Massachusetts Budget Process
Each fiscal year Massachusetts allocates resources for the operation of both state and municipal governments and such appropriations are agreed upon in advance during the previous fiscal year’s lengthy budget process. The Executive and Legislative branches each submit their own budget recommendations, beginning with the Governor (published as H.1 or H.2), followed by the House, and then finally by the Senate. After the Senate releases the final draft of their budget recommendations, a conference committee consisting of both House and Senate members convenes to come to a final agreement on the budget, which is then sent to the House and Senate for a vote. If the final “compromise” draft receives a favorable vote by both chambers, it is then laid before the Governor for a final review and signature. Once the budget is signed by the Governor, it is published as a “General Appropriations Act” for the upcoming fiscal year.
Summary of the steps in the budget process:
Step 1: Governor's Budget
The budget begins as a bill that the Governor submits in January (or February if at the start of a new term) to the House of Representatives.
Step 2: House Ways & Means Budget
The House Ways and Means Committee reviews this budget and then develops its own recommendation.
Step 3: House Budget
Once debated, amended and voted on by the full House, it becomes the House budget bill.
Step 4: Senate Ways & Means Budget
At this point, the House passes its bill to the Senate. The Senate Ways & Means Committee reviews that bill and develops its own recommendation.
Step 5: Senate Budget
Once debated, amended and voted on, it becomes the Senate's budget bill.
Step 6: Conference Committee Budget
House and Senate leadership then assign members to a joint "conference committee" to negotiate the differences between the House and Senate bills. Once that work is completed, the conference committee returns its bill to the House for a vote. If the House makes any changes to the bill, it must return the bill to the conference committee to be renegotiated. Once approved by the House, the budget passes to the Senate, which then votes its approval.
Step 7: Vetoes
From there, the Senate passes the bill to the Governor who has ten days to review and approve it, or make vetoes or reductions. The Governor may approve or veto the entire budget, or may veto or reduce certain line items or sections, but may not add anything.
Step 8: Overrides
The House and Senate may vote to override the Governor's vetoes. Overrides require a two-thirds majority in each chamber.
Step 9: Final Budget
The final budget is also known as the General Appropriations Act or "Chapter 133 of the Acts of 20xx." The final budget consists of the Conference Committee version, minus any vetoes, plus any overrides.