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Advocacy Tools
State Budget Process
The following is a rough outline of a common
state budget process. The steps always proceed in this sequence,
but the timing can vary greatly from one year to the next.
Massachusetts
Legislative Leadership
July Fiscal
year begins on July 1 of each year.
Sept - Dec
Governor's office begins preparing
budget recommendations for the following fiscal year.
January Governor's
budget recommendation ("House 1") is released -
third week of January.
Jan - March House
and Senate leaders begin developing their own budget recommendations.
April House
Ways and Means Committee recommendation is released. The full
House then debates the House Ways and Means recommendations,
considers amendments and votes on a final House recommendation.
Amendments can be presented by any representative. Debate
typically begins several days after the Ways and Means Committee
recommendation is issued.
May Senate
Ways and Means Committee recommendation is released. The full
Senate then debates the Senate Ways and Means recommendations,
considers amendments and votes on a final Senate recommendation.
Amendments can be introduced by any senator. Debate typically
begins several days after the Senate Ways and Means recommendation
is issued.
June A
House-Senate Conference Committee meets to work out any differences
between the House and Senate bills. The Conference Committee
typically includes three senators and three representatives,
led by the Chairs of the House and Senate Ways and Means Committees.
The Conference Committee bill then goes to
the Governor. The Governor can reduce or eliminate spending
in individual accounts, but cannot increase amounts. The Governor
has ten days to review the legislation, file vetoes and return
the bill to the Legislature.
Legislature meets to consider veto overrides.
Overrides require two-thirds majority votes from both branches
of the Legislature - though the House has the sole authority
to introduce an override. The Legislature typically has 48
hours to consider and vote on overrides.
The final legislation is returned to the Governor
for signature.
July 1 New
fiscal year begins.
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