The Massachusetts House passed another bill to raise up higher education in the state. H.4750, An Act to build resilient infrastructure to generate higher-ed transformation, or the BRIGHT Act, will direct $3.65 billion from income surtax revenues to replacing and repairing buildings across MA’s 29 public colleges and universities.
The funds will support core higher education capital projects, including:
- $1.25 billion for the UMass system,
- $1.25 billion for state universities and community colleges,
- $275 million for MassArt,
- Another $170 million supports climate-related upgrades, remote learning infrastructure, and Skills Capital Grants aimed at expanding career and technical education capacity – while generating roughly 20,000 construction-related jobs across the state.
The investments included in the bill create a long-term, statewide strategy for addressing aging facilities while aligning campuses with the state’s workforce, economic development, and climate goals.
As Speaker Mariano said, “Building on the Commonwealth’s increases in student financial aid, and on our commitment to making higher education more accessible and affordable, especially for low-income students, Massachusetts is undertaking a generational reinvestment in educating our residents and strengthening our higher education system.”
Having passed in the House, this legislation will now go to the Senate for its consideration.
Great work and congrats to Chair, Joint Committee on Higher Education Dave Rogers, Chair, Joint Committee on Bonding, Capital Expenditures and State Assets, Mike Finn, HW&M Chair Michlewitz , and our House Leader Speaker Ron Mariano.
