Senate Delivers Legislation to Lower Housing Costs, Expand Primary Care, Fund Immigrant Legal Aid, and Invest in Education and Transportation

Senate Delivers Legislation to Lower Housing Costs, Expand Primary Care, 

Fund Immigrant Legal Aid, and Invest in Education and Transportation 

$1.57 Billion Plan Pairs Fair Share Investments with Innovative Policy Solutions 

 

(BOSTON—4/9/2026) The Massachusetts Senate today approved a budget plan that pairs statewide education and transportation investments with innovative policies to spur new multifamily housing construction, boost the family medicine workforce, protect immigrants, and ease strained municipal budgets with regionally equitable Fair Share investments. 

 

The legislation, S.3041, exempts building materials from the sales tax for qualifying housing projects and boosts the primary care workforce by delivering scholarships to UMass Medical graduates who agree to practice in underserved populations in Massachusetts after graduation. 

 

The bill sends significant funding to city and town budgets to help with the costs of heavy winter storms, increases reimbursements for special education services, and strengthens scientific research operations at public universities. 

 

“By including innovative policy solutions with strong investments, we are going beyond just allocating funding in this budget,” said Senate President Karen E. Spilka (D-Ashland). “We are lowering taxes to spur housing, building our health care workforce, and protecting our immigrant neighbors, on top of making generational investments in statewide transit and education. I’m grateful to Chair Rodrigues for his leadership in delivering this bill, and grateful to each Senator for their contributions.” 

 

“Today, the Senate passed a consolidated Fair Share supplemental budget that makes significant strides in educational initiatives and transportation infrastructure, while maintaining our focus on municipal relief and regional equity,” said Senator Michael J. Rodrigues (D-Westport), Chair of the Senate Committee on Ways and Means. “The Senate continues to support special education, literacy growth, and also establishes a primary care higher education scholarship pilot program at UMass Medical that will help fill the shortage of primary care physicians in the Commonwealth. We also go big on transportation, investing Fair Share dollars to support the ongoing renovation and infrastructure improvements at the MBTA. This spending plan also addresses the harsh winter and historic blizzard of 2026, dedicating $100 million for municipal relief to beleaguered municipalities all across Massachusetts. I would like to thank President Spilka and my Senate colleagues for their input to craft this supplemental budget.” 

 

Legal Defense for Massachusetts Immigrants 

 

In response to federal legal actions targeting immigrants living in Massachusetts, the legislation invests an additional $1 million in legal defense services for immigrants, allocated from the state’s general fund. 

 

The funding comes following the success of an initial $5 million investment by the Legislature that created the Massachusetts Access to Counsel Initiative, which has already provided legal aid to hundreds of Massachusetts residents.  

 

Incentivizing New Housing Construction 

 

The legislation includes a new targeted sales tax exemption for building materials to incentivize the construction of new affordable, moderate-income, and middle-income housing units for certain housing projects.  

 

To target production in areas with the greatest need, the program focuses on projects that include at least 15 per cent affordable units and projects in communities where the median household income is below 120 per cent of the average household income. 

 

Education Investments 

 

As part of the Senate’s $618 million Fair Share investment in education, the legislation addresses Massachusetts’ shrinking primary care workforce with a pilot scholarship program.  

 

The new approach uses $10 million in Fair Share funds to offer full-tuition scholarships for UMass Chan Medical School students pursuing family medicine if they commit to remaining in Massachusetts and serving populations in need for five years after graduation. 

 

The legislation invests $100 million to ensure that Massachusetts’ public universities are able to withstand reductions in federal research funding and continue to strengthen their life-saving research and development operations, grow their renowned talent pipelines, and build strategic partnerships for the future. The funds would buoy the education and scientific research sectors through a new Public Higher Education Bridge Funding Reserve. 

 

The bill features a new $32 million investment to provide immediate relief for strained municipal budgets by increasing special education reimbursement rates in the current fiscal year. That investment is part of a larger $232 million appropriation for special education costs and circuit breaker reimbursements.  

 

The bill also includes $150 million toward supporting high-quality and accessible early education and care; $40 million for early literacy initiatives; and $18.3 million to expand financial assistance offered to Massachusetts students enrolled at state universities and UMass campuses. Additional investments of $2.5 million would boost school-based mental health support, and $1 million would help public schools implement bell-to-bell cell-phone free school policies. 

 

Transportation & Municipal Relief Investments 

 

As part of the Senate’s $763 million Fair Share investment in transportation, the bill sends $100 million to help towns and cities with extraordinary winter costs, including funds specifically marked for communities that were impacted by significant winter storms such as the historic Blizzard of 2026. 

 

The bill also includes generational funding in statewide Regional Transit Authorities (RTAs), funding for unpaved roads, and $535 million in direct support for the MBTA for operational funding, commuter rail support, and the low-income fare relief program.  

 

The legislation’s transportation and education investments are possible because of the Fair Share surtax on households that earn more than $1 million per year. Fair Share revenues have continued to exceed expectations year after year, leading to mid-year supplemental packages such as this one. 

 

The Senate and the House proactively split off critical funding for the Group Insurance Commission (GIC), which was originally contained in this bill, and fast-tracked that $300 million supplemental appropriation to the Governor earlier this week. 

 

The Senate Committee on Ways and Means advanced the FY26 consolidated Fair Share supplemental budget to the full Senate with a 16-0 vote on April 2, 2026. All committee votes are posted on the Legislature’s website and full details of the legislation are available in a fact sheet in the Senate Press Room. 

 

The Senate passed the bill with a 35-4 roll call vote today and sent it back to the House of Representatives for further review. 

FIFA 足球世界盃地鐵專車票＄80 開售破紀錄1小時1.7萬張

                 （Boston Orange綜合編譯）麻州地鐵局（MBTA）9日宣佈，2026 年 FIFA 世界盃mTicket，也就是「波士頓球場火車票（Boston Stadium Train mTickets）」，開賣首日就賣出 17,450 張首五場比賽車票，刷新MBTA所有特殊活動的售票紀錄。

                  在波士頓南站（South Station）與波士頓體育館（吉列體育場）之間往返的足球世界盃專車，需求驚人，開賣後一小時就賣出將近 11,000 張票，其中 5,000多張更是在10 分鐘內賣出，銷售速率已逼近 2023 年泰勒絲（Taylor Swift）音樂會第二輪售票時的紀錄。

                    MBTA總經理暨麻州交通廳代理廳長伍偉華（Philip Eng）指出，需求如此龐大，MBTA 必須以創新思維提供前所未有的列車服務。他強調，在奚莉政府（ Healey-Driscoll）和州議會的領導下，交通局近年來致力於重建包括地鐵、巴士、渡輪、復康巴士（paratransit）以及人力資源在內的完整交通網絡。目前的服務水準與三年前相比已大幅提升，預計在世界盃期間的七場賽事中，每場 14 趟班車將為球場帶來約 2 萬名乘客，遠超過往友誼賽約 3,000 人或愛國者隊比賽約 2,000 人的運輸規模。

                 為確保賽事期間交通順暢，MBTA 已投入 3,500 萬美元提前更新 Foxboro 車站工程，並針對 6 月至 7 月賽事，制定了大規模配套措施。包括持有世界盃專車票者，在車票有效當日，可無限次搭乘地鐵及通勤火車（Commuter Rail）的所有線路及區間車輛，地鐵各線路及部分核心巴士路線將在比賽日延長營運時間至凌晨 2 點。海地對蘇格蘭的6 月 13 日賽事，營運時間更將特別延長至翌日凌晨 4 點。

                 這款mTicket火車票售價為 $80 美元，持有世界盃球賽有效的當日入場券乘客，才可購買。乘客必須遵循波士頓體育館有關規定，不可自行攜帶提袋上車。

                  查詢詳情可致電客戶服務，617-222-3200，或上網，MBTA.com/WorldCup，或在推特（X）上連接地鐵 @MBTA，@MBTA_CR，以及臉書 /TheMBTA，IG @theMBTA，Threads @thembta，或抖音（ TikTok）@thembta。

Healey-Driscoll Administration Requests Major Disaster Declaration Following February Blizzard

Healey-Driscoll Administration Requests Major Disaster Declaration Following February Blizzard  
If granted, the declaration would secure federal assistance for state agencies and local governments in Barnstable, Bristol, Dukes, Nantucket, Norfolk and Plymouth counties 

FRAMINGHAM – Governor Maura Healey has requested a Major Disaster Declaration to support communities impacted by the February 22-23, 2026, blizzard, which brought whiteout conditions, record snowfall and hurricane-force wind gusts to much of eastern Massachusetts. If granted, this declaration would help reimburse state agencies and local governments in several counties for eligible snow removal and storm-related costs.  

The declaration request specifically seeks access to federal assistance programs for Barnstable, Bristol, Dukes, Nantucket, Norfolk and Plymouth counties, each of which reported storm-related expenses that exceeded the federal thresholds for assistance through Federal Emergency Management Agency’s (FEMA)  Public Assistance Program. In addition, Barnstable, Bristol, Norfolk, and Plymouth counties may qualify for additional snow assistance after meeting or nearing record historical one-day snowfall totals maintained by the National Climatic Data Center. 

“I saw first-hand the devastating impacts this record-breaking blizzard had on communities across Massachusetts, especially in the southeast,” said Governor Maura Healey. “First responders and local crews worked around the clock to dig out residents, keep roads open, and protect public safety. Those efforts were extraordinary but came at a significant cost to communities. We are requesting federal assistance to help our cities and towns recover and make sure they have access every available resource to support recovery moving forward.” 

“This was one of those once-in-a-generation storms, comparable to the Blizzard of ‘78 and 2015’s ‘Snowmaggedon,’ that people remember for the rest of their lives,” said Lieutenant Governor Kim Driscoll. “While the snow has melted, the financial impact of the tremendous state and local effort remains, which is why this Major Disaster Declaration is so important. It ensures that our communities can recover, rebuild and be reimbursed for the extraordinary work it took to keep people safe.” 

The blizzard, which dropped nearly three feet of snow on top of existing accumulation from a January storm, left extensive damage across the state. Hundreds of power lines and trees were downed, leading to outages that impacted hundreds and thousands of customers. Snowfall rates reached up to 4 inches per hour, made travel dangerous and prompting rescues of stranded motorists across the region. Governor Healey declared a State of Emergency, activated the State Emergency Operations Center and National Guard, and requested out-of-state assets from Connecticut, New York and Vermont to support snow removal efforts. 

Under the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act, the president can declare a major disaster for any natural event they determine has caused damage that exceeds the combined capabilities of state and local governments to respond. A Major Disaster Declaration secures financial assistance from the federal government, in this case through FEMA's Public Assistance Program, to provide funding to eligible local governments and non-profits for debris removal, protective measures (including emergency personnel, vehicles, and other resources), and repairs to public buildings and infrastructure. Counties that had record snowfall amounts would also be eligible for snow removal costs.  

Following a disaster like February’s blizzard, the Massachusetts Emergency Management Agency (MEMA) works directly with counterparts at FEMA Region 1 and impacted cities and towns to assess potentially reimbursable damages caused by, and costs related to, the disaster. Once these assessments are complete, FEMA validates whether the state and impacted counties have reached the required federal damage thresholds for a Major Disaster Declaration. 

During initial damage assessments, MEMA also issued a survey to collect damage reports from private homes and businesses, the results of which indicated that Massachusetts would not meet federal criteria for direct aid to residents and businesses through the Individual Assistance program. The Governor’s declaration request includes statewide availability of hazard mitigation grant funding for eligible mitigation measures that reduce disaster losses. 

“This blizzard required coordinated, sustained effort across state and municipal agencies, alongside our partners in non-governmental and volunteer organizations,” said MEMA Director Dawn Brantley. “The State Emergency Operations Center (SEOC) fielded more than 200 requests from impacted communities, and neighboring states answered Massachusetts’ request for assistance, providing critical equipment and support. As we move through recovery, I want to commend the commitment of the communities that dedicated significant time and attention to reporting the scope of damages while also facing the immediate challenges of storm cleanup.” 

The SEOC remained activated through February 27. Thirty-four municipalities declared local states of emergency. Throughout the week, 170 warming centers were opened across the state to assist people who didn’t have heat or electricity due to power outages, which topped 290,000 at the peak of the storm. Thousands of students missed days of class time as many schools remained closed throughout the week to allow for cleanup and power restoration. Many communities reported an increase in wellness checks needed for older adults who were snowed in and unable to go to scheduled medical appointments throughout the week because of closed roads and doctor’s offices. 

These efforts underscore the scale of the storm and the importance of securing federal support to help communities recover and rebuild. 

For more information about disaster response efforts and available support for communities, visit Mass.gov/MEMA.  

ArtsEmerson訂4/24-5/3推出「秘密分享者（The Secret Sharer）」全球首演

                (Boston Orange 編譯) 藝術愛默生（ArtsEmerson）將於 4 月 24 日至 5 月 3 日，在愛默生派拉蒙中心（Emerson Paramount Center）為DNAWORKS製作，改編自約瑟夫康拉德（Joseph Conrad）1909年著名短篇小說的引人入勝舞台劇「秘密分享者（The Secret Sharer）」，推出全球首演。

「秘密分享者」講述的是一名年輕船長從海中救起，並秘密收容一名被控謀殺逃犯後，兩人發展出一種超越言語，彼此深刻連結的故事，常被視為早期的酷兒文學作品。

DNAWORKS將把在傑基·李伯格特黑盒子劇場（Jackie Liebergott Black Box Theater）演出的這齣劇，從文學經典作品轉化為一場大膽的跨界實驗，融合現代舞、原創音樂、聲響藝術以及裝置藝術的來重新詮釋這段發生在海上、充滿心理張力的親密故事。

DNAWORKS共同創辦人 Daniel Banks 表示：「我們期待分享這部作品中的親密與溫柔，為酷兒群體及其支持者營造一個具有療癒力與韌性的空間。」

這齣本劇將採用 DNAWORKS 招牌的「故事圈（Storycircle）」形式演出，不但讓觀眾以旁觀者身份，圍繞場地形成船隻的「周界」，並在演出過程中邀請觀眾分享自身故事。這種創新的互動模式打破了傳統劇場邊界，讓觀眾成為一起創造海上環境的一份子。

ArtsEmerson 藝術節目總監 Ronee Penoi 指出：「這部作品提醒人們，了解自我的路徑往往始於遇見那個能像鏡子般、反映出自我內心恐懼與勇氣的人」。

「秘密分享者（The Secret Sharer）」，全長80分鐘，無中場休息，建議11歲以上才入場。將於 4/24 (週五)晚 8點首演，週末場次為 4/25, 5/2 (六) 2:00 PM & 8:00 PM；4/26, 5/3 (日) 2:00 PM，平日場次為 4/28 (二) - 4/30 (四) 7:30 PM；5/1 (五) 8:00 PM。

演出場地在Emerson Paramount Center (Jackie Liebergott Black Box Theater)，地址為559 Washington St, Boston, MA 02111。門票27.50 美元起，10 人以上有7折優惠，查詢或購票可上官網官方網站 ArtsEmerson.org，查詢可洽617-824-8400 (週二至週六 12:00-18:00)。

Healey-Driscoll Administration Seeks Innovative Ideas to Strengthen Student and Educator Mental Health

 Healey-Driscoll Administration Seeks Innovative Ideas to Strengthen Student and Educator Mental Health 

Administration launches RFI to advance statewide birth-through-higher education  

mental health framework 

 

BOSTON – The Healey-Driscoll Administration today announced it is looking for innovative ideas from educators, providers and community partners on how to strengthen mental health supports for students across Massachusetts, from birth through higher education.  

 

The Executive Office of Education (EOE) has issued a Request for Information (RFI) to help shape a comprehensive, statewide framework for mental and behavioral health, including ideas for projects, programs and grants. This effort will inform what investments are needed to shift how the state’s schools and places of learning partner across the community to incorporate mental health and wellness into everyday practice. 

 

The administration is currently developing a framework that will guide a coordinated statewide strategy to strengthen mental health supports in Massachusetts, improving alignment among early education providers, K-12 schools, higher education institutions, families and community-based service systems. In collaboration with Health and Human Service agencies and other key stakeholders, EOE and its agencies will use this framework to identify, guide, and align collective efforts to better understand and address mental and behavioral health wellness needs among all students, from infants to adult learners, using common language, strategies, and metrics. 

 

“This is an opportunity for practitioners, community organizations, researchers and educators to help shape the future of student mental health in Massachusetts,” said Education Secretary Stephen Zrike. “We are looking for bold, thoughtful ideas that are grounded in evidence, centered in equity, and built to last.”  

 

The administration is interested in high-impact ideas that meet one or more of the following criteria: 

·       Expands, scales, or replicates a successful existing education-based program with developed metrics and measurable impact on mental health and wellbeing

·       Uses evidence-based practices to improve mental health at a particular developmental stage

·       Develops infrastructure for sustainability of mental health supports, including coaching and support for systems navigation and success planning

·       Supports the development of metrics in each of the educational settings

·       Deploys innovative tools or approaches including “proof of concept” projects for promising practices or technology to break down silos and integrate services

 

“Supporting mental and behavioral health from the earliest years is essential to helping every learner thrive,” said Early Education and Care Commissioner Amy Kershaw. “We know that strong early foundations are critical, and we’re proud to be part of this statewide effort to align partners and systems. By working together and inviting new ideas, we can build a more connected, responsive approach that supports children, families, and educators across Massachusetts.” 

 

“This administration is committed to supporting the mental health of students of all ages,” said Elementary and Secondary Education Commissioner Pedro Martinez. “Developing a statewide framework for mental and behavioral health will allow us to better align and integrate supports throughout students' educational journey.” 

 

“Strong mental health support should be a throughline in a student’s educational journey, and I’m grateful that my colleagues in the administration are seeking a strong partner to make that a reality,” said Higher Education Commissioner Noe Ortega. “I look forward to the Commonwealth establishing a cohesive approach that will support students’ mental health needs not only when they arrive at college, but well before.”  

 

Governor Healey’s fiscal year 2027 budget invests $17 million in education funding to support student mental and social-emotional health, addressing the youth mental health crisis and ensuring students have the behavioral health care they need to balance their mental health and education. Key investments include $6 million to continue the development and implementation of a statewide birth-through-higher-education mental and behavioral health framework. In addition, the budget includes $5 million to maintain EEC’s Early Childhood Mental Health Consultation services, $2.9 million to fund DESE’s Social Emotional Learning and Mental Health Grant and $648,949 to maintain Safe and Supportive Schools.   

 

Interested vendors can find the RFI on COMMBUYS. This RFI will inform future procurements, pending funding. 

波士頓藝術中心 4/11-7/11舉辦駐村藝術家群展

           （Boston Orange編譯）波士頓藝術中心（BCA）將於 4月11日至7月11日 在 米爾斯藝廊（Mills Gallery,  551 Tremont St.) 舉辦名為 「隨員（Attaché）」的駐村藝術家群展。4月10日 為工作室開放日， 4月18日 辦開幕招待會。

這展覽由 Meclina Gomes 策劃，把30名該中心藝術家工作室大樓（Artist Studio Building）駐村創作者，當作攜帶記憶、傳統與體現知識的「文化隨員」，藉由他們深受文化傳承、移民經歷與生活血脈影響的藝術作品，展示當代藝術如何轉化移民經驗與家族傳承。

這展覽也把創意實踐框架為「遺產工作（legacy work）」，藉文化載體來致敬過去，形塑未來，揭示藝術家承擔起關懷責任，反映原鄉如何形塑身份，並透過物質、過程與形式，激活、轉譯文化，與重新想像。

在 30 名參展藝術家名單中，有至少2名華裔，約共4名亞裔創作者，分別為Lilan Yang，Yolanda Yang，以及越南裔的Ngoc Tran Vu和日裔的Yuko Okabe（岡部優子）。

「隨員（Attaché）」展覽，將於4月11日 – 7月11日，在波士頓藝術中心Mills Gallery （551 Tremont St. Boston, MA 02116）舉行，每週三至週六的下午1:00 PM – 6:00 PM向公眾開放。4月10日 (週五) | 6:00 PM – 9:00 PM有工作室開放日，4月18日 (週六) | 4:00 PM – 7:00 PM有開幕酒會。、

波士頓體育會喜報邁向達成減排42%目標

（Boston Ｏrange編譯）波士頓體育會會（B.A.A.）今（8）日發佈 2025 年永續發展報告，展示在減排、廢棄物管理及社會公益方面的正加速邁向 42% 的減排目標，並透過官方慈善計畫募得超過 5,040 萬美元，惠及172 個非營利組織。

波士頓體育會和在麻州擁有2200名員工，已連續兩年被《時代》雜誌評為「全球最永續企業」的施耐德電氣（Schneider Electric）合作，致力節能減碳，推動環保。施奈德北美總裁Aamir Paul表示，波士頓馬拉松賽這種世界級體育賽事，在帶動社區邁向節能減碳，保護環境上有深遠影響力。

兩機構合作，在節能減碳上的成果重點包括，升級 HVAC 系統，在賽事中擴大使用電池動力發電機，有效降低碳足跡。此外，賽事共捐贈了 20 噸衣物，回收了 7.7 噸的可堆肥水杯，減少垃圾填埋量，落實資源循環。賽事動員了逾萬名志工，並吸引超過 3,200 名青少年參與。

波士頓體育會執行長 Jack Fleming 強調，永續發展的核心在於「人」。透過各界的集體努力，波士頓馬拉松正轉型為一個更具責任感、以社區為中心的世界級運動。

Boston Athletic Association Reports Significant Progress on Sustainability Goals in Second Annual Report

Second-year report shows accelerating results across emissions, waste diversion, and community impact, powered by multiyear partnership with energy technology partner Schneider Electric

BOSTON - The Boston Athletic Association (B.A.A.) today released its 2025 Sustainability Report, showing accelerating progress toward a 42% emissions reduction target, waste diversion across events, and $50.4 million raised for 172 nonprofit organizations through the Official Charity Program.

Building on the B.A.A.’s inaugural sustainability report, the 2025 edition details how the organization and its Official Sustainability Partner, Schneider Electric, are embedding measurable sustainability practices into race operations, emissions reduction planning, and year-round community programming.

“Sustainability at the B.A.A. is about people, from our athletes, volunteers and staff to the communities we serve,” said Jack Fleming, President and Chief Executive Officer of the B.A.A. “This year’s progress reflects the collective effort behind our events, and we’re grateful for everyone who has helped us and continues to help us build a more welcoming, responsible and community-focused running environment.”

Key highlights from the 2025 report include:

• Advancing toward the B.A.A.’s 42% emissions reduction target, supported by upgraded HVAC systems and expanded use of battery-powered generators across events.
• Donating approximately 20 tons of clothing, and collecting 7.7 tons of compostable cups across B.A.A. events.
• Expanding inclusive race experiences, with 98% of runners reporting a sense of inclusion and more than 99% reporting overall satisfaction with their event experience.
• Raising $50.4 million for 172 nonprofit organizations through the Official Charity Program, while engaging the Greater Boston community through 3,200+ youth participants and 10,200+ volunteers.
• Enhancing organizational excellence with improved cybersecurity measures and updated leadership roles.

“As a proud member of the Boston community, Schneider Electric is inspired by what the B.A.A. is achieving,” said Aamir Paul, President of North America Operations for Schneider Electric. “From cutting emissions to diverting event waste, the B.A.A. is proving that world-class athletic events can also drive meaningful environmental and community impact. As an energy technology leader deeply rooted in Greater Boston, we are proud to support that work as the B.A.A.’s Official Sustainability Partner.”

 

Schneider Electric is the largest clean energy company in Massachusetts, and its commitment to the Boston region spans more than 130 years. With its North American headquarters in Boston and ongoing partnerships with local institutions, Schneider Electric is a vital part of the community’s efforts to lead the charge toward a more sustainable future. The company employs more than 2,200 team members in New England, with facilities in Boston, Foxborough, and Andover. Schneider Electric’s community and academic partnerships include programs with Boston University, Franklin Cummings Tech, Jimmy Fund Walk for Dana-Farber, and Essex County Habitat for Humanity. Schneider Electric was named the world’s most sustainable company by TIME Magazine for two consecutive years.