Governor Delivers State of the Commonwealth Address

January 17, 2025
ACEC Matters

Governor Delivers State of the Commonwealth Address

In State of the Commonwealth Address, Governor Healey Pledges to Fix Transportation, Make Homes More Affordable and Invest in Education – Press Release

With thanks to the Public Affairs Team at Rasky Partners, ACEC/MA's long-time advocacy partners, here is a brief overview of the week of January 13-17, 2025.

On January 16, 2025, Governor Maura Healey delivered her annual State of the Commonwealth address, marking the halfway point of her term. During her address, the Governor spoke to her administration's achievements and signaled some of her priorities for the year ahead. She highlighted key accomplishments from her first two years, including a $1 billion tax relief package, the passage of the Affordable Homes Act, improvements to the MBTA, and securing over $9 billion in federal funding.

Looking forward, Governor Healey focused on several key areas, including education, housing, health care, and her recently announced transportation funding plan. In education, she proposed creating a "Statewide Graduation Requirement Council" to develop new high school standards to replace the MCAS graduation requirement. To address health care workforce shortages, she announced plans to allocate more resources to primary care. Additionally, she emphasized economic development, unveiling plans for a comprehensive review of state business licensing regulations to encourage business growth. Finally, she emphasized her commitment to fiscal responsibility, noting that her upcoming budget proposal will focus on efficiency. The Governor will file her FY26 budget proposal on January 22, 2025.

Governor Proposes Major Transportation Investments, More Shelter Reforms

The Governor’s State of the Commonwealth address capped off a week of significant announcements from the Administration. On January 14, 2025, the Governor announced an $8 billion transportation infrastructure investment plan. The plan, which will rely on existing revenue sources and avoid raising taxes, aims to improve roads and bridges, strengthen regional transit, and stabilize the MBTA’s finances. The proposal will direct $857 million in surplus income surtax revenue from FY24 to public transportation, increase Chapter 90 funding for municipal roads and infrastructure to $300 million, and leverage new borrowing strategies to allocate $5 billion for long-term capital projects West-East Rail, the Allston I-90 Multimodal Project, and statewide bridge and culvert repairs

The Governor also proposed significant changes to Massachusetts' Right to Shelter law this week, aiming to address increasing demands on the state’s shelter system and ensure its long-term sustainability. In a letter to legislative leaders, Healey recommended introducing a statutory residency requirement for applicants, strengthening criminal background checks, and eliminating presumptive eligibility. The proposed reforms would also require verification of identity, residency, and lawful U.S. status for all applicants before receiving benefits. In her letter, the Governor urged legislative leaders to incorporate her recommendations in the $425 million supplemental budget she filed earlier in January 2025.