Bill > S1920

This bill appropriates funds for the fiscal year 2012 for the maintenance of various state departments, boards, commissions, institutions, and activities, as well as for interest, sinking fund, and serial bond requirements, and for certain permanent improvements. It also outlines revenue projections by source and budgeted fund, detailing amounts from alcohol beverages, cigarettes, corporations, deeds, estate inheritance, financial institutions, income, insurance, motor fuels, public utilities, room occupancy, sales, and miscellaneous taxes. The bill mandates that all appropriated funds be expended in a manner that reflects and encourages nondiscrimination and equal opportunity for minority groups, women, and handicapped persons, requiring agencies to take affirmative steps in hiring, promotion, and all employment terms. It also details specific appropriations for various branches of government, including the judiciary, district attorneys, executive offices, departments of health and human services, education, public safety, and sheriffs' offices, with numerous provisions for federal grant funding and interagency transfers. The bill also includes amendments to various chapters of the General Laws related to public contracting, insurance, and the establishment of new offices and programs, such as a caseload forecasting office and a unified certification program for disadvantaged business enterprises. It also revises provisions related to nursing facility rates, veterans' benefits, and the operation of state facilities.