December 2025 Legislative Update

Record Number of Ballot Initiatives May be Headed for the Ballot in 2026

In late November 2025, supporters of a diverse array of statewide initiatives in Massachusetts cleared the first major hurdle toward putting their proposals before voters: they submitted more than the required 74,574 certified signatures to the offices of local registrars and the Secretary of the Commonwealth. As a result, at least 10 ballot‑question campaigns remain alive and on track for the 2026 election — a field that may become the largest ever in state history.

The range of issues covered by the advancing petitions is broad: proponents of rent control, public‑records reform, changes in tax policy, zoning and housing reform (including “starter‑home” zoning), and election‑system adjustments are all in the mix for 2026. Among the most watched by UCANE members may be the conservation‑oriented question known as Protect Water and Nature, which would redirect state sales and use taxes collected on sporting goods, recreational vehicles, and related outdoor‑recreation equipment toward a dedicated fund for land and water conservation, open‑space protection, and expansion of public recreation infrastructure like parks and trails.

Supporters of Protect Water and Nature argue that the measure would generate meaningful dedicated funding for environmental conservation and outdoor recreation — estimating over $100 million annually — without raising new taxes, but instead repurposing existing tax revenue streams tied to recreational and sporting‐goods purchases. By linking the tax on sporting goods to environmental and recreational investments, the campaign seeks to tap into growing public support for preserving open space, improving access to nature, and expanding outdoor quality-of-life amenities — especially at a time when federal conservation funding is becoming more uncertain. Ultimately, the question is whether the funding may be used to construct improvements related to drinking water or sewer improvements.

If successful, the 2026 ballot could mark a turning point in how Massachusetts funds conservation, recreation, and outdoor‑access priorities — shifting some burden to a “user‑pay / benefit‑tied” tax on recreation‑related purchases rather than general taxation. For policymakers, planning‑stakeholders, and municipal officials, the outcome could carry significant consequences: new funding streams for conservation and parks, but also changes in market dynamics for retailers of sporting goods and recreation equipment. The ballot question will undoubtedly give rise to here-to-unannounced opposition group. Given the large number of proposals still advancing and the broad public interest in housing, taxation, environmental protection, and civic reforms, 2026 promises to be a consequential year at the ballot box in Massachusetts.

To the review the proposed ballot initiatives, please visit: https://www.mass.gov/info-details/ballot-initiatives-submitted-for-the-2026-biennial-statewide-election-proposed-laws-and-2028-biennial-statewide-election-proposed-constitutional-amendments.

Closeout Budget for FY25 Passes; Signed into Law

As reported in a joint press release issued by the Senate President Karen Spilka and Speaker of the House Ron Mariano, the Massachusetts legislature passed a supplemental budget to address end of fiscal year budget needs. As part of allocating the final expenses of Fiscal Year 2025, the legislation, House Bill 4761, provides funding for MassHealth, hospitals and reproductive care; ensures that students at public colleges and universities are delivered the financial aid they depend on; adds funding for the universal meals program for children in public schools; and funds operational enhancements to improve how Massachusetts residents access supplemental nutrition assistance, or SNAP. It also directs state funds to support transportation and public safety ahead of the upcoming 2026 World Cup, ensures accountability in sheriffs’ operations, and brings transparency to former state institutions where residents with intellectual and developmental disabilities suffered abuse.  

 Details of policy and spending contained in the closeout supplemental budget agreement include, but are not limited to: 

 Accountability for Sheriffs. Directs an investigation into sheriffs’ Fiscal Year 2025 spending deficits. The investigation will include analyses of compliance with state finance law, spending on programs that are outside required operations, and payroll changes over time. Funds no-cost phone calls program and Section 35 treatment programs for people with alcohol and substance use and withholds funding the remainder of the sheriffs’ deficit until the Inspector General (IG) reports on sheriff spending, with a preliminary report due on February 27, 2026, and a final report due May 31, 2026. 

 Matching Funds Program for World Cup 2026. Creates a new Sports and Entertainment Fund initially provided with $10 million to support transportation, public safety, wayfinding, and similar costs related to Massachusetts’ seven 2026 FIFA World Cup matches. State dollars spent on the initiative would have to be privately matched. Going forward, the Sports and Entertainment Fund would be able to receive funding to support a competitive grant program administered by the Massachusetts Office of Travel and Tourism (MOTT) to attract major sports or entertainment events to provide event services, sports development, sports marketing, or construction, functioning, and operation of an event. 

Privacy for People Seeking Name Changes. Removes the automatic requirement of a public notice for name-change petitions filed in court. 

Weymouth Naval Base. Language was included to update the governing structure and processes for the redevelopment of the former Weymouth Naval Base. The enabling act amendment will allow for the greater ability to develop housing and related retail opportunities.

In addition, the legislation resolves outstanding expenses from the fiscal year that ended in June and has a net cost to the state of $806.9 million after accounting for federal reimbursements. The legislation includes $2.31 billion in total gross spending. Among the areas addressed includes:

Universal School Meals. Provides $12 million to support the universal meals program for public school students. 

Life Sciences. Transfers $10 million to the Massachusetts Life Sciences Center (MLSC) to support and bolster scientific research and development in the Commonwealth. 

 Snow and Ice Removal. Provides $60.7 million for MassDOT snow and ice expenditures. 

Excess Capital Gains. After accounting for spending contained in the agreement, the remainder of collected excess capital gains will be distributed as follows: (i) $502.2 million (90 per cent) to the Transitional Escrow Fund; (ii) $25.1 million (5 per cent) to the State Retiree Benefits Trust Fund; and  (iii) $25.1 million (5 per cent) to the Commonwealth’s Pension Liability Fund. 

Student Opportunity Act Transfer. Transfers $100 million in excess surtax collections to the Student Opportunity Act (SOA) Investment Fund. 

The Governor signed the legislation shortly before the Thanksgiving holiday. To review the newly passed law, please visit: https://malegislature.gov/Laws/SessionLaws/Acts/2025/Chapter73.

DPU Receives Perfect Score Three Years in a Row from Federal Pipeline Safety Agency 

In a press release from the agency, the Massachusetts Department of Public Utilities (DPU) announced that it had received another perfect score from the federal Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA) for its pipeline safety oversight program in 2024. This evaluation marks the third consecutive year that the DPU’s Pipeline Safety Division has received a perfect score for the enforcement and implementation of federal pipeline safety standards. The DPU’s Pipeline Safety Division is dedicated to the safety and integrity of intrastate pipelines in Massachusetts. Through rigorous enforcement, the Division ensures that the investor-owned gas utilities, municipal gas departments, steam distribution companies, and operators of intrastate Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) and Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) facilities comply with both state and federal safety laws.

In recent years, the Pipeline Safety Division, which is led by its Director Richard Enright, increased its staffing by over 300 percent to now include three attorneys and a total of 20 total engineers, with three dedicated damage prevention engineers and one engineer dedicated to the inspection of steam distribution systems. Mr. Enright, who has managed the Division since September 2019, had 26 years in the gas operations industry at nearly every major utility. Under his leadership, the Division’s team of committed engineers, attorneys, and support staff have transformed the safety culture within the DPU and the gas industry, ensuring that the state’s gas infrastructure is safe and reliable.  

PHMSA is the federal agency tasked with regulating the safety of the transportation of energy and other hazardous materials. It must review annual Progress Reports, pipeline program procedures and records, and observe on-site inspections done by state safety regulators to adequately assess each state’s pipeline safety program when conducting evaluations. Since 2022, the Pipeline Safety Division has scored the maximum possible points for both portions of PHMSA’s evaluation.  

According to the same press release, with legislative changes increasing penalties for gas operators who violate pipeline safety laws and regulations, the Pipeline Safety Division drove the reduction in damages through its enforcement, an increased field presence, and education. Its Damage Prevention Program provides educational seminars across the state throughout the year. The implementation of new pipeline and damage prevention databases has helped to maintain accurate and reliable data and record-keeping of gas infrastructure. The Pipeline Safety Division continues to collaborate with Dig Safe, Inc. to promote awareness in New England and help educate excavators, contractors, and property owners on the safety laws that must be followed before outdoor digging projects can commence. 

To review the PHMSA letter to the DPU, please visit: https://www.mass.gov/doc/phmsa-pipeline-safety-letter-2025/download.

News in Brief

EOED Announces Moochhala as Undersecretary. The Executive Office of Economic Development announced the appointment of Ms. Zenobia Moochhala as Undersecretary of Business Strategies. In her new position, Ms. Moochhala will oversee the Massachusetts Office of Business Development and work closely with quasi-governmental partners Massachusetts Technology Collaborative, Massachusetts Life Sciences Center, MassVentures, and the Massachusetts Clean Energy Center. She will also be responsible for the state’s tourism and international trade sectors through the Massachusetts Office of Travel and Tourism and the Massachusetts Office of International Trade and Investment. Ms. Moochhala was a co-founder of Care.com, where she was part of the executive leadership team that built the platform into the world’s largest online marketplace for families and caregivers. She holds an M.A. in international economics and finance from Brandeis University and a B.A. in economics and statistics from St. Xavier’s College in Mumbai.

MassReady Act Advances from Committee. Filed in June, Governor Maura Healey’s $2.9 billion environmental bond bill (the MassReady Act) received a favorable report from the Joint Committee on the Environment and Natural Resources. The 51-page bill (Senate Bill 2542), advanced shortly after Thanksgiving, has now moved to the Joint Committee on Bonding, Capital Expenditures and State Assets. The bill secured 13 favorable votes, including nine from representatives and four from senators. The bill was not amended as it left committee. As reported by the State House News Service, the cornerstone of the bill is $600 million for flood control and coastal resilience funding. The bill would also require home buyers and renters to be notified of a property’s flood history and flood risk. Along with this, it proposes housing permitting reforms and nature-based solutions meant to speed up the approval and administrative appeals process. To address food security, conservation and “climate ready” infrastructure, the bill would invest $315 million for the Municipal Preparedness Program that supports local climate resilience, $125 million for the Food Security Infrastructure Grant to expand food access and $220.5 million for conservation and open space. Finally, the bill also invests $385 million to fund clean water infrastructure with priorities including PFAS remediation, public health and utility upgrades. Another $120 million would go to Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection to manage PFAS contamination. The bill also aims to expedite and simplify the Chapter 91 environmental permitting process for housing and natural infrastructure projects like dam removal and wetland improvements. To review a copy of the legislation, please visit: https://malegislature.gov/Bills/194/S2542.

Representative Ferrante Dies; Beloved Figure Mourned. Representative Anne-Margaret Ferrante, who faithfully served Gloucester and the 5th Essex District from 2009 until her passing, is being remembered as a deeply effective legislator whose work strengthened Massachusetts’ coastal communities, working waterfronts, and regional economies. As House Chair of the Joint Committee on Economic Development and Emerging Technologies, and previously as House Chair of the Joint Committee on Community Development and Small Business, she played a central role in crafting major economic-development packages, expanding support for small businesses, and advancing policies that promoted innovation, workforce training, and regional competitiveness. She was also a leading voice for the commercial fishing industry, securing investments in fisheries research, port infrastructure, and coastal resiliency. Representative Ferrante’s bipartisan approach, mastery of complex policy, and unwavering commitment to the people of Gloucester earned her broad respect across state government. Her passing is a profound loss for the Commonwealth, but her legacy endures in the transformational initiatives she championed and the community she served with integrity, humility, and exceptional devotion. She was the Vice Chair of the House Committee on Ways and Means in the current session.

Governor Appoints Kwon as Secretary of Public Safety and Security. In November, Governor Healey announced that she has appointed Ms. Gina K. Kwon as Secretary of the Executive Office of Public Safety and Security (EOPSS). Secretary Kwon has served as Undersecretary for Law Enforcement at EOPSS since February 2023 and has significant prosecutorial and law enforcement experience at the state and local levels. Interim Secretary Susan Terrey will continue in her role as Deputy Secretary and Undersecretary for Homeland Security.  Prior to joining EOPSS, Secretary Kwon had a distinguished career as a local and state prosecutor. She served as Chief of the Criminal Bureau at the Office of the Massachusetts Attorney General, leading major criminal investigations, prosecutions, and appeals. During her tenure with the Attorney General’s Office, Ms. Kwon served in the Enterprise, Major and Cyber Crimes Division, where she began as an Assistant Attorney General in 2015, was promoted to Deputy Division Chief in 2017 and rose to Division Chief in 2019. She earned her bachelor’s degree from Boston College before receiving her juris doctor from New England Law School.