What's new at MLS

We have our May SNAP Coalition this coming Tuesday, 5/21. See below!   We are thrilled that 113 MA organizations signed onto a letter to the MA Congressional Delegation opposing proposed cuts to SNAP in the upcoming Farm Bill deliberations. A copy of the letter shipped out this…

The FY 2025 budget is now before the Senate. Debate will begin next week. Over 1100 amendments were submitted last week. This week many Senators will be deciding which amendments  to co-sponsor and/or speaking to Senate leadership about amendments they support. This makes it…

Time sensitive action alerts below!  Quick reminder that our May SNAP Coalition meeting will be on Tuesday, May 21 from 10-11:30 (a week earlier than normal due to Memorial Day). Here is the Zoom link. Agenda to come.  Contact Senators ASAP and ask to Co-Sponsor Core…

1. FY 2025 Budget On May 7, the Senate Ways & Means Committee released its budget bill. MLRI's preliminary summary of the budget is posted here. We're happy to report that SWM, like the House, rejects the Governor's proposal to cut the PCA program.    Amendments are due…

A couple of quick updates from the front lines:  MLRI Analysis of Senate Ways and Means FY25 Budget Here’s a link to MLRI’s analysis of selected sections of the Senate Ways and Means (SWM) FY25 proposed budget released on Tuesday.  MLRI’s analysis focuses on a range of key…

Please add your organization to a sign on letter to the Massachusetts Delegation OPPOSING cuts to the SNAP program!  Deadline: Monday, May 13th.    What’s on the table?  Last week, members of Congress released very different frameworks for their vision of the…

On May 6, 2024, Steward Health Care System LLC and 166 of its affiliated debtors  each filed a voluntary petition for relief under Chapter 11 in the United States Bankruptcy Court for the Southern District of Texas. The Steward website directs people to this website with more…

FY 2025 Budget The Senate Ways & Means budget for FY 2025 is due out next Tuesday. One important issue affecting MassHealth is whether the Senate will agree with the House to block the cuts to the PCA program proposed by the Governor. Our friends at 1199 SEIU have set up a website with…

As 2023 winds down, I am writing to share with you that MLRI and La Colaborativa in Chelsea are teaming up (with Charles Group Consulting) to launch a 2023 Legislative and FY24 Budget Campaign to restore state-funded SNAP and TAFDC cash assistance benefits to legally present but federally-ineligible…

We are reaching out with a lot of information - some of which is positive, and some of which will be extremely challenging for Massachusetts families in 2023. We know there is a lot to absorb in this email. The most critical action step is to rest up - we have a lot to do in…