SENATE DOCKET, NO. 1525        FILED ON: 1/21/2011

SENATE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No. 1825

 

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

_________________

PRESENTED BY:

John Hart, Jr.

_________________

To the Honorable Senate and House of Representatives of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts in General
Court assembled:

The undersigned legislators and/or citizens respectfully petition for the adoption of the accompanying bill:

An Act relative to training and certification of veterans service officers and agents..

_______________

PETITION OF:

 

Name:

District/Address:

John Hart, Jr.

 

Todd M. Smola

1st Hampden

Sal N. DiDomenico

Middlesex and Suffolk

Richard T. Moore

 

Randy Hunt

5th Barnstable

William C. Galvin

6th Norfolk

John H. Rogers

12th Norfolk

Angelo M. Scaccia

14th Suffolk

James T. Welch

 

David T. Vieira

3rd Barnstable

James M. Cantwell

4th Plymouth

Nick Collins

4th Suffolk

Karen E. Spilka

 

John F. Keenan

 


SENATE DOCKET, NO. 1525        FILED ON: 1/21/2011

SENATE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No. 1825

By Mr. Hart, a petition (accompanied by bill, Senate, No. 1825) of John Hart, Jr., Todd M. Smola, Sal N. DiDomenico, Richard T. Moore and other members of the General Court for legislation to train and certify veterans service officers and agents.  Veterans and Federal Affairs.

 

[SIMILAR MATTER FILED IN PREVIOUS SESSION
SEE SENATE, NO. 2000 OF 2009-2010.]

 

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

 

_______________

In the Year Two Thousand Eleven

_______________

 

An Act relative to training and certification of veterans service officers and agents..

 

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court assembled, and by the authority of the same, as follows:
 

SECTION 1.  Section 2 of Chapter 115 of the General Laws, is hereby amended by inserting the following after paragraph 2: —

The secretary shall promulgate regulations to ensure local veteran service officers and agents, appointed under section 3 of this chapter, are trained and certified, including but not limited to assessing penalties against any municipality, district or veterans service officer or agent not in compliance with this statute or regulations promulgated hereto.  Veteran service officers and agents shall be trained and certified within twelve (12) months of appointment pursuant to Section 3 of this Chapter. Veterans service officers and agents currently appointed pursuant to section 3 of this chapter shall be shall be certified within (12) months of the date said regulations are promulgated.  Certification must be renewed every five (5) years.  To be eligible for certification as a veterans service officer or agent, the candidate shall (1) be appointed locally pursuant to MGL chapter 115, section 3; (2) pass a test established by the secretary which shall demonstrate the skills necessary to effectively represent veterans which shall include, but not be limited to the following areas of knowledge: the chapter 115 program, federal and local benefits, including employment, education, health care, retirement and other veterans’ benefits; and alternative resources, including those which are partially or wholly subsidized by the federal government, such as Medicaid, supplemental security income and social security disability benefits, as well as federal pension and compensation entitlements.   The secretary shall collaborate with the Massachusetts veterans service officers association in formulating said training and certification.  The secretary shall make this testing available no less than two times per calendar year.  The Commonwealth of Massachusetts shall consider those who complete the requirements in this paragraph a certified veteran service officer or agent.

The secretary shall establish standards for the training and support of veteran service officers and agents consistent with the requirements of this paragraph.  During the period of employment, a person holding a veterans service officer or agent certificate pursuant to this section shall be under the direct supervision of the mayor, town manager, board of selectmen, or regional district board or others who shall regularly observe and evaluate the performance of assigned duties by veterans service officer or agent. 

At the request of any municipality or district, the secretary shall offer such training and testing to any person who works directly for a certified veterans service officer or agent.