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Senate Passes FARM Bill to Support Farms That Feed Massachusetts

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Daily News

BOSTON — On April 1, the Massachusetts Senate passed the FARM Bill, agricultural legislation aimed at supporting Massachusetts’ 7,000 farms, making it easier for families to buy fresh and nutritious food, and protecting the state’s food supply for the future.

The legislation — formally known as S.3029, An Act fostering agricultural resilience in Massachusetts — is a major step forward in supporting Massachusetts farmers and growing the state’s agricultural economy. It builds on a recent special commission report focused on making Massachusetts agricultural operations sustainable for the 21st century.

The FARM Bill helps owners of small farms to grow their businesses by removing hurdles and making agritourism ventures, such as corn mazes and pick-your-own berry and fruit operations, possible. The legislation also supports expanding farm operations with a local option property tax exemption for new agricultural buildings.

“Massachusetts relies on the farms and fisheries that put fresh, local food on our tables, and it’s on us to make sure they can keep going and thrive,” Senate President Karen Spilka said. “This bill does exactly that. It helps farms stay open; makes it easier for families to buy fresh, local food; and strengthens our food system for the long run. When we support our farmers, we’re supporting everyone in Massachusetts.”

The bill makes it easier for residents to access healthy food, making permanent the Healthy Incentives Program to help families afford fresh produce and the Farm to School program to bring local ingredients into schools. By codifying these programs, the Senate is continuing its response to federal actions that threaten food access as a part of the Senate’s Response 2025 initiative. A further Response 2025 priority requires that state emergency planning efforts prioritize the security of the local food supply chain given federal cuts to emergency planning.

The FARM Bill additionally requires regular reporting on the distribution of local produce through food banks, universal school meals, Meals on Wheels, the Massachusetts Emergency Food Assistance Program, and other food assistance programs. This data will help assess the damage from detrimental federal actions such as the elimination of the USDA Local Food Purchase Assistance Cooperative Agreement Program, which purchased food from historically underserved Massachusetts farmers and provided it to underserved communities.

“Today, the Senate advanced urgently needed legislation to support the farms, producers, and fisheries that are the foundation of our local and regional food systems,” said state Sen. Jo Comerford, co-chair of the Special Commission on Agriculture in the 21st Century and Senate vice chair of the Joint Committee on Agriculture and Fisheries. “In Western and North Central Massachusetts, where agriculture is core to our economy and identity, we know that, when we lose farmland, we lose far more than fields — we lose livelihoods, food security, and community.”

Massachusetts Senate Approves Three Bills

By
Daily News

BOSTON — The Massachusetts Senate approved three bills last week aimed at combating the opioid epidemic, protecting people with intellectual and developmental disabilities, and managing car rental costs for residents.

Specifically, the approved legislation expands protections for individuals using testing equipment to protect against fentanyl, updates an existing protection law to close an unintended gap for day habilitation participants, and changes car rental insurance requirements to reduce costs for Massachusetts residents.

“These three bills reflect the Senate’s continued commitment to smart, compassionate, and practical policymaking,” state Sen. Adam Gómez said. “By strengthening access to life-saving fentanyl testing tools, expanding protections for people with disabilities, and easing the financial burden of renting a car in Massachusetts, we are addressing real challenges that impact people’s daily lives. Each bill closes a gap — whether in the law, in access, or in affordability — and together, they represent meaningful progress toward a safer, more equitable, and more affordable Commonwealth. I’m proud to support this legislation and grateful to my colleagues for moving it forward.”

“An Act relative to fentanyl test strips,” S.1057, is intended to reduce the tragic toll of overdoses and make life-saving tools accessible to those who need them most. It explicitly exempts fentanyl testing equipment from the list of prohibited drug paraphernalia and expands liability protections to anyone who provides, administers, or uses the tests, including first responders.

“Fentanyl test strips are inexpensive, easy to use, and, most importantly, they are an evidence-based tool that saves lives,” said Senate Majority Leader Cindy Creem, primary sponsor of the legislation. “By making them widely available, Massachusetts can give people one more way to prevent overdoses and protect families from tragedy.”

The legislation builds upon a 2024 law that provided criminal and civil liability protections for those in the harm reduction community who provide or use fentanyl test strips in good faith. According to the Department of Public Health, nearly 400,000 fentanyl test strips were distributed in 2024, and fentanyl was present in 88.6% of opioid-related overdose deaths that year. This legislation would expand the liability protections beyond those just in the harm reduction community and ensure police officers who seek to distribute the tests or others acting in good faith are afforded legal protection.

“An Act to update Nicky’s Law,” S.165, strengthens protections for people with intellectual or developmental disabilities who participate in MassHealth contracted day habilitation programs and ensures that participants in day habilitation programs are afforded the same safeguards from abuse as individuals in other care settings.

“Placing your trust in a caretaker to ensure the safety and well-being of a child, parent, family member, or loved one with a disability is hard. When that trust is violated, it can feel like the ultimate betrayal of not only the caretaker who did it, but also the system that allowed it to happen,” said state Sen. Michael Moore, primary sponsor of the legislation.

The legislation would ensure that the existing statewide registry that prevents individuals with substantiated abuse allegations from being hired in care positions would include day habilitation programs contracted by MassHealth.

“An Act relative to affordable car rentals,” S.2367, aligns Massachusetts with the majority of other states by updating car rental insurance requirements to maintain liability coverage on a secondary basis, making rental companies responsible only if the renter is uninsured or underinsured.

State Sen. Julian Cyr, primary sponsor of the legislation, noted that “we’re one of the only states where rental companies, not your own insurance, are required to carry primary coverage, and the cost of that policy gets passed right along to consumers. By aligning Massachusetts with the rest of the country, we’re helping lower rental car prices for families, travelers, and anyone who needs to rent a car in a pinch. I’m proud the Senate has taken this step to make life just a little more affordable for our residents and visitors.”

By shifting primary liability to the renter’s personal auto insurance, the legislation helps make car rentals more affordable and accessible for Massachusetts residents, reducing costs while maintaining necessary protections.

Having been approved by the Senate, all three bills now advance to the House of Representatives for consideration.

Senate Passes Supplemental Funding for Emergency Shelters

By
Daily News

BOSTON — The Massachusetts Senate passed legislation to allocate $425 million to support emergency housing assistance for unhoused families across the Commonwealth. The bill adds cost controls and reporting mechanisms to ensure the state responsibly uses taxpayer dollars, while continuing to fund a system that serves Massachusetts mothers, fathers, and children in crisis.

The bill aims to provide safe shelter and supportive services for unhoused families, establish eligibility requirements and time-limited benefits, and ensure program accountability to help protect Massachusetts residents.

“Today we struck a balance between our fiscal responsibility to Massachusetts taxpayers and our moral obligation to moms, dads, and kids who are in a difficult moment,” Senate President Karen Spilka said. “We prioritize Massachusetts families in need, ensure transparency in the program, and lay the groundwork for long-term solutions to homelessness.”

Sen. Adam Gomez added that “our Commonwealth’s Emergency Assistance (EA) shelter system is designed to provide families facing homelessness across the state a feasible pathway to regain stable housing. This piece of legislation bolsters our critical EA shelter system infrastructure while also maintaining our responsibility to taxpayers. I’m proud to collaborate with my colleagues in the Senate to deliver sound policy for some of our most vulnerable residents.”

The legislation enhances the existing residency requirements for families in the shelter system, ensuring assistance is received by those who are Massachusetts residents. Those in shelter would be able to stay for up to six months, and those families with young children, a pregnant person late in their pregnancy, or in other vulnerable circumstances would be able to receive hardship exemptions to increase their length of stay.

The bill requires verification of personal details to confirm that shelter residents are eligible for benefits. It ensures fiscal responsibility by including new guidelines for implementation of  the shelter system intended to control costs and increase safety, and it funds temporary respite sites for families in crisis for up to 30 days and requires adult applicants for emergency housing assistance to disclose prior criminal convictions before placement into housing. The bill would also limit or exclude individuals with serious crimes from receiving assistance.

A previous version of this bill having passed the House of Representatives, the two branches will now reconcile the differences between the bills before sending it to the governor’s desk.

Senate Unanimously Passes $5.4 Billion Affordable Homes Act

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Commercial Real Estate
Construction

Toward More Accessible Housing

 

On June 27, the Massachusetts Senate passed its Affordable Homes Act, authorizing $5.4 billion in borrowing and making policy changes with the goal of building new housing, accelerating the rehabilitation of existing housing, reducing barriers to development, and promoting affordable housing.

The legislation passed unanimously. With separate versions having passed the Senate and the House of Representatives, the two branches will now reconcile the differences.

State Sen. Adam Gomez, who has personally experienced housing insecurity, lauded the bill’s passage.

“The housing crisis we are seeing nationwide is one of the major challenges of our lifetime, and a challenge we can’t shy away from if our state is going to remain competitive and viable for families and individuals who want to set their roots here,” he said. “Today, we took important steps to address this issue and make the housing market more approachable to first-time buyers and people of color, as well as renters looking for affordability in the areas they work. I am proud of our work here and look forward to seeing this blueprint put in motion.”

Sen. Adam Gomez

Sen. Adam Gomez

“The housing crisis we are seeing nationwide is one of the major challenges of our lifetime, and a challenge we can’t shy away from if our state is going to remain competitive and viable for families and individuals who want to set their roots here.”

According to a release by the Massachusetts Senate press room, the bill’s components include the following:

 

Creating and Repairing Public Housing

The Senate’s Affordable Homes Act provides $2.2 billion for repairs, rehabilitation, and renovation across the 43,000 units of state-aided public housing. This investment aims to ensure that the state’s public housing infrastructure remains safe, modern, and sustainable so it can continue providing quality living conditions for thousands of families.

To ensure that the Commonwealth makes strides towards its climate goals as it creates housing, $150 million of the funding for public housing is specifically allocated to making energy-efficient upgrades.

 

Spurring Affordable Housing Units

A further $425 million will go to the Housing Stabilization and Investment Trust Fund, working with municipalities, nonprofits, and developers to support housing preservation, new construction, and rehabilitation projects for affordable rental units. This is intended to help the longevity and sustainability of affordable housing stock, addressing both immediate needs and long-term housing solutions.

In addition, the bill includes $800 million for the Affordable Housing Trust Fund to create and preserve housing for households with an income at or below 110% of area median income, helping to bridge the gap between the high cost of housing and what many families can afford.

 

Building Sustainably

This bond bill includes $275 million for innovative, sustainable, and green housing initiatives. By finding new ways to build that don’t have such a detrimental environmental impact, these initiatives will help pave the way for a greener housing portfolio in Massachusetts and will be an important part of the state’s response to the climate crisis.

 

Supporting First-time Homebuyers in Gateway Cities

The Senate’s Affordable Homes Act authorizes $200 million for the CommonWealth Builder program to further the production of housing in gateway cities for first-time homebuyers. This initiative supports economic development in these cities, helping families achieve homeownership and contributing to the revitalization of urban areas.

The legislation also includes $50 million for MassDreams, a program that provides down-payment and closing-cost grants to first-time homebuyers who meet the program’s eligibility criteria and who currently live in one of the 29 communities that were disproportionately impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic.

 

Maintaining Essential Infrastructure

The bill provides $375 million for HousingWorks, a program that awards grants to municipalities and other public entities for a variety of infrastructure-related support.

Of this amount, $100 million will be dedicated to addressing water, sewer, and septic challenges tied to housing developments, and $100 million will help incentivize best practices in communities that have adopted the Community Preservation Act (CPA) and are spending a high percentage of those funds on housing, as well as MBTA communities that are going beyond the minimum requirements set forth in the MBTA zoning law passed in 2021. Communities that have been proactive in creating transit-oriented development, which reduces traffic congestion and promotes sustainable urban growth, will be eligible.

 

Addressing Regional Equity

The legislation includes $150 million in dedicated funds to address the unique housing needs of rural towns, seasonal communities, and mid-sized communities, aiming to ensure that all areas of the state, regardless of size or location, have the resources to meet their specific housing challenges.

 

Policy Proposals

The Senate’s Affordable Homes Act also contains multiple policy proposals to go hand in hand with the new authorizations, including:

• Protecting Tenants from Broker Fees. By requiring that real-estate brokers’ fees be paid solely by the party that contracted with them, this legislation aims to ensure that buyers are not burdened with unexpected and extraordinary costs, while also promoting transparency and fairness in real-estate transactions.

• Establishing Equity-focused Housing Offices. The Office of Fair Housing and the Office of Livable Communities and Community Services will be established under the Executive Office of Housing and Livable Communities. These offices aim to set the Commonwealth on a path to address many decades of housing discrimination by prioritizing equity issues in housing, ensuring equal access to housing opportunities for all residents, and offering technical assistance to cities and towns that can sometimes lack dedicated housing staff.

• Eviction Record Sealing. The bill introduces a process for tenants to seal their eviction records in cases of no-fault evictions and other limited scenarios. This policy protects vulnerable tenants from the long-term stigma of eviction records, enhancing their ability to secure future housing and promoting housing stability.

• Accessory Dwelling Units (ADUs). The legislation prohibits the banning or unreasonable restriction of ADUs in single-family residential zones, promoting flexible housing options. This policy aims to enable homeowners to create additional living spaces, increase housing supply, and provide more affordable rental options within established neighborhoods.

• Homeownership Tax Credit. This new tax credit will be available for the production of homeownership units for households that make up to 120% of the area median income, incentivizing housing production and promoting homeownership opportunities.

 

‘A Bold Commitment’

State Sen. Lydia Edwards, chair of the Senate Committee on Housing, called the bill “more than a legislative measure; it is a bold commitment to the principles of production, preservation, and protection of housing across the Commonwealth. With a $5.4 billion investment, we are building new homes, preserving existing ones, and ensuring that all residents, especially the most vulnerable, have access to safe and affordable housing.

“This bill can’t fix everything or undo past injustices, but it can course correct and set us on the right path,” she added. “It acknowledges that solving the housing crisis is a long-term effort, one that requires innovative solutions and ongoing commitment. This act focuses on supporting the vanishing middle class, sealing eviction records, and providing protections for seniors and working-class individuals like teachers, healthcare workers, small-business owners, and public servants. Our goal is to create a more equitable, inclusive, and sustainable future for all in Massachusetts.”

Massachusetts Senate Proposes Free Community College for All

By Contributor
Education

Expanded Opportunity

 

On May 6, Senate leaders unveiled MassEducate, a proposal for tuition-free, universal community college for all Massachusetts residents, aimed at boosting the state’s workforce and expanding opportunity for students and families in every part of the Commonwealth.

The announcement was made during an event at Middlesex Community College in Lowell, where Senate President Karen Spilka, Senate Ways & Means Chair Michael Rodrigues, and Senate Higher Education Chair Jo Comerford gathered with members of the Senate, presidents of the Commonwealth’s 15 community colleges, business leaders, students, and advocates.

“Today, we shift conversations about college from ‘I wish’ to ‘I will’ for thousands of students and families in Massachusetts,” Spilka said. “We are investing in talent that is right here at home and opening the workforce floodgates to employers who are starved for graduates, so Massachusetts keeps the competitive edge that we pride ourselves in.”

MassEducate would invest $75.5 million in new spending to cover tuition and fees for all residents, as well as up to $1,200 for books, supplies, and other costs to students who make up to 125% of median income in the state. Pell-eligible students already eligible for a books stipend through state financial aid would also be eligible for a stipend for books, supplies, and costs of attendance, for a combined amount of up to $2,400 per year.

“Today, we shift conversations about college from ‘I wish’ to ‘I will’ for thousands of students and families in Massachusetts.”

“With the historic investments announced today, ushering in universally free community college and more, the Senate doubles down on our commitment to build back the power and promise of public higher education,” Comerford said. “The Senate investments will propel the Commonwealth forward toward greater social equity and greater economic competitiveness.”

The Senate’s plan, which will be included in the chamber’s FY 2025 budget, would continue to invest in programs created in the FY 2024 budget, including $18 million in free nursing programs at community colleges and $24 million in free community college for residents over age 25.

Students would be eligible for free tuition, fees, and the stipend in the fall 2025 semester if the proposal is included in the Commonwealth’s final FY 2025 budget.

To support students whose education paths can be jeopardized by unanticipated life events, Senate leaders announced the creation of the Student Persistence Fund, a $10 million investment that would go directly toward aiding community colleges and state universities in supporting low-income students with such costs that are shown to put someone’s chance of finishing school at risk, such as transportation, childcare, or food insecurity.

Understanding that retention and graduation is directly tied to support systems like advising and career planning, the Senate also proposed an $18.3 investment in the Supporting Urgent Community College Equity through Student Services (SUCCESS) program, which is designed for community colleges to invest in wraparound supports and services using models proven to strengthen outcomes for students facing systemic barriers, especially for colleges’ most underserved populations.

To ensure the long-term fiscal sustainability of the program, the Senate’s proposal would institute annual tuition-increase caps at community colleges set at an inflation index. And to hold community colleges accountable for producing positive outcomes, the proposal creates a working group to re-evaluate community-college performance funding, aimed at better aligning state funding with key metrics such as student success and workforce alignment.

Recognizing that many Massachusetts students opt directly for four-year universities, the budget makes a $105 million investment in the Massachusetts financial-assistance program MassGrant Plus, which keeps college costs low for students at all public colleges in the Commonwealth. This increased investment builds on recent investments that have allowed all Pell-eligible students in Massachusetts to go to a community college, state university, or UMass campus without paying tuition or fees.

The proposal additionally includes policy directives to study future paths to success for the Commonwealth’s students. It directs the Department of Higher Education to improve the credit transfer pathway between two- and four-year institutions so students can easily transfer to a public four-year institution. It also creates a new commission to evaluate current state financial assistance for students to attend state universities and UMass and evaluate ways to further ensure accessibility and affordability of an education at these institutions.

State Senate Passes Bill to Increase Access to COVID-19 Testing, Vaccines, and Masks

By
Daily News

BOSTON — The Massachusetts state Senate passed a $76 million plan to prevent the further spread of COVID-19 and its variants by providing residents with greater access to tests, vaccines, and masks, prioritizing communities disproportionately impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic as well as frontline workers. The plan also provides increased flexibility for unemployment-insurance recipients to address overpayments of pandemic unemployment benefits and funds an expanded multi-lingual campaign to notify unemployment claimants of their legal rights. Much of the funding of the bill is expected to be eligible for reimbursement by the federal government.

“Today’s investments reflect the Senate’s commitment to center equity in the state’s ongoing pandemic response,” Senate President Karen Spilka said. “In addition to maintaining public health, key aspects of this bill, like the distribution of masks, will ensure that our COVID mitigation strategy is fair. Teachers, hospital staff, other frontline professionals, artists, and cultural institutions should not be expected to pay out of their own pockets for masks. Such basic protections are essential to doing one’s job, and providing them will give a small but vital relief.”

The legislation includes a $50 million investment to further increase the availability and encourage usage of both testing and vaccination throughout the state. This allocation includes $7 million to assist community organizations promoting vaccine awareness and education in disproportionately impacted communities and $5 million to expand the capacity of community health centers to test and vaccinate, including funding to hire additional staff.

Notably, $5 million is specifically allocated for increasing vaccination rates among 5- through 11-year-olds, an age group now eligible to be vaccinated but whose vaccination rates remain low in comparison to older residents. The bill also establishes a grant program, in consultation with the Massachusetts Cultural Council, for cultural institutions to help promote vaccine awareness and education.

The bill also allocates $25 million for the state to purchase and distribute high-quality masks in Massachusetts, with priority given to education and healthcare workers.

In response to reports that the Department of Unemployment Assistance (DUA) is seeking to collect overpayments in pandemic unemployment benefits that were paid to some Massachusetts residents through no fault of their own, the bill provides funding for the DUA to conduct a multi-lingual, easy-to-understand public-information campaign to notify claimants of their legal rights. The bill also extends the period during which DUA can reconsider a determination of overpayment and requires that the department produce a comprehensive report detailing the status of overpayments.

The bill also extends the authorization for several COVID-19 emergency measures adopted earlier in the pandemic, such as those related to health services in assisted-living facilities, liability protections for healthcare providers, remote notaries, flexibility for local governments and nonprofits to hold meetings virtually, outdoor dining, and beer, wine, and cocktails to go. The bill also requires the secretary of Health and Human Services to develop a vaccine-equity plan and directs the Department of Public Health to publicly post guidance on effective mask usage and recommended testing, quarantine, and isolation periods. Finally, the bill sets the date for this year’s state primary election for Tuesday, Sept. 6.

With a version of this legislation having previously passed the House of Representatives, both the House and Senate will now work to reconcile the bill.

“Our families and frontline workers have done everything asked of them to stay safe and make best use of limited resources during the pandemic,” state Sen. Eric Lesser said. “This $76 million in state funds will provide the tools and additional support to expand our testing and vaccination infrastructure, address staffing shortages, improve vaccination-education efforts, and provide high-quality masks with priority to education and healthcare professionals.”