Mass. House Passes Its Version Of $41B State Budget

The Massachusetts House has passed its version of a $41 billion state budget.

Debate on the annual spending plan began Monday and wrapped up Thursday evening.

Lawmakers had to work through more than 1,400 proposed amendments that had been filed to the spending plan assembled by the House Ways and Means Committee.

Many of those amendments were consolidated or withdrawn during closed-door negotiations.

The budget is the first to include tax revenues -- $63 million worth -- from recreational marijuana sales.

Next in line is the Massachusetts Senate, which is expected to release its version of the budget in coming weeks for the 2019 fiscal year that begins July 1.

The two chambers must reconcile their separate spending plans into a single budget to send to Republican Gov. Charlie Baker.