Senate debates $2.3 billion FY25 closeout supplemental; bill targets sheriffs oversight, student aid and disaster fund

Senators opened a prolonged debate on House Bill 4615, the fiscal year 2025 closeout supplemental spending bill reported by the Committee on Ways and Means. Chair of Ways and Means, Senator Roberts, described the bill as the instrument to "balance the books, reconciling spending gaps, addressing priorities, and putting FY25 to bed." (Senator Roberts, 00:11:25).

The bill proposes substantial gross spending supported by federal participation; after federal financial participation the committee described the net impact on state funds as substantially smaller. The committee recommended a MassHealth (Medicaid) supplemental appropriation of $2,050,000,000 gross and $539,000,000 net to cover FY25 deficiencies, citing higher acuity in MassHealth populations and long-term supportive care as principal drivers (Senator Roberts, 00:19:56; 00:23:27).

Ways and Means also proposed a trio of measures to address what the chair called an "unsustainable" increase in sheriff expenditures after the 14 independent sheriff offices overspent their FY25 appropriations by approximately $162 million. The package would: (1) appropriate $12.5 million for a no-cost-calls program; (2) provide $14 million for Section 35 substance-use treatment aid; and (3) authorize an Inspector General review of FY25 finances for all 14 sheriff offices and establish a sheriff fiscal oversight council to review sheriff finances monthly (Senator Roberts, 00:13:37).

On higher education, the amendment would…