On Monday, July 22, the House and Senate approved a $43.1 billion budget for fiscal year 2020. Included in the budget is $24 million for the Massachusetts Legal Assistance Corporation (MLAC), which is a $3 million increase for legal aid services.
“We are grateful to the conference committee members and to the House and Senate leadership for increasing civil legal aid funding, and urge Gov. Baker to approve this funding,” said Martin W. Healy, Massachusetts Bar Association Chief Operating Officer and Chief Legal Counsel. “Our most vulnerable citizens have significant unmet legal needs, and additional funding for MLAC is essential to addressing the increasing demand,” he said.
The governor has 10 days to act on the fiscal year 2020 budget. Click here for more information and to contact the governor to voice your support for MLAC. Click here to read a letter from the MBA to Gov. Baker about MLAC's budget.