For Immediate Release: 5/29/25

Contact: Aidan Murphy | aidan.murphy@masenate.gov

BOSTON – On May 22, the Senate approved a $61.3 billion FY 26 budget that incorporates 14 amendments filed by Senator John F. Keenan to provide important funding to initiatives and programs throughout the Norfolk and Plymouth District, as well as resources supporting individuals throughout the Commonwealth.

“In the face of federal funding cuts, I am pleased that the Senate passed a budget that backstops vital programs that residents of the Commonwealth rely on,” said Senator Keenan. “This fiscally responsible balanced budget invests in mental and public health resources, local aid, and infrastructure.”

The budget significantly increases local funding over the FY25 budget, both in unrestricted general government aid (UGGA), which supports police, fire, libraries, public works, veterans services, senior programs, and in funding for public schools (Chapter 70). In total, the FY26 budget approved by the Senate allocates $41.5 million in UGGA and $125 million in Chapter 70 funding for the Norfolk & Plymouth District, increases of 2.2% and 4.6% respectively.

Many of the amendments filed by Senator Keenan fund local public safety initiatives, including communications infrastructure in the Quincy Fire Department, support for the Fire Cadet Program at South Shore Vocational Technical School in Hanover, which offers a pathway for high school students to enter a career in firefighting,  and a critical response trailer for the Abington Police Department.

With libraries losing federal support Senator Keenan secured $50,000 for public libraries in Abington, Braintree, Hanover, Holbrook, Quincy, and Rockland. The Senate also approved Senator Keenan’s amendment to provide financial support to councils on aging and departments of elder affairs across the district.

With the support of Senators Patrick O’Connor, William Driscoll, and Paul Feeney, Senator Keenan secured $165,000 for Manet Community Health Center to support its primary care services in Quincy, Attleboro, Hull and Taunton.

Several of Senator Keenan’s amendments will help organizations combatting substance use disorder. One will invest $475,000 in the RecoveryWorks Program at Mass General Hospital, which provides life-changing services to individuals living with substance use disorder through support services like mentorship, career counseling, skill-building and family and community engagement. Senator Keenan also secured a total of $55,000 for three groups that support individuals with substance use disorder: Abington C.O.P.E.S., Holbrook Cares and Rockland Cares.

Also included in the final Senate budget was a Senator Keenan amendment providing an additional $1 million for Serving the Health Insurance Needs of Everyone (SHINE) Program, which provides counselors to older adults and people with disabilities to help them fully understand the benefits available to them through Medicare, MassHealth and private healthcare options.

Senator Keenan secured $481,776 in additional funding for the Massachusetts Tobacco Cessation and Prevention Program (MTCP), which will support launching and sustaining large-scale campaigns to educate young people about the hazards of vaping and nicotine, helping tobacco users quit and providing resources to help retail establishments understand and comply with tobacco laws.

The actions of the Trump Administration have hampered the tourism industry in the Commonwealth, and Senator Keenan filed an amendment to develop targeted strategies to mitigate these harms. In the last few months car trips and flight bookings to Massachusetts from Canada have dropped significantly; since Canadians account for roughly one-quarter of all international travelers to Massachusetts, this decline could have significant economic consequences. Senator Keenan’s amendment would direct the Office of Travel & Tourism to take these new factors into account when developing marketing plans that encourage travel to Massachusetts from Canada and other countries that have seen a drop in tourism to the Commonwealth in recent months.

Two years ago, Senator Keenan secured funding in the FY24 budget to place Naloxone at every Red Line station, but the MBTA has failed to abide by this law, placing naloxone at only 5 stations and spending less than half of the funds dedicated to the program. Senator Keenan’s amendment, adopted by the Senate, requires that the MBTA report by September 1 why it has failed to place Naloxone at every Red Line station and why it has not collected, as required by law, appropriate data regarding the implementation of this program.

Local Unrestricted General Government Aid and Chapter 70 funding:  

Abington 

  • UGGA: $2,475,512
  • Chap. 70: $14,812,278

Braintree 

  • UGGA: $7,201,005
  • Chap. 70: $21,959,550

Hanover 

  • UGGA: $2,665,766
  • Chap. 70: $8,088,931

Holbrook 

  • UGGA: $1,856,792
  • Chap. 70: $12,796,989

Quincy 

  • UGGA: $24,029,202
  • Chap. 70: $47,604,553

Rockland 

  • UGGA: $3,326,742
  • Chap. 70: $19,893,378

Now that the Senate and Massachusetts House of Representatives have passed their respective budget proposals, both branches will appoint a conference committee to reconcile the differences between the two budgets and send a consensus budget to the Governor.