Massachusetts House Passes FY27 Budget 149-9, Investing $1.2 Billion in Housing

BOSTON — April 29, 2026 — Massachusetts House passes $63.3 billion FY27 budget 149-9, rejecting a dozen minority amendments on immigration, utility charges, and local aid. The chamber voted 154-0 to adopt Consolidated Amendment F, locking in nearly $1.2 billion in housing investments, including $281 million for the Massachusetts Rental Voucher Program, $82 million for HomeBASE — a $25 million increase over last year — and $8 million for a new winter homeless beds program, as detailed by Housing Committee Chair Richard M. Haggerty of Woburn. Amendments by Kenneth P. Sweezey of Duxbury to require citizenship inquiries for rental assistance and to grant a one-year MBTA Communities Act compliance reprieve fell 26-130 and 27-126, respectively. Marc T. Lombardo of Billerica saw two shelter eligibility amendments fail by similar margins. Representative Adam J. Scanlon of North Attleboro highlighted outside section 47, a DNA exception rule that would eliminate the statute of limitations for rape prosecutions where DNA evidence identifies a perpetrator — a provision he said was championed by survivors including a constituent who flew from Virginia to witness the vote. The budget now heads to conference with the Senate.