* Restored $3,555,000 for Emergency Food Assistance (Amendment 206, line item 2511-0105) funding to the Massachusetts Emergency Food Assistance Program, which has seen an increase in demand, food prices and operational costs in the past few months, to $12,000,000 in the final Senate budget. This program supports food banks, food pantries, soup kitchens and shelters statewide;
* Restored 2,000,000 for DPH Violence Prevention Grants (Amendment 659, line item 4590-1506), which supports a broad spectrum of innovative youth development-centered violence prevention grant programs;
* Restores $1,500,000 for Youth-at-Risk Matching Grants (Amendment 660, line item 4000-0112) to boys’ and girls’ clubs, YMCA and YWCA organizations, nonprofit community centers and at risk youth development programs, so youth across the state have access to positive alternatives to joining gangs or youth violence;
* Restores $10,000,000 for the Massachusetts Rental Voucher Program (Amendment 250, line item 7004-9024), which will allow more than 5,000 low income households to have rental assistance. This amendment prevents over 2,500 low income families from losing housing assistance and possibly becoming homeless;
* Restores $4,000,000 for Youth at Risk Summer Jobs (Amendment 251, 7002-0012) for statewide funding to teenagers from low-income families to provide them with summer jobs and help them gain important job and life skills. This program was previously completely struck from the state budget and serves Boston and many cities around the Commonwealth.
* Restores $850,000 for Primary Care Workforce (Amendment 655, line item 4000-0265) to address the shortage of primary care providers in the health care sector in Massachusetts by easing the burden of educational debt and increasing the availability of primary care physicians and nurses.
* Restores $1,000,000 for Community Health Centers (Amendment 657, line item 4510-0110).
* Restores $963,825 for AIDS/HIV counseling, testing and prevention programs, (Amendment 658, line item 4512-0103) which prevent new HIV infections. It funds services to keep HIV infected individuals living and working productively in their own communities and out of expensive institutional settings, saving the Commonwealth money in the short and long-term. Before this amendment, this line item was completely struck out of the budget.
* Restores $1,000,000 for Commonwealth Zoological Corporation (Amendment 20, line item 7007-0951), which oversees the Franklin Park Zoo. His funding protects the Franklin Park Zoo from closing and maintains the Zoo at an economic activity generator for the Commonwealth. Over 524,000 guests visited the Zoos during the 2009 Fiscal Year.
* Restores $500,000 for Massachusetts Commission Against Discrimination (Amendment 169, line item 0940-0100) to prevent staff reductions and decrease the amount of cases per investigator. This amendment prevented investigator caseload from increasing to an incredible 850 cases per investigator increase from an already nation-wide high of 275 cases per investigator.
Sonia Chang-Díaz Co-sponsored Amendments
* Restores $6,500,000 for Shannon Grants (Amendment 675, line item 8100-0111, sponsored by Senator James Timilty from Millbury), which will cover a range of proven crime-fighting activities, including but not limited to increased surveillance and patrolling of hot spots, youth outreach and mentoring, after-school programs, tutoring, drug treatment, job training and placement, GED programs and community-wide anti-gang meetings.
* Restores $2,000,000 for Massachusetts Legal Assistance Counsel Legal Services (Amendment 94, line item 0321-1600, Sponsored by Senator Cynthia Creem), which will offer legal advice and representation to low-income Massachusetts residents with civil legal problems involving issues such as domestic violence, housing, income maintenance, health care, elder issues, and more.
* Restores $1,151,644 for Elder Home Care (Amendment 585, line item 9110-9002, sponsored by Senator Pat Jehlen of Somerville), provides support services to elders with daily living needs to help maintain independent less expensive community living.
* Restores $4,000,000 for Universal Pre-K (Amendment 353, line item 3000-5075, sponsored by Senator Robert O’ Leary from Barnstable), which will prevent the loss of quality pre-schooling for children.
* Restores $36,000,000 for Special Education Circuit Breaker (Amendment 358, line item7061-0012, sponsored by Robert O’Leary from Barnstable), which will significantly assist districts in funding high cost special needs children.
