04/16/2026
H.2554 Bill Update – April 15, 2026 - The bill that would eliminate the religious exemption in MA for K-12 public and private schools.
The Joint Committee on Health Care Financing voted on April 9 to recommend “Ought to Pass.” That report became official today (April 15), and the bill has now been referred to the House Committee on Ways and Means.
Where We Are
House Ways and Means is the committee responsible for reviewing the financial side of bills. This is a key step, but it does not mean the bill is close to becoming law yet. Over 8,000 bills were filed this session and we have 3.5 months left until informal session.
What Needs to Happen Next For This To Pass?
For H.2554 to pass this year, it still has a long way to go, typically:
* It must get a favorable report from House Ways and Means
* Pass second and third readings and a floor vote in the House
* Move to the Senate, where it will likely go to Senate Ways and Means, then Steering & Policy, and finally a Senate floor vote
The Big Deadline
All of this would need to happen by July 31, 2026 — the last day of formal sessions.
After July 31, the Legislature moves into informal sessions, where controversial bills like this one almost never advance because it takes just one legislator to stop the bill. Many bills that reach this stage this late in the year do not make it through.
What This Means & What You Can Do
We are at an important point in the process, but there is still time. We are closely monitoring every step, actively meeting with lawmakers, and will continue to keep you updated.
In the meantime, we encourage you to reach out to your own state representative and senator. Share how this bill could harm families — especially the real risk of children losing access to education and the heavy burden it would place on your family.
We will be sharing materials to help you craft your emails and happy to provide support.
Please also stay tuned — we will soon be hosting a webinar with our lobby team. We’ll walk through the process, talk about the bills, and answer your questions.
Finally, budget season is now upon us. We expect Sen. Rausch to submit amendments again this year, just as she has done in the past. We need to stay engaged and work together to stop both the bill and any harmful amendments.
