(Associated Press) - Massachusetts lawmakers have given final approval to a compromise $38.1 billion budget and sent it along to Gov. Charlie Baker for his signature.

The spending plan includes measures aimed at strengthening management of the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority and requiring lawmakers to sign off before public money could be spent on a potential 2024 Olympics in Boston.

Approval of the budget comes a week after the start of the 2016 fiscal year. The state had been operating on a stopgap budget.

The 2016 fiscal year budget would increase overall spending by 3.5 percent over the just completed fiscal year.

Baker said he looked forward to reviewing the entire package. He said it offers a promising start to the effort to fix the MBTA.

Baker has 10 days to review the budget.

The spending plan also includes the largest amounts ever for education aid and local aid for the City of New Bedford.  New Bedford will receive $125 million for Chapter 70 education funding and $21.2 million in unrestricted Government Aid.

Rep. Antonio Cabral is also touting $450,000 he secured for the UMass Dartmouth School of Marine Science and Technology, to continue research programs in the fishery.

(WBSM News contributed to this report)

 

 

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