Line item 4000-0051 in the FY26 Massachusetts budget (H4240) allocates $500,000 for the operation and support of a network of child and family service programs throughout the commonwealth, including family resource centers. The governor vetoed the entire $500,000, citing consistency with her budget recommendation and the availability of sufficient alternative resources through DCF Family Resource Centers (line item 4800-0200).

The Massachusetts Senate overrode the governor's line-item veto in H4240 on October 23, 2025 by a vote of 35 to 3. We have assigned pluses to the nays because mandating taxpayer funds for social services is not the role of government, and it expands the state's role in private family matters, imposes costs on taxpayers, and encourages dependency on welfare programs. Support for children and families is better achieved through private charity, community initiatives, and free-market solutions rather than government mandates that erode individual responsibility and fiscal restraint.