Massachusetts House of Representatives Begins Overrides of FY2018 Budget Vetoes - September 14, 2017

On September 13^th, the Massachusetts House of Representatives voted to override $275 million in spending from the FY2018 state budget that Governor Baker vetoed in July. According to House Ways and Means Chair Jeffrey Sánchez, the House started with veto overrides for programs that have a statewide impact. Most of the funding restored to the budget included $220 million for MassHealth.

The House voted to restore funding to several of CHAPA's affordable housing and homelessness prevention priorities. These include overrides for the following programs:

• Alternative Housing Voucher Program (AHVP): $400,000 veto
• Public Housing Operating Subsidy: $1.5 million veto
• Tenancy Preservation Program (TPP): $125,000 veto
• Housing Court Expansion: $250,000 veto
• Unaccompanied Homeless Youth Services: $625,000 veto

The House did not override vetoes for several of CHAPA's priorities, including Housing Consumer Education Centers (HCECs), Foreclosure & Housing Counseling, Residential Assistance for Families in Transition (RAFT), and Home and Healthy for Good. Chairman Sánchez said the House will continue to consider additional overrides in the coming weeks. 

Veto overrides to the FY2018 must originate in the House of Representatives and then pass in the State Senate to restore funding.

For a full list of CHAPA priorities impacted by the Governor's vetoes, please click here.