Press Release: 10/23/2026
Legislative Priorities: No Gas Tax Relief. Up to $70 Million for Offshore Wind.
Last night, the Massachusetts House passed a $2.35 billion supplemental spending bill to close out Fiscal Year 2026.
The debate made Beacon Hill’s priorities pretty clear.
House lawmakers rejected a 60-day suspension of the state’s 24-cent gas tax by a vote of 30-121, despite a recent UMass poll showing 69 percent support temporary gas tax relief.
During debate, House Democrats argued that roughly $25 per month in potential savings for the average driver was not enough to make a meaningful difference.
For Massachusetts families struggling with the cost of living, some relief is better than no relief at all, which is something that most House Democrats apparently can’t relate to.
Roll Call on Amendment to Suspend The Gas Tax.
Meanwhile, the single largest item in the bill is $1.8 BILLION in gross spending for MassHealth.
This is not the regular state budget. Fiscal Year 2026 already ended. This is a closeout supplemental bill being used to balance the books, and taxpayers are being asked to put another $1.8 billion toward MassHealth.
Healthcare costs are already squeezing families and employers across Massachusetts. Taxpayers paying private health insurance premiums are also helping subsidize MassHealth, and now the state is coming back for billions more after the fiscal year has already ended.
House lawmakers also didn’t pass up the opportunity to include a new $1 million a year “assessment” on pharmacy benefit managers. They act as a middleman between drug manufacturers, insurers and pharmacies. We all know there is little chance this cost won’t be passed along somewhere in the system, ultimately hitting consumers.
At the same time, lawmakers included in the final bill, and overwhelmingly rejected an effort to eliminate up to $70 million in potential transfers to the Massachusetts Offshore Wind Industry Investment Trust Fund. This fund helps prop up a failed industry on the backs of Massachusetts taxpayers.
Representative Ken Sweezey offered Amendment #183 to strike the provision authorizing up to $35 million in Fiscal Year 2026 and another $35 million in Fiscal Year 2027.
The amendment failed 25-126.
WATCH: Rep. Ken Sweezey makes the case on the House floor
When lawmakers had the opportunity to remove another potential $70 million transfer to keep the industry on life-support, they voted overwhelmingly to keep it. It’s easy when they’re gambling with taxpayer money.
Roll Call on the Amendment to Stop the Latest Offshore Wind Give Away.
Other spending included $22.5 million for the infamous “no cost calls” program for inmates to have unlimited free calls. They also included $54.5 million to hire additional DTA caseworkers, on top of over $7 million going toward “SNAP Error Rate Enhancements.” Our state SNAP error rate has been under recent scrutiny for surpassing the national average and soon to result in penalties under new Federal laws. Although hiring more caseworkers won’t solve the corruption that caused it. And all of this happened as lawmakers filed nearly 200 amendments to a must-pass bill designed to close the books on a fiscal year that ended months ago.
The House ultimately passed H.5699 by a vote of 152-0.
The contrast from last night could not be clearer.
Gas tax relief for drivers? Rejected.
Another $1.8 billion gross for MassHealth? Approved.
Up to $70 million more available for offshore wind? Protected.
Massachusetts taxpayers deserve to know where their legislators’ priorities are, and these roll calls put those priorities on the record.