agenda this fall. Legislators will meet formally through the third Wednesday in November, at which point formal...more
On Monday, July 17th, Governor Charlie Baker signed a budget for FY2018 that includes $39.4 billion in spending. This comes ten days after the Legislature approved a state budget with a $40.2 billion bottom line. The Senate...more
With the unveiling of Governor Charlie Baker’s FY2018 budget, the commencement of the 2017-2018 legislative session on Beacon Hill, and a new presidential administration underway in Washington D.C., the Massachusetts health...more
On Wednesday, January 25th, Governor Charlie Baker announced a $40.508 billion budget for FY2018 that increases state spending by a projected $1.65 billion, or 4.3 percent, over FY2017 levels. The budget proposal, Baker’s...more
On Tuesday, December 6, Governor Charlie Baker, under his Section 9C authority, ordered $98 million in mid-year cuts from the $39.25 billion FY17 state budget. The administration has warned of budget imbalances for months and...more
After a mad scramble to take action before their midnight deadline, Massachusetts lawmakers closed the 20152016 legislative session by passing five of the “Big Six” bills on their agenda. Beacon Hill saw a flurry of activity...more
Governor Charlie Baker signed a budget for FY17 on Friday, July 8, after vetoing $256 million in spending included in the plan approved by the legislature. The budget, which represents the second annual spending plan signed...more
With Beacon Hill off and running in the new year, Governor Charlie Baker and House Speaker Robert DeLeo this week unveiled key parts of their policy agendas for 2016. As part of his second budget proposal since assuming...more
On Friday, January 8, Governor Charlie Baker ordered $49 million in emergency spending cuts aimed at erasing a projected state budget shortfall. In a letter to state lawmakers, Baker said his administration had identified a...more
On Thursday, September 10, The New England Clean Energy Council (NECEC) hosted its third annual Legislative Roundup. The event brought together clean energy advocates and technology developers from around the Northeast to...more
After a busy final few weeks of activity, the Massachusetts Legislature departed for its summer recess with a new budget and progress on several priority policy issues. In addition to overriding $97 million in Governor...more
On April 29 the Massachusetts House of Representatives approved a $38.1 billion spending plan for FY2016 by a unanimous vote of 158-0. Over roughly 28 hours of sessions, the House dispensed with over 1,000 amendments to pass...more
During the rollout of his fiscal year 2016 budget proposal, Massachusetts Governor Charlie Baker proposed to repeal the state’s film tax credit in 2017. While this tax credit has drawn criticism for its goal of providing...more