HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 4953        FILED ON: 7/24/2025

HOUSE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No.         

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

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PRESENTED BY:

Michelle L. Badger and Kathleen R. LaNatra

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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 establishing the temporary emergency veterans’ assistance program.

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PETITION OF:

HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 4953        FILED ON: 7/24/2025

HOUSE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No.         

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

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In the One Hundred and Ninety-Fourth General Court
(2025-2026)

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An Act relative to establishing the temporary emergency veterans’ assistance program.

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 29 of the General Laws is hereby amended by inserting, after Section 2LLLLLL, added by section 20 of chapter 9 of the acts of 2025, the following section:-

Section 2MMMMMM. (a) There shall be established and set up on the books of the commonwealth a separate fund, to be known as the Temporary Emergency Veterans’ Assistance Fund. The fund shall support veterans living in the commonwealth in need of financial assistance to prevent foreclosure or eviction. It shall consist of amounts credited to the fund in accordance with this section. The executive office of veterans’ services shall be the custodian of the fund and shall collaborate with directors of veterans’ services in cities, towns and municipalities in the commonwealth.

(b) The fund shall consist of: (i) revenue from appropriations or other money authorized by the general court and specifically designated to be credited to the fund; (ii) interest earned on money in the fund; and (iii) federal grants and other gifts, grants and donations. Amounts credited to the fund shall not be subject to further appropriation and any money remaining in the fund at the end of a fiscal year shall not revert to the General Fund.

(c) Money in the fund shall be expended for the temporary emergency veterans’ assistance program established in section 19 of chapter 115 to carry out the goals of the program.

(d) The executive office of veterans’ services shall annually, not later than December 31 of each year, report on the activity of the fund to the: (i) chairs of the joint committee on veterans and federal affairs; (ii) house and senate committees on ways and means; and (iii) clerks of the house of representatives and senate.

SECTION 2. Chapter 115 of the General Laws is hereby amended by adding the following section:-

Section 19. (a) For the purpose of this section, the following terms shall, unless the context clearly requires otherwise, have the following meanings:

“The board”, the temporary emergency veterans’ assistance board.

“The office”, the executive office of veterans’ services.

“The program”, the temporary emergency veterans’ assistance program.

(b) The office shall establish and administer the program that shall assist veterans in difficult financial situations. The program shall help prevent veterans from foreclosures and evictions by providing financial assistance, including, but not limited to, the payment of a veteran’s mortgage or rent, meal allowance, temporary housing, transportation or the installation of a ramp at the home of a veteran with a disability.

(c) There shall be established the temporary emergency veterans’ assistance board to oversee the program’s implementation and recommend improvements to the program under this section. The board shall consist of 5 members: (i) the secretary or their designee, who shall serve

as chair; (ii) 2 members appointed by the governor, both shall be a director of veterans' services from a city, town or municipality in the commonwealth; (iii) 1 member appointed by the speaker of the house of representatives, who shall be a veteran living in the commonwealth; and (iv) 1 member appointed by the president of the senate, who shall be a veteran living in the commonwealth.

(d) In order to qualify for the program a veteran shall: (i) be a resident of the commonwealth; (ii) pass a criminal offender record information background check; (iii) have been honorably discharged or general discharged; and (iv) have served during a time of war or during peacetime.

(e) The program shall not provide financial assistance to cover a veteran’s consumer debt.

(f) A veteran shall be able to receive financial assistance from the program only once every 5 years.

(g) Any enlisted service member shall receive notice of the program before they leave active duty in the commonwealth.

(h) The program shall be funded by the Temporary Emergency Veterans’ Assistance established in section 2MMMMMM of chapter 29.

(i) The office shall promulgate any rules and regulations needed to implement this section.

(j) The office, in consultation with the board, shall prepare an annual report that includes, but is not limited to: (i) details on the program’s implementation; (ii) the number of veterans receiving financial assistance from the program; and (iii) the impact the program had on participating veterans. The office shall submit the annual report, not later than December 31 of each year, to the chairs of the joint committee on veterans and federal affairs, house and senate committees on ways and means and the clerks of the house of representatives and senate.