Senate Ways & Means FY26 Outside Sections
The Senate Ways and Means Committee has released its version of the Fiscal Year 2026 state budget, proposing approximately $61.3 billion in spending. While the final version of the budget will emerge after negotiations with the House and Governor, this proposal gives us a clear look at the Senate’s fiscal and policy priorities. Below, we outline what the Senate budget funds—and what’s embedded in the critical “outside sections.”
Looking to compare with the House proposal? Check out our full breakdown of the House Ways and Means FY26 budget here.
What the Budget Funds
Much like the House plan, the Senate Ways and Means budget prioritizes core state functions: healthcare, education, local aid, and transportation. Here are some of the major allocations:
$22.41 billion for MassHealth (Medicaid)
$7.36 billion in Chapter 70 education aid for K-12 school districts
$1.34 billion in unrestricted general government aid to municipalities
$1.65 billion for public higher education (UMass, state universities, and community colleges)
$2.25 billion for debt service
$2.4 billion for group insurance costs for public employees
$500 million for an operating transfer to the MBTA
$572.62 million for MassDOT
The proposal also includes $1.95 billion in spending backed by revenue from the Fair Share Amendment—the voter-approved surtax on income over $1 million. These funds support a dozen education and transportation-focused line items in Section 2F of the budget.
Notable Fair Share investments include:
$325 million in operational grants to childcare providers
$265 million to increase per-pupil reimbursements for public schools
$170 million for universal free school meals
$120 million for a tuition-free community college program
What Are "Outside Sections?"
In Massachusetts, outside sections are provisions tacked onto the end of the state budget bill that go beyond simply appropriating funds. These sections are often used to make policy changes, technical corrections, or amendments to existing laws—sometimes on subjects only loosely related to the budget itself.
This practice has become increasingly common since the 1970s, giving lawmakers a way to pass a range of legislative measures alongside the annual budget. While outside sections offer flexibility to tackle diverse issues, they’re not without controversy: major policy shifts can be embedded in these sections, effectively bypassing the typical legislative process.
Importantly, once the full budget is up for a vote, outside sections cannot be amended individually, making them a powerful legislative tool. The Governor can approve or veto each section in full but cannot apply a line-item veto as they can with appropriations.
With hundreds of amendments filed in just a few days and dozens of outside sections that can reshape policy, it’s a lot to keep up with. That’s why MassTrac summarizes every amendment and outside section—so you don’t have to read through the fine print to know what’s changing.
Here are a few notable outside sections identified and summarized by MassTrac. To explore the full list with detailed summaries, check out our “Section By Section” report on the budget bill.
What Didn’t Make It In?
Some of the more controversial elements from Governor Healey’s original budget remain sidelined in the Senate Ways and Means proposal. Whereas the House fully stripped any mention of the Pappas Rehabilitation Hospital for Children, the Senate not only included it, but proposed to fully fund it alongside the Pocasset Mental Health Center on Cape Cod, both of which Gov Healey sought to close.
Additionally, the Senate, like the House, rejected the Governor’s push to expand the sales tax to include candy. Also absent is any mention of reforms to vocational school admissions, which the House budget sought to pause. Notably, all three versions—the Governor’s, House, and Senate—include language aimed at preventing broker fees from being passed on to tenants, signaling agreement across branches on at least that piece of housing policy.
Staying Ahead of the Budget Process
As the Senate takes its turn shaping the state budget, the details can quickly get overwhelming—especially when key policy decisions are tucked into outside sections or when debates move fast and behind closed doors. With MassTrac, you don’t have to comb through every page yourself. We provide clear, timely summaries of each outside section, track every amendment as it’s filed, and highlight the differences that matter between proposals. From major funding shifts to quietly dropped policies, we make it easy to follow what’s happening on Beacon Hill so you’re always one step ahead.
Have questions or need help finding something? Reach out to us at info@instatrac.com.
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