Governor Maura Healey said the right-to-shelter laws' “original intent” was not to cover the “waves and waves of people,” including migrant families, who have come into the state in recent years.

BOSTON - The heavily scrutinized right-to-shelter law in Massachusetts would change significantly under a new proposal shared by Gov. Maura Healey Wednesday. The policy that became law in 1983 guarantees emergency housing to homeless families and pregnant women.

The proposal comes a day before her State of the Commonwealth address and as Republicans are seeking greater oversight of the troubled system.

"I believe these changes are appropriate and needed to ensure the long-term sustainability of the state shelter system," she said.

The Bay State will spend upwards of $8 billion over the next ten years improving its roads, bridges and regional transportation services if a proposal announced by the governor Tuesday is passed by the legislature.

Facing criticism over her handling of the migrant crisis, Gov. Maura Healey is proposing an overhaul of the state’s emergency shelter system, calling for increased criminal background checks,

The governor of Massachusetts on Wednesday proposed that at least one member of a family staying in emergency shelters be in the country legally, hardening her stance at a time when concerns are being raised about the safety at the facilties.

Gov. Maura Healey proposed a series of major changes to state-run emergency shelters Wednesday that attempt to cordon off the maxed-out system from individuals who are not Massachusetts residents, including by implementing a three-month residency requirement.