The House spending plan for next year is not terribly different from the one offered by the governor at the end of February, coming in about $160,000 higher and including plans to move the state’s lottery online and provide free school lunches permanently.

“The $56 billion budget that will be released from the House Ways and Means Committee today and laid before the House later this month will allow the Commonwealth’s economy to grow and remain competitive,” House Ways and Means Chair Aaron Michlewitz said.

Coming in at $56.2 billion, the House’s version of the budget will go before the lower chamber in the next couple of weeks before moving on to the Senate and eventually the governor.

The bill includes provisions which would see every student in the state fed at school for free, provide unlimited free phone calls to state prisoners, and make lottery purchases available via mobile platforms.

“In the world now, with mobile sports betting being so popular, we feel it’s time for our lottery system to also have a competitive advantage or an even playing field,” Michlewitz said

According to Michlewitz, the bill would also send the state’s rainy day fund an extra $500 million, bumping it up to about $9 billion.

Included in the spending plan is the assumption the Houses’ plan to cut taxes in fiscal 2024 by about $587 million will make it through negotiations with Senate partners.

Michlewitz seemed optimistic that would be the case as of Wednesday morning.

“I’m very hopeful the senate will do exactly what we do in our budget,” he said to some laughter.