HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 506        FILED ON: 1/11/2013

HOUSE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No. 3177

 

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

_________________

PRESENTED BY:

Carlo Basile

_________________

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 to improve veterans home modifications.

_______________

PETITION OF:

 

Name:

District/Address:

Date Added:

Carlo Basile

1st Suffolk

1/11/2013

Stephen L. DiNatale

3rd Worcester

1/14/2013

James J. Dwyer

30th Middlesex

1/14/2013

Martin J. Walsh

13th Suffolk

1/14/2013

Todd M. Smola

1st Hampden

1/30/2013

Peter J. Durant

6th Worcester

1/16/2013

David T. Vieira

3rd Barnstable

1/15/2013

Kathi-Anne Reinstein

16th Suffolk

1/15/2013

Danielle W. Gregoire

4th Middlesex

 

Kenneth I. Gordon

21st Middlesex

 

Ann-Margaret Ferrante

5th Essex

 

Frank I. Smizik

15th Norfolk

 

Dennis A. Rosa

4th Worcester

 

Angelo L. D'Emilia

8th Plymouth

1/22/2013

Angelo J. Puppolo, Jr.

12th Hampden

1/23/2013

Alan Silvia

7th Bristol

 

Louis L. Kafka

8th Norfolk

 

Jeffrey N. Roy

10th Norfolk

 

Christopher G. Fallon

33rd Middlesex

 

Mark J. Cusack

5th Norfolk

 

Tom Sannicandro

7th Middlesex

 

Angelo M. Scaccia

14th Suffolk

 

Colleen M. Garry

36th Middlesex

 

Walter F. Timilty

7th Norfolk

 

Claire D. Cronin

11th Plymouth

 

David M. Rogers

24th Middlesex

 

Paul Brodeur

32nd Middlesex

 

Carolyn C. Dykema

8th Middlesex

 

Paul A. Schmid, III

8th Bristol

 

Thomas P. Conroy

13th Middlesex

 


HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 506        FILED ON: 1/11/2013

HOUSE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No. 3177

By Mr. Basile of Boston, a petition (accompanied by bill, House, No. 3177) of Carlo Basile and others for legislation to establish a program for assisting certain disabled veterans in making home modifications.  Veterans and Federal Affairs.

 

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

 

_______________

In the Year Two Thousand Thirteen

_______________

 

An Act to improve veterans home modifications.

 

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

Whereas, The deferred operation of this act would tend to defeat its purpose, which is to provide forthwith benefits to certain veterans, therefore it is hereby declared to be an emergency law, necessary for the immediate preservation of the public convenience.

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. Chapter 115 of the General Laws as appearing in the 2010 official edition is hereby amended by inserting after section 5, the following section:-

Section 5A.  A veteran who has either: 1) lost a limb or limbs or 2) lost the use of a limb or limbs, while serving in the military, shall receive benefits for the purpose of home modification from the commonwealth. The benefit provided to said veteran shall be used to provide any modification, including but not limited to special fixtures or movable facilities, made necessary by the nature of the veteran's disability. Said benefit shall, subject to appropriation, be available for the modification of every owner-occupied or rented dwelling, dwelling unit, mobile dwelling unit or rooming house unit in which the veteran resides and shall not exceed $75,000. The commissioner of veterans’ services shall promulgate rules and regulations necessary for the identification of eligible veterans and the awarding of home modification benefits.