The Senate Committee on Ways and Means released its FY18 budget
proposal earlier this week. Proposed amendments to the pending
budget are due back today (May 18) and debate is set to begin next
week.
The Trial Court received $657.3 million in funding for FY18. This
level of funding is greater than the $657.2 passed by the House
last month. The Senate budget proposal includes the expansion of
the Housing Court, which was not included in the House
budget.
The Massachusetts Legal Assistance Corporation (MLAC) was
level-funded at $18 million, $2 million less than the House budget
proposal of $20 million. Senator Cynthia Creem (D-Newton) has filed
an amendment seeking to add $2 million in funding to MLAC's line
item.
Please contact your state senator today and ask them to support
Senator Creem's amendment to increase legal aid funding during the
budget debate. For more information about the amendment, please
visit the Equal Justice Coalition action alert page.