Senate President Karen Spilka and Senate Ways and Means Chair Michael Rodrigues present the chamber's nearly $63.3 billion fiscal 2027 budget proposal to reporters on Tuesday May 5, 2026. Photo by Katie Castellani | State House News Service
Senate budget writers on Tuesday rolled out a $63.3 billion fiscal year 2027 spending plan that closely tracks the House’s approach on the surface, but diverges in quieter ways – from reopening the debate over school funding to advancing housing reforms.
Like the House blueprint unveiled in April, the Senate Ways and Means Committee proposal would increase spending by about 3.6 percent, relies on the same consensus revenue estimate, and avoids new taxes or fees. It also mirrors the House in several key areas, including completing the final phase of the Student Opportunity Act and closely aligning with Gov. Maura Healey’s plan to rein in costs for MassHealth, the most expensive line item in the budget. To do so, both branches have now acceded to her plan to eliminate GLP-1 coverage for MassHealth members.
Senate President Karen Spilka described the committee’s proposal as “responsible and future focused” amid economic uncertainty.
One of the more notable policy shifts in the Senate Ways and Means plan comes through an outside section focused on modest changes to beef up housing production.
Drawing from legislation filed by Sen. Barry Finegold, the proposal would streamline local permitting and ease certain zoning barriers, an effort to accelerate development in a state where housing supply remains a persistent challenge.
Senate Ways and Means Chair Michael Rodrigues described changes that would freeze zoning rules at the time of application, allow certain nonconforming properties to be modified as of right, and establish clearer timelines for approvals.
“These reforms address persistent obstacles in zoning process and provide developers, homeowners and municipalities with greater certainty,” he said, framing the provisions as incremental but practical steps to unlock housing production.
Another change proposed: Zoning boards of appeal would have to also consider the public good generated by proposals for new housing when considering a request for a zoning variance. The bill would also allow existing buildings that don’t conform to zoning to be expanded without a special permit, so long as the addition still complies with height and setback requirements on its lot’s zoning.
These are not likely to be the only housing reform ideas on the menu on Beacon Hill in this year’s legislative session.
The House budget, finalized last week, did not include housing reforms this year, and Healey added her own housing reform proposals to her proposed economic development bond bill, most notably a section that defined site plan review, a process land-use lawyers liken to the “Wild West” of state land use law.
But since late last year, Senate President Karen Spilka has claimed the housing reform driver’s seat for her chamber, with her and her chief lieutenants repeatedly promising a “bold” policy bill. While the Legislature’s Joint Committee on Housing has already approved a consolidated version of the advocate-backed Yes In My Back Yard” and “Yes In God’s Back Yard” bills, it remains unclear if Senate leaders will turn that into the vehicle for their ambitions before the legislative session ends this summer.
Banker & Tradesman staff writer contributed to this report.
