MLAC Responds to Governor Healey’s FY27 Budget
BOSTON, January 29, 2026 – Yesterday, Governor Maura Healey issued her FY27 state budget recommendations, which included $52 million for civil legal aid through the Massachusetts Legal Assistance Corporation’s (MLAC) line item 0321-1600. This represents a $1 million increase for civil legal aid services over the current funding level of $51 million.
“We are grateful to Governor Healey for increasing the state’s investment in the MLAC line item in her FY27 budget recommendation,” said Lynne Parker, Executive Director of MLAC. “This funding will help civil legal aid organizations across Massachusetts, which serve as a lifeline for people with low incomes who are facing challenges related to housing, domestic safety, health care access, education equity, consumer protection, and more. MLAC is the single largest funder of these organizations, which provide critical representation and resources to Massachusetts residents in crisis.”
To qualify for legal assistance, people and families must have incomes at or below 125% of the poverty level—$41,250 for a family of four or $19,950 for an individual in 2026.
In addition to stabilizing individuals and families, the state’s annual investment in civil legal aid brings significant cost savings to the Commonwealth as a whole. In FY25, according to MLAC data, legal aid organizations secured an estimated $113.5 million in economic benefits for the Commonwealth and its residents, an increase of $4.5 million over FY24 ($109 million).
MLAC-funded legal aid organizations handled more than 46,890 cases in FY25, impacting more than 98,900 people across the Commonwealth, with 94% of cities and towns having at least one person with a case handled by a legal aid organization.
For more information on civil legal aid, MLAC, and the organizations it funds, visit www.mlac.org.
*This press release was originally published at https://mlac.org/mlac-responds-to-governor-healeys-fy27-budget/*
