Every resident could attend a Massachusetts community college tuition-free under a $118 million plan state Senate leaders unveiled Monday, promising to expand efforts to slash costs for students seeking two-year degrees or certifications.

The Senate budget will also recommend continuing fiscal 2024 higher education investments, such as $18 million in free nursing programs at community colleges and $24 million that the state is currentl

Even in times of economic uncertainty, some investments are worth making, according to state Senate President Karen Spilka. That was the message Spilka shared on Monday after she appeared at Middlesex Community College’s Lowell campus to announce the upper chamber’s plan to provide a free college education to every Massachusetts resident who wants one.