The bill titled "An Act Making Appropriations for Fiscal Year 2025" proposes a total appropriation of $2.45 billion gross and $947 million net to address critical budget needs in Massachusetts for Fiscal Year 2025 (FY25). Key allocations include $2.046 billion for the MassHealth program, $162.7 million for Massachusetts Sheriffs, $75 million for housing preservation, $60.7 million for snow and ice removal, and $20 million for costs associated with hosting the 2026 World Cup. The bill also aims to enhance the state's financial resilience by proposing a $125 million deposit into the Stabilization Fund and establishing a new Economic Resiliency and Federal Response Fund. Additionally, it includes provisions for government transparency and public health, such as granting the Massachusetts Department of Public Health authority to decouple immunization recommendations from federal standards and updating the Medicaid program's MCO assessment.

The bill further amends various chapters of the General Laws, including changes to the penalty structure for recreational and commercial fishers regarding striped bass and updates to the criteria for businesses appointed to the energy efficiency advisory council. It introduces a new section to chapter 29 for the Economic Resiliency and Federal Response Fund and mandates fingerprint-based criminal background checks for nursing license applicants. Other amendments focus on the management and disclosure of patient records, establishing a rebuttable presumption for the disclosure of records after a specified number of years post-mortem, and maintaining resident records for at least 20 years. The bill also outlines financial provisions for fiscal years 2025 and 2026, including the allocation of surplus funds and revenue transfers, ensuring that excess capital gains income is directed to the Economic Resiliency and Federal Response Fund and the Commonwealth Stabilization Fund.

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