Malden Delegation Applauds Passage of $389 Million Supplemental Budget

Governor Maura Healey signed the FY23 Supplemental Budget last Wednesday, which includes funding and supports for COVID-19 era programs and other critical areas.

BOSTON – Tuesday, April 4, 2023 – Last week, Governor Maura Healey signed the FY23 Supplemental Budget into law, providing critical funding and support to communities and families across the Commonwealth. In the past weeks, Representatives Steve Ultrino, Paul Donato, Kate Lipper-Garabedian, and Senator Jason Lewis have worked to ensure the bill will provide immediate support and much-needed resources to our residents and families, and applaud the Governor for signing the supplemental budget into law.

This $388.7 million budget includes additional funding for the state’s family shelter system amidst rising demand as well as ensuring free school meals for all students in Massachusetts though the end of the school year. Additionally, over 630,000 families will receive 3 months of additional supplemental nutrition assistance program (SNAP) benefits, equal to 40 percent of their COVID-19 federal benefits levels, to help them transition from the recent end of federal emergency COVID-19 SNAP allotments. Details of these investments and additional funding allocations include:

• $85 million to expand capacity of the state’s emergency family shelter system as demand rises;
• $130 million for a 3-month extension of SNAP emergency benefits at 40% of the COVID-19 allotment levels to help families transition;
• $2 million for reimbursements to victims of SNAP “skimming” and other fraud from April 1, 2022 to September 30, 2022;
• $65 million to fully fund universal school meals program through the end of the school year;
• $15.7 million in additional funding for the Residential Assistance for Families in Transition (RAFT) program;
• $68 million to continue the Commonwealth Cares for Children (C3) grant program which will help stabilize our early education and care workforce;
• $21.9 million to support schools through the end of the 2023-24 school year to help communities experiencing a large influx of families with school-aged children due to shelter placements.
• $400 million in bonds for the MassWorks Infrastructure Program.

“This bill will provide crucial support as Malden and the rest of the Commonwealth adjusts to a post-pandemic world by continuing the invest in local and statewide programs, services, and resources,” said State Representative Steve Ultrino (D – Malden). “I am especially grateful to see the significant investments to address increased food assistance needs in our communities. This bill will provide much needed relief to many of our seniors, families and low-income residents as they deal with the sudden ending of extra SNAP benefits. Thank you again to my delegation colleagues, as well as Governor Healey and Speaker Ron Mariano for the tireless work on this bill.”

“The House has secured funding for an array of important services in this supplemental budget. These important investments will help to improve housing and combat food security. The funding will also strengthen our workforce and improve our educational services,” said Representative Paul Donato (D – Medford). “This bill will be a powerful tool to help residents across the Commonwealth. As always, it was great to work with Representative Lipper-Garabedian and Representative Ultrino, focusing on the most critical needs of the community to build an ever-improved Malden and Massachusetts.”

“The legislature’s FY23 supplemental budget ensures sufficient resources for state programs – including for food security, emergency housing, and reproductive justice – that are critical to our communities,” said State Representative Kate Lipper-Garabedian (D-Melrose). “The ongoing investment in our early education and childcare workforce grants is a personal priority for me, having heard about and seen directly the critical needs in that sector. Additionally, I was glad to join the legislature in extending a number of pandemic-era flexibilities, including hybrid participation for public meetings and outdoor dining for our restaurant establishments.”

“I’m pleased that the state legislature was able to work closely with our new Governor to quickly pass this critical supplemental budget bill,” said State Senator Jason Lewis (D-Winchester). “These investments in food security, housing supports, economic development, and infrastructure are urgently needed by residents and communities in our region and across the Commonwealth.”

H.58 was signed into law by Governor Maura Healey on March 29, after House and Senate voted unanimously for it to be enacted on March 23, 2023.