The bill titled "An Act Making Appropriations for Fiscal Year 2025" proposes a total appropriation of $2.45 billion gross and $947 million net for the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, primarily to support the MassHealth program with an allocation of $2.046 billion. Other significant funding includes $162.7 million for county sheriffs, $75 million for housing preservation, and $20 million for costs related to the 2026 World Cup. The bill also establishes the Economic Resiliency and Federal Response Fund to prepare for future economic uncertainties and emphasizes building financial reserves. Additionally, it includes provisions aimed at enhancing government transparency and public health, such as allowing the Massachusetts Department of Public Health to decouple immunization recommendations from federal standards and updating the Medicaid program's Managed Care Organization assessment.

The bill further amends various chapters of the General Laws, including changes to the management and disclosure of patient records, with a new rebuttable presumption favoring the disclosure of records after a specified number of years post-mortem. It mandates that facilities maintain resident records for at least 20 years and requires notification to the Department of Public Health before any records are destroyed. Other amendments include establishing a special revenue fund for the Woodlands Partnership of Northwest Massachusetts, updating commercial fishing permit requirements, and adjusting election procedures for the 2026 state primary and general elections. The bill also outlines financial provisions for transferring excess capital gains income to the Economic Resiliency and Federal Response Fund and the Commonwealth Stabilization Fund, aiming to enhance economic resilience and streamline election processes.

Statutes affected:
Bill Text: 7C-44, 21A-10H, 23I-3, 25-22, 29-2HHHH, 32-26, 41-56, 66-7, 118E-64, 123-36, 123B-17, 130-2, 149-44H, 161A-7