Massachusetts Senate Adopts $1.35 Billion Fair Share Supplemental Budget, Teacher Pension Fix

BOSTON — June 4, 2026 — Massachusetts Senate passes $1.35 billion Fair Share supplemental budget and opens pension door for 8,500 teachers. The Senate voted 37-3 Wednesday to adopt the conference committee report on House 5470, the FY26 Fair Share supplemental budget, which directs surtax revenue toward $595 million for MBTA support and capital upgrades, $100 million in municipal winter relief from the blizzard of 2026, $150 million for early education, and a new $35 million annual sales tax exemption to spur multi-family housing construction. Ways and Means Chair Michael J. Rodrigues presented the report; Minority Leader Bruce E. Tarr voted yes on most provisions but warned the MBTA funding came with "no signal" on cost control, while Ryan C. Fattman, Kelly A. Dooner, and Peter J. Durant voted no. Separately, the Senate voted 39-0 to pass House 4361, sponsored by Senator Liz Miranda and co-led by Senator Sal N. DiDomenico, creating a one-time enrollment window through June 30, 2027 for more than 8,500 teachers wrongly excluded from the Retirement Plus enhanced pension program in 2001 due to administrative failures at the program's launch.