The House of Representatives continues to debate the fiscal year 2019 budget as of press time. However, last night the House voted to increase appropriations for the Massachusetts Legal Assistance Corporation to $20.75 million, a $750,000 increase over what was proposed in the House Ways and Means budget.
While speaking on the floor of the House chamber to the membership, House Judiciary Chairwoman Claire Cronin said, “This was a strong priority for the majority of members of this House. MLAC is a vital resource and removes barriers to legal assistance. Last year it assisted over 83,000 individuals in Massachusetts regarding housing, domestic violence and other issues. In fiscal 2017, MLAC yielded a return of over $59 million in benefits, including securing federal assistance and generating substantial savings for the state in housing and health care costs.”
The MLAC amendment to increase legal aid funding was co-sponsored by over 100 state representatives. Thank you to all our members who contacted their representatives and asked them to co-sponsor and support an increase for MLAC.