Press Release: 9/24/2026

Governor Healey Files Legislation to Suspend Gas Tax, Cap Ticket Prices, Lower Electricity Bills and Strengthen Maternal Health Care

 

BOSTON — Governor Maura Healey is today filing legislation that takes action to lower costs for Massachusetts residents at the gas pump, when buying concert and sports tickets, and on their electric bills, while also making critical investments to strengthen health care, maternal health, food assistance and public safety.

The legislation includes Governor Healey’s proposal to suspend the state gas tax for two months while President Donald Trump’s war in Iran has driven up prices over 50 percent since February. It also includes her Great Divide Act, which caps ticket resale prices and fees and bans speculative tickets, as well as $2.25 million to strengthen postpartum care and mental health support for mothers and families across Massachusetts.

The bill also includes changes to how the utility companies purchase electricity for customers on basic service, which are estimated to save ratepayers $610 million, as well as $41.5 million for the Department of Transitional Assistance (DTA) for caseworkers and technological upgrades to help people stay enrolled in the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) despite President Trump’s cuts.

The legislation also provides critical funding for MassHealth, public safety and other state services. In total, it will enable the state to close Fiscal Year 2026 (FY26) with a balanced budget by appropriating $2.24 billion in gross spending, at a net cost to the state of $1.46 billion after revenue offsets. 

“While President Trump is driving up costs with his war and tariffs, in Massachusetts, we’re doing everything we can to make life more affordable for people and businesses,” said Governor Maura Healey. “This budget will lower costs at the gas pump, when buying concert and sports tickets, and on energy bills, while also making sure families can continue to access the health care, food assistance and services they rely on.”

“Families across Massachusetts are working hard, and we are focused on making life more affordable while protecting the services they rely on,” said Lieutenant Governor Kim Driscoll. “This legislation provides immediate cost relief and strengthens support for food assistance, maternal health, public safety and other critical needs.”

“Our closeout supplemental bill advances the Healey-Driscoll Administration’s successful fiscal strategy of controlling spending, supporting programs and services that families rely on, and thoughtfully deploying resources to benefit Massachusetts residents,” said Administration and Finance Secretary Matthew J. Gorzkowicz. “With thanks to our partners in the Legislature, we have maintained a balanced state budget and protected critical services despite years of national economic headwinds, and this legislation will keep us on a responsible course as we head into FY27.”

Gas Tax Suspension

This bill includes Governor Healey’s proposal to suspend Massachusetts’ 24-cent-per-gallon gas tax for two months, providing immediate relief for residents and truckers as President Trump continues to wage war in Iran with no end in sight. The law will require gas stations to lower prices to reflect the suspended tax and ensure that drivers see the savings at the pump. The estimated $120 million in revenue will be replaced with a portion of unbudgeted, surplus Fiscal year 2027 Fair Share surtax collections. For reference, in FY26 there was nearly $1 billion in Fair Share surplus funds available. This means that no ongoing or planned transportation projects financed through the Commonwealth Transportation Fund will be impacted. The Commonwealth will also remain compliant with its CTF bond obligations. 

Great Divide Act

The budget includes Governor Healey’s Great Divide Act, which caps the resale price of concert tickets at 110 percent of the price of the face value of the original ticket. It also limits the service fees and charges that can be imposed by ticket resellers like StubHub and SeatGeek to no more than 10 percent of the total price of the ticket for resale. It prohibits the sale of speculative tickets, which are tickets that are not in the possession of the seller when they are listed for sale. Finally, it implements additional consumer protections measures, including prohibiting the use of deceptive websites by ticket resellers and misleading consumers about the availability of tickets.    

Lowering Electricity Costs

The bill also proposes changes to how utility companies purchase electricity for customers on basic service, which are estimated to save ratepayers $610 million. Governor Healey previously proposed this in her energy affordability legislation.

Under the current process, electricity costs can fluctuate significantly due to seasonal demand and global conflict. Governor Healey’s proposal would give the Department of Public Utilities (DPU) and electric utilities more flexibility over when they buy electricity and how far in advance they purchase it, helping to reduce price spikes and lower costs.

Protecting Access to Food Assistance

To further the Administration’s commitment to ending hunger in Massachusetts and protecting access to SNAP benefits amidst President Trump’s harmful cuts, the legislation provides $41.5 million in resources to support the DTA's administration of SNAP and help ensure eligible residents can continue accessing their food benefits.

That includes $26.6 million to support DTA caseworkers, maintain the 78 additional caseworkers hired in the past year and hire 10 more. The proposal also includes an additional $14.9 million to support technology improvements and additional staff support to improve payment accuracy and help the department meet new federal requirements.

Strengthening Maternal Mental Health and Postpartum Care

This bill includes the legislative measures that Governor Healey recently announced to expand postpartum care and maternal mental health support for mothers and families across Massachusetts.

The proposal provides $2 million to expand the Department of Public Health’s Welcome Family optional home visiting program statewide and $250,000 to strengthen the Department of Mental Health’s Massachusetts Child Psychiatry Access Program for Moms, known as MCPAP for Moms. 

Welcome Family is a free and voluntary program available to connect parents and caregivers with a maternal and child health nurse if they choose to access these services after a baby is born. Nurses can check on the health of the parent and baby, answer questions about newborn care and feeding, screen for mental health concerns and connect families with additional support.

The expansion would make a Welcome Family visit available statewide while keeping participation voluntary.

The additional MCPAP for Moms funding would expand provider training and education, support data collection around postpartum psychosis and help health care providers recognize mental health concerns earlier and connect patients with care sooner.

Other Proposals and Closing Fiscal Year 2026

This legislation also addresses time-sensitive funding needs for public health hospitals, Department of Correction (DOC) operations, public safety and other critical state services. It would establish a Health Care Stabilization Fund to help Massachusetts respond to emerging health care needs and federal policy changes, provide additional funding for fire service grants in New Bedford, and remove barriers for veterans seeking medical marijuana licenses.

The legislation also proposes updates to several laws governing how corporations are formed and operated in Massachusetts, helping to ensure the state remains a leading place to start and grow a business.

Together, these proposals will allow Massachusetts to close Fiscal Year 2026 in balance, protect critical services and continue making investments that residents and communities rely on.

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