House passes $2.25 billion FY2025 supplemental; adopts hospital-assessment amendment and limits sheriff funding pending IG review

The Massachusetts House of Representatives during a floor session approved House Bill 4601, a $2.25 billion supplemental appropriations bill for fiscal year 2025, and adopted Amendment 70, which raises hospital assessments and directs a $50 million transfer from the Commonwealth Care Trust Fund to the Health Safety Net.

Representative Michael Wits of Boston, speaking on the floor, described the measure as an effort to close the fiscal year: "This $2,250,000,000 supplemental budget will close the books on fiscal year 2025," he said, adding that the bill has a net cost to the Commonwealth of $750,000,000.

The supplemental contains a mix of deficiency funding and new allocations aimed at covering shortfalls and targeted programs. Representative Lawn of Watertown, who offered Amendment 70 on the House floor, said the plan "delivers the critical relief necessary to prevent that crisis, ensuring stability for providers who care for our most vulnerable patients, and preserving access to care." The amendment was adopted by roll call, 146 in the affirmative and 8 in the negative, with the clerk recording that the amendment was "adopted with change."

Key spending and policy items described on the floor include: a gross increase of $1,670,000,000 (net $303,000,000) for MassHealth to close out FY2025; $60,700,000 for snow-and-ice deficiency; $35,000,000 for the HomeBase program; $15,000,000 to establish a sports and entertainment fund; $10,000,000 set aside for anticipated World Cup events; $12,000,000 for universal school meals; $10,000,000 for a public awareness campaign related to forthcoming federal Medicaid work requirements; $10,000,000 to the Massachusetts Life Science Center; and $5,000,000 for reproductive health direct supports.

On sheriff accounts, the bill provides limited funding targeted to two programs: $14,000,000 for Section 35 alcohol and substance use treatment services and $12,000,000 for the No Cost Calls communications program. The House adopted language delaying broader funding for sheriff accounts until the Office of the Inspector General investigates expenditures and reports back to the legislature by February 2026.

The consolidated amendments package considered alongside the bill included multiple subject-area changes. Consolidated Amendment A, which included changes to the definition of "violent injury" under chapter 32 and provisions to assist 73 municipalities and districts in Western and Central Massachusetts facing steep health-insurance premium increases, was adopted on roll call, 144-11. A separate amendment offered by Representative Sweezy of Duxbury that would have required the Executive Office of Housing and Livable Communities to verify permanent resident or U.S. citizenship status for applicants for direct rental assistance was rejected on the floor (the chair announced "the nays have it"). Later consolidated amendment votes recorded additional affirmative tallies (including a 151-4 result for a consolidated amendment recorded in a later roll call).

The bill also contains a number of policy and technical provisions noted on the floor: authority for the Department of Public Health to determine routine childhood vaccination schedules rather than relying solely on CDC advisory committee recommendations; changes to managed care organization (MCO) assessments to conform with federal requirements; extension of simulcasting authority to December 15, 2027; and a prescribed distribution of excess capital gains revenue after bill spending (90 percent to a transitional escrow account, approximately $337,000,000; 5 percent, $18,800,000, to the State Retirees Benefits Trust Fund; and 5 percent, $18,800,000, to the Commonwealth Pension Liability Fund).

Votes at a glance

- Amendment 70 (hospital assessment / Commonwealth Care Trust transfer): adopted, roll call tally 146 yes, 8 no ("adopted with change"). - Representative Sweezy amendment (citizenship/permanent-resident verification for direct rental assistance applicants): rejected (chair stated "the nays have it"). - Consolidated Amendment A (multiple provisions including violent-injury definition and municipal insurance relief): adopted, roll call tally 144 yes, 11 no. - Later consolidated amendment (recorded roll call): adopted, roll call tally 151 yes, 4 no. - Final vote to pass House Bill 4601 to be engrossed: passed, roll call tally displayed as 141 yes, 14 no.

What the House did not adopt or what remains contingent

The chamber limited broad additional funding for sheriff accounts and conditioned further appropriations on an inspector general review with a February 2026 reporting deadline. Several spending changes and new targeted payments described on the floor will require federal approvals (for example, certain Health Safety Net and MCO assessment changes noted that they "will require CMS approval").

Next steps

The House ordered the bill to be engrossed following recorded votes. The bill, as amended, will proceed through the legislative process and will require any necessary approvals from federal agencies and further action by the Legislature and the Senate before becoming law.

(Reporting based on the House floor record and recorded roll-call tallies.)