Rep. DiDomenico spent 2025 bringing funding and legislative wins home to his district

Special to The Advocate

State Senator Sal DiDomenico worked tirelessly throughout 2025 to deliver millions of dollars to his district, to secure legislative victories that will protect residents’ rights and freedoms and to meet with countless constituents, advocates and colleagues throughout the communities he represents. DiDomenico also worked with colleagues to help pass budgets and bills that funded critical public services across Massachusetts, including funding another year of free Universal School Meals, providing early education and care support and boosting cash benefits for families in need.

“I couldn’t be prouder of the work I have accomplished this year alongside my team to stand up for working families, ensure we provide the best learning environment for our children, and deliver essential resources for our most trusted local organizations and schools,” said Senator DiDomenico. “It is the honor of my life to represent our communities in the Senate, and I look forward to making even more transformative changes in this second year of our two-year session in 2026.”

2025 Annual Budget

Budget priority funding wins for statewide programs thanks to Senator DiDomenico’s unrelenting advocacy:

• $180 million (M) for Universal Free School Meals, ensuring all students in Massachusetts can receive free breakfast and lunch at school, regardless of their family’s income
• Fully annualizes the Fiscal Year 2025 10% increase to Transitional Aid to Families with Dependent Children (TAFDC) and Emergency Aid to the Elderly, Disabled and Children (EAEDC) benefit levels to help families move out of deep poverty. Additionally, the budget ensures that pregnant women can access TAFDC, regardless of where they are in their pregnancy
• $50.5M for the Massachusetts Emergency Food Assistance Program to ensure individuals and families across our Commonwealth have access to food when in need
• Maintain the annual child’s clothing allowance, providing $500 per child to help eligible families buy clothes for the upcoming school year
• $360M for the Commonwealth Cares for Children (C3) grant program, which is matched with $115M in funds from the Early Education and Care Operational Grant Fund, for a total investment of $475 million. Despite the loss of federal funds after the COVID pandemic, the Commonwealth has maintained this vital early education program, which has lowered costs for families and increased opportunities for teachers in the field
• $10.8M for pediatric palliative care services that provide invaluable comprehensive care for children living with life-limiting or end-of-life illnesses, as well as support for their families
• $517.6M for income-eligible early education and child care
• $20M for grants to Head Start programs to promote school readiness for young children in low-income households
• $20.1M for the Healthy Incentives Program to support healthy food access for households in need
• $35M for Family Resource Centers (FRCs) to maintain mental health resources available to families
• $3.1M for the Boston, Cambridge and Everett fire departments’ hazardous material response teams
• $20.6M for employment services programs to help people with lower incomes move toward economic security
• $15.5M for the Commonwealth Preschool Partnership Initiative (CPPI), matching $5M in general revenue for a total of $20.5M, to support a pathway to universal prekindergarten expansion, including in Gateway Cities and the Summer Step Up program
• $15M for early literacy initiatives and programs
• $1.25M for the Young Mothers Experiencing Acute Trauma Pilot Program, a behavioral intervention program that works to stabilize and support young women, most of whom are mothers, who are traumatized survivors of abuse and neglect
• $1.25M for the Prostate Cancer Action Council

Senator DiDomenico secured additional statewide amendments in this year’s budget totaling approximately $750,000 that will provide additional support to the ALS Association of Massachusetts, the Boston Housing Authority and the Pediatric Palliative Care program.

Legislative Work

• Senator DiDomenico filed over 85 bills during this 2025-2026 Legislative Session. DiDomenico’s legislation focuses on a wide range of issues, from supporting working families, to providing the best education for our youngest generation, to protecting worker rights, to making our government work better for people regardless of their background or spoken language.
• DiDomenico proudly cosponsored and played a key role in getting the Transit Worker Safety bill signed into law. This decisive action will protect essential employees by finally holding people accountable who assault them while they are on duty.
• The Senator filed a groundbreaking Anti-Poverty Omnibus Bill that will, if passed, lift up Massachusetts working families and individuals in the short- and long-term by putting cash in pockets, expanding employment rights and providing meaningful wealth-building opportunities.
• In response to the flagging literacy rates among young students across our Commonwealth, DiDomenico filed an Early Literacy Bill, S.338, that ensures students are being taught with curriculums that are backed by science and are proven to be effective. Senator DiDomenico has been leading on this fight to ensure all children learn how to read and write, regardless of their zip code, alongside advocates, teachers and families from all over the Commonwealth.

Top legislative highlights that Senator DiDomenico helped pass through the Senate:

• A bill to make K-12 schools cell phone free, a move supported by two out of three parents with students, according to a recent poll
• One of the nation’s strongest data privacy bills, giving consumers more control over their data and with a focus on protecting children
• Continued the Commonwealth’s commitment to reproductive freedom, protecting health care providers and patients and preserving rights for transgender citizens through the Shield 2.0 Act—now law
• Fought back against politically motivated book bans while protecting librarians and educators from personal attacks
• Made it illegal for landlords to pass the cost of brokers’ fees on to renters—now law

Local funding wins

Annual budget: Senator DiDomenico’s local amendments in the Fiscal Year 2026 Budget totaling $625,000 supported local schools as well as trusted local organizations and programs.

Fair Share dollars: DiDomenico secured $750,000 in key investments going directly into his community from a funding bill using this year’s Fair Share dollars. These resources will go towards local projects in the district, such as playground enhancements, athletic and theater programs, creating sensory classrooms, assisting with repairs in our schools, new bleachers in a high school gym, afterschool programming, traffic calming measures on our streets, and new signalization to create a safer environment for drivers and pedestrians.