On July 23, the Senate debated and passed an economic development bond bill to create jobs, put guardrails on AI, and boost economic growth in the Commonwealth.
I filed 13 amendments, six of which were included:
Supporting our local food economies
My amendment increases the funding authorization by $5 million for a total of $15 million to support breakthrough food science start-up initiatives and agricultural enterprises in the Commonwealth. This builds on the $30 million that my colleagues in the western Massachusetts delegation and I secured in 2024 for the Future of Food initiative based at the University of Massachusetts Amherst.
Investing in agritourism
Did you know that there are over 7,000 farms across the Commonwealth?
Hundreds of these farms call the Hampshire, Franklin, Worcester district home and want to invite folks from across Massachusetts in — for a hayride, an adventure through a corn maze, a pick-your-own afternoon, a wine tasting, a barn wedding, a farm-to-table dinner under string lights.
When we fund agritourism in Massachusetts (think signage, farm stands, marketing), we are saying yes to more Saturday mornings picking blueberries or apples and yes to keeping a farmer’s lights on through the winter. I speak more about the importance of agritourism to our communities here.
I was proud to file a successful amendment establishing a $5 million funding authorization to support agritourism in the Commonwealth, as part of the ‘fun agenda’ led by my colleague Senator Julian Cyr (learn more about that here).
Pictured: Members of the Massachusetts State Senate who filed amendments as part of the “fun agenda”.
Establishing a commission to create a Municipal and Public Safety Building Authority
In western and north central Massachusetts and beyond, our municipal and public safety buildings (think fire houses and police stations) are in desperate need of repair.
My amendment establishes a commission to develop a comprehensive framework for a Municipal and Public Safety Building Authority, which would be an independent state authority to assist municipalities with the construction and rehabilitation of public safety and municipal buildings.
I have prioritized the establishment of a Municipal and Public Safety Building Authority for the last six years after hearing from the communities I represent that they do not have the financial capacity to undertake much-needed projects without state support.
Helping rural communities build housing
A section of the base economic development bill creates a grant preference modifier for municipalities that have zoning or land use policies that encourage the production of housing.
My amendment:
- Requires two public hearings to solicit public input before any preference modifier takes effect;
- Increases flexibility within the criteria for regional differences, by aligning the criteria for the grant preference modifier with existing regional housing plans; and,
- Ensures that rural communities have a voice in the creation of the guidelines by adding the Director of Rural Affairs to the list of agencies involved in creating the preference modifier.
Bond authorization for the Wilson’s project in Greenfield
I also secured $4.75 million in bonding authorization to support the transformation of the Wilson’s department store building into housing and commercial space.
Bond authorization for Leverett sawmill project
Finally, I secured $250,000 in bonding authorization to support the renovation of the North Leverett sawmill building as part of the transformation of that property.
As the House previously passed its own version of an economic development proposal, a conference committee will soon be appointed to negotiate the differences between the two bills.
Read on for a complete summary of the economic development bill.
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Following two days of debate, the Massachusetts Senate passed an economic development package that lifts up small businesses and burgeoning industries, bans predatory kiosks used in cryptocurrency scams, and reins in the potential dangers of artificial intelligence by instituting responsible guardrails against catastrophes.
The bill also surges the production of new housing units through automatic two-family zoning across Massachusetts, creates safety rules for fast electric scooters and e-bikes, and invests $100 million in immediate support for scientific research programs at public higher education institutions.
With $575.4 million in authorizations, the economic development bond bill is poised to grow quality jobs in the Commonwealth, support innovation, and improve the quality of life for workers and families.
The bill prioritizes bonding investments to boost every aspect of the Massachusetts economy, including:
- $100 million to support and promote economic growth and job creation in the defense sector;
- $75 million to support the development and application of AI;
- $25 million to support downtown and main street vitality in Massachusetts towns and cities, in addition to $2.5 million to help convert vacant storefronts into pop-up opportunities for new small businesses;
- $25 million for research and development of robotics technology;
- $20 million to support construction of early stage and high growth business ventures;
- $20 million to support community development financial institutions and small businesses; and
- $25 million to support arts, culture, and the creative economy, building on recent successes of the Massachusetts tourism and cultural sector.
The legislation requires major AI developers—known as large frontier developers—to account for their AI models’ risk of critical safety incidents by setting frameworks to avoid potential catastrophes. The Attorney General’s Office (AGO) would be empowered to bring civil lawsuits against major AI developers if they violate these new safety requirements.
The bill would create unprecedented levels of new housing units in Massachusetts by allowing two-family homes on all residentially zoned lots, subject to reasonable local limitations.
Supporting the Massachusetts economy’s workers and their families, the bill goes further to boost the state’s housing stock by creating a new, easier process for converting commercial properties into residential units, and requiring timely review processes for housing construction projects.
Recent e-bike and electric scooter technology has moved beyond older state laws into unregulated territory. This bill accounts for these developments by creating new safety standards that keep young children off these devices, some of which can speed at 30 miles per hour, and banning mopeds and similar devices from bike lanes and shared use paths.
Scientific research drives a significant part of the Massachusetts economy. With federal research funding under threat, the legislation invests an immediate $100 million in bridge funding for public higher education institutions to help maintain the pace of scientific discovery and retain talented graduate and post doctorate workers.
Full details of the legislation as released by the Senate Ways and Means Committee are available in a fact sheet in the Senate’s press room.
Over the course of the past two days, the Senate built on the underlying bill by adopting amendments in critical areas related to responsible technological advancement, the hospitality industry and vibrant business districts, and the ability for certain professions to work across state lines.
Safety in Technological Innovation
Stopping Cryptocurrency ATM Misuse (Amendment 374): Responds to the use of cryptocurrency kiosks as tools in predatory scams by fully banning the operation of such kiosks in Massachusetts. Scammers in recent years have directed older adults to use crypto kiosks to send money which is often not recoverable when the fraud is discovered, leading some seniors to lose their entire life savings.
Frontier AI Risk Reports and Independent Verification (Amendment 471): Verifies that large AI developers are complying with this legislation’s new safety requirements by requiring independent, third-party safety audits. Additionally requires large AI companies to undergo in-depth, independent safety testing every four months to identify any residual catastrophic risks.
Protecting Against CSAM (Amendment 94): Criminalizes the creation, possession, or sharing of AI-generated child sexual abuse material (CSAM), in response to new AI technology and computer programs capable of generating synthetic images that are indistinguishable from real photos. Penalties for sharing such images go up to 10 years imprisonment. Creating or prompting synthetic CSAM is punishable by up to five years in prison, or 10 years if the image depicts a real child.
Responsible Robotics (Amendment 118): Ensures the responsible use of robotics technology. Prohibits the possession, operation, manufacture, or sale of robots that are equipped with weapons—including firearms, chemical agents, weaponized lasers and explosives. Prohibits the use of a robotic device to criminally harass or physically restrain another person. Violations are punishable by up to five years in prison. Includes a waiver process for defense companies and contractors; an exemption for the military; and a process for law enforcement to use weaponized robots to destroy or diffuse bombs, with a proper warrant.
The ‘Fun Agenda’
No Soccer No Party (Amendment 595): Convenes a working group to study the feasibility of a future international soccer tournament to be held in Massachusetts. The group, organized under the Office of International Trade and Investment, would study potential dates, venues, operational needs, and funding sources, and would coordinate with representatives of participating countries including the United States, Scotland, and nations with a significant diaspora in Massachusetts.
Making music affordable by reining in predatory ticket scalping (Amendment 20): Institutes a 110 per cent cap on prices charged by ticket resale platforms for music concert tickets.
Happy Hour (Amendment 78): Gives cities and towns the option of re-establishing ‘happy hour’ discounted alcohol sales policies, boosting bars, restaurants, and other licensed establishments. Municipalities would regulate happy hours by local ordinance.
Conviviality Districts (Amendment 309): Builds on the success of a historic summer by permanently allowing cities and towns to permit public alcohol consumption in designated outdoor districts. Municipalities would be able to adopt the local-option districts for areas such as streets and parks, with the requirement that drinks be purchased from licensed establishments within the designated area.
Public Arts and Entertainment Microgrant Program (Amendment 354): Authorizes $1 million for a new grant program to boost the cultural and economic vitality of downtown areas, commercial areas, cultural districts, gathering places, and nightlife destinations. The Massachusetts Cultural Council would distribute the microgrants to support public arts, performances, and programming.
Cultivating Agritourism Across Massachusetts (Amendment 70): Authorizes $5 million for grants to support local farms, agriculture, and small businesses through agritourism.
Massport Liquor License Flexibility (Amendment 441): Allows bars and restaurants at Logan Airport to continue serving alcohol as long as flights are arriving and departing from the airport.
Networking Jobs Across State Lines
Psychology Interjurisdictional Compact (Amendment 11): Increases access to psychology services by adding Massachusetts to an interstate compact that recognizes the licensure of psychologists in other participating states. Allows licensed psychologists from those states to practice via telehealth across state lines.
Social Work Licensure Compact (Amendment 222): Supports Massachusetts social workers by joining surrounding states in the social work licensure compact, ensuring they can continue to care for patients in other states.
Establishing a Physical Therapy Compact (Amendment 402): Bolsters the physical therapy workforce by working toward the creation of an interstate compact, which would allow licensed physical therapists and assistants to practice across participating state lines.
Fostering a Strong Local and Regional Economy
Juvenile Jurisdiction (Amendment 495): Raises the age of juvenile jurisdiction to include residents who are 18 years old. The ‘raise the age’ initiative is proven to decrease crime, increase public safety and improve economic outcomes by allowing emerging adults who are 18 years old—the typical age of a high school senior—to be tried as juveniles instead of adults for certain crimes.
Requiring Automated Criminal Record Sealing (Amendment 511): Automates and expedites the process of sealing criminal records, ensuring that eligible people are able to move forward without bureaucratic delays.
Affordable Homeownership Pilot (Amendment 46): Supports the development and construction of permanently affordable homeownership units by aiding the creation of a pilot program. Authorizes $2.5 million to fund the creation of units for low- and moderate-income households, including units within mixed-use developments.
Municipal Tax Relief (Amendment 554): Gives cities and towns the option of providing enhanced tax relief in the form of a rebate to lower- and middle-income taxpayers who already receive the residential tax exemption. Creates an additional tool on top of the established residential exemption, which gives property tax relief to local residents by shifting more of the residential tax burden onto vacation homes and investment properties.
West-East Passenger Rail (Amendment 196): Authorizes $5 million for the development of the passenger rail station in Palmer, a key stop for West-East Passenger Rail to span the state from Boston to Pittsfield.
The ENOUGH Act (Amendment 401): Creates a fund and framework to capitalize on public-private partnerships to lift families and communities out of poverty. Support would extend to community organizations to boost areas such as early education and care, affordable housing, public safety, and civic infrastructure.
Zoo New England (Amendment 22): Authorizes $5 million for capital improvements at facilities of Zoo New England, which supports education and conservation through the Franklin Park Zoo in Boston and Stone Memorial Zoo in Stoneham.
Massachusetts National Guard Museum Birthplace (Amendment 366): Unlocks federal dollars to support the development of the Massachusetts National Guard Museum by giving an official designation to the museum. Designates the facility’s location as Salem, the birthplace of the National Guard where the first muster of the colonial Militia was held 389 years ago.
The Senate Committee on Ways and Means advanced the redrafted economic development bill to the full Senate with a 16-0 vote on July 16, 2026.
The package is based on legislation originally filed by Governor Maura Healey. A prior version was passed by the House of Representatives.
The Senate passed the bill and sent it back to the House of Representatives for further consideration.
