Legislative Update from Rep. Galvin

By State Representative Bill Galvin (D-Canton), 6th Norfolk District

We are now five months into the new, two-year legislative session. I filed 35 bills at the start of the session that deal with housing, opioid addiction, healthcare, public safety, and local issues. These bills were recently assigned to committee and are awaiting a public hearing, which is their first step in the legislative process.

NEADS dogs Loring and Verna, pictured with Rep. Galvin, visited the State House during budget deliberations to teach legislators about an amendment that will provide $85,000 in funding to train service dogs for veterans.

The state legislature recently congratulated Arafat Knight, Canton’s veterans services officer, for his dedication to town’s veterans. The legislature also recognized the Titus family, longtime owners of Big D’s restaurant, for their contributions to the town of Canton with a resolution. I am pleased that these deserving Cantonites were acknowledged for the positive impact they’ve had on our community.

The House of Representatives debated and approved a $56 billion state budget during the last week of April. The budget increases funding for municipalities, education, and transportation. It makes universal free school meals permanent; creates a program for free community college for qualifying residents; and adds funding for rental assistance programs. Canton will receive $2.5 million in unrestricted government aid and Canton schools will receive $8.6 million. Under the House’s proposal for the FY24 state budget, the Paul Revere Heritage Site will receive $50,000; the Blue Hills Weather Observatory will receive $100,000; the Pappas Rehabilitation Hospital for Children will receive $200,000 for summer programming; the Blue Hills Trailside Museum will receive $100,000; and the Holbrook Regional Emergency Communications Center, which provides dispatch services for the Canton Fire Department, will receive $100,000. The budget now moves to the Senate for consideration.

The Massachusetts House also approved a tax cut package in April that will help working families across the state. This bill doubles the Senior Circuit Breaker Tax Credit from $1,200 to $2,400; increases the rental deduction cap from $3,000 to $4,000; and increases the Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) from 30 percent to 40 percent of the federal credit.

The bill combines the Child Care Expenses Credit with the Dependent Member of Household Credit to create one refundable $600 credit per dependent, while eliminating the current cap. This will be phased in over three years and will be fully implemented in FY27: taxpayers could claim $310 per dependent in FY24, $455 per dependent in FY25, $600 per dependent in FY26, and $614 per dependent in FY27. This change will cost $165 million in the first year of implementation and $487 million when fully implemented in year three. It is expected to impact over 700,000 Massachusetts families.

The tax bill also alters the state’s estate tax. Massachusetts is currently a national outlier on the estate tax, as the commonwealth is one of only 12 states that impose this tax and has the lowest estate tax exemption threshold in the country, along with Oregon. The bill increases the estate tax threshold from $1 million to $2 million and eliminates the “cliff” effect, taxing the value of the estate that exceeds $2 million, and not the entire estate as the law currently requires.

Finally, I am pleased to share that my colleagues reappointed me to the position of rules chair, which is responsible for a variety of legislation.

As a reminder, I am always accessible. Please email me at William.Galvin@mahouse.gov or call my office at 617-722-2692 with any questions, concerns, or if you’re in need of any assistance.

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