By Erin Butts
Last week, Governor Healey stood alongside her Lieutenant Governor and House and Senate leaders to reflect on the legislature’s accomplishments in 2024 and share a glimpse of what to expect in the coming years.
Healey’s 2025 State of the State on January 16th was a tribute to Massachusetts’ success, strength, and innovation. The Governor consistently reaffirmed the State’s role as a leader in education, innovation, healthcare, safety, and environmental policy. Below is a breakdown of key topics, with what to expect in the coming year.
Healthcare
2024 was a busy year in healthcare. Multiple bills were signed into law, addressing access to maternal healthcare with midwives and doulas, affordable healthcare coverage, breast cancer screenings, and the cost of medication. But, with the Steward crisis and ongoing challenges with access, it is no surprise that Healey has now decided to go straight to the source: primary care.
To address premiums and out-of-pocket costs, she hopes to shift resources to primary care, which, in turn, can lessen the strain on other areas of the healthcare system. Healey and her administration also reaffirmed leadership’s dedication to protecting reproductive healthcare.
Transportation
One star of the night was MBTA General Manager Phil Eng, who successfully spearheaded the MBTA’s track fixes in 2024. Healey also touted new fare-free regional bus systems, and expansion to the commuter rail. It appears Healey hopes to keep this momentum going by investing $8 billion over the next ten years to improve transportation across the state. This will include funding in town budgets to fix roads, sidewalks, and bridges, and closing the MBTA’s budget gap.
Housing
Governor Healey highlighted two key housing wins from this past session: the Affordable Homes Act and the MBTA Communities Act. The former has already shown a 50 percent increase in home production, while the second puts thousands of new homes in the pipeline. Looking forward, Healey plans to support the plans made in these two acts, while also calling to abolish tenant broker fees for renters.
Emergency Shelters
Another hot topic this year has been Massachusetts’ right-to-shelter policy and the emergency shelter system. Healey restated the need for federal border control and to get families out of emergency shelter hotels over the next year. She also emphasized the important role of immigrant families who are working to build a life in the Commonwealth, while doubling down on her commitment to prioritize Massachusetts residents.
Veterans
This past session saw the passage of the HERO Act, the largest veteran support bill in state history. Looking ahead, Healey plans to continue her efforts to end veteran homelessness and ensure quality of life for those who have served.
Education
Massachusetts is number one in education in the country, and Governor Healey wants to keep it that way. In the wake of the voters’ decision to eliminate MCAS, Healey is creating a statewide graduation council with teachers, colleges, employers, and students to develop recommendations for a new high graduation standard. This is part of her commitment to maintaining the State’s competitive advantage with a high standard of excellence for every student. To do this, there will be a focus on ways for students to go beyond standard coursework, like with Career Innovation Pathways. There will also be a concerted effort to expand behavioral health support for students.
Economy and Infrastructure
Last session, Massachusetts saw its first tax cut in over 20 years, free school breakfast and lunch, free community college, and state-backed childcare. All of these speak to the larger goal of supporting residents so they can continue to live and work well in the Commonwealth. On top of this, the State’s rainy-day fund is at a record high, and there has been a marked investment in safe and modern infrastructure with over $9 billion in sought-after federal funding.
This year, Healey plans to continue these investments, with a focus on climate tech, artificial intelligence, and affordable clean energy. The Governor is expected to file her proposed budget on January 22nd, which she noted will focus on efficiency, action, and impact so that progress can be made while staying fiscally responsible.
Looking ahead, we can expect continued focus on what matters most to the citizens of the Commonwealth, like the rising cost of living, healthcare access, and reliable transportation. Healey and her administration have zeroed in on the importance of building a world for the next generation and the need to protect Massachusetts’ greatest resource: our people.