HAMPDEN COUNTY, Mass. - It's budget season and the state's House and Senate are hoping to have the budget wrapped up on time and sent to Governor Charlie Baker by June.

Senator Eric Lesser (D- First Hampden and Hampshire District) says this year they are continuing to provide resources to help people get their legs back under them from the impact of the coronavirus pandemic. 

Included in this year's budget would also be a plan to improve schools in Western Massachusetts. 

Senator Lesser says state leaders are back on track for implementing the Student Opportunity Act.

"That was a six-year, seven-year timeline that would increase school funding for  K-12 schools over a seven-year period. It would help the most, our cities like Chicopee, Springfield, Holyoke that have seen significant multi-million dollar increases in their budgets to pay for things like a science lab, after school programs, better arts and music programs, math enrichment and all the important things that K-12 schools do," Lesser said.

The plan was originally supposed to go on last year's budget, but was put on hold because of the pandemic.