Budget Amendment ID: FY2015-S4-57-R2
2nd Redraft OTH 57
Massachusetts Iraq and Afghanistan Fallen Heroes Funding
Ms. Forry, Messrs. Donnelly, Rush, Montigny and Timilty moved that the proposed new text be amended in section 2, moved that the bill be amended in section 2, by adding the following item:-
“XXXX-XXXX For the cost of establishing a memorial to honor Massachusetts Iraq and Afghanistan Fallen Heroes; provided, that funds shall be made available to the Massachusetts Iraq and Afghanistan Fallen Heroes Memorial Fund, Inc. for programming, design, construction, and maintenance; provided further, that nothing in this item shall prohibit the Massachusetts Iraq and Afghanistan Fallen Heroes Memorial Fund, Inc. from raising private funds to promote the establishment of the memorial or encouraging the donation of private funds for the construction and maintenance of the memorial or for any other endeavor the organization so chooses.…………………………………………………………………..…..$250,000”; and
by striking out section 4 and inserting in place thereof the following 2 sections:-
“SECTION 4. Chapter 2 of the General Laws is hereby amended by inserting after section 6A the following section :-
Section 6B. (a) The Massachusetts Iraq and Afghanistan Fallen Heroes Memorial shall be erected in Seaport park in the Seaport district of the city of Boston and shall be the official memorial of the commonwealth to honor all post-September, 11, 2001 veterans of the commonwealth who died while in service to this country in Iraq, Afghanistan and all other operations across the globe and in the United States. The memorial park shall also pay tribute to all veterans of the commonwealth who served post-September 11, 2001.
(b) There shall be established an Iraq and Afghanistan Memorial monitoring committee to consist of 9 persons, 1 of whom shall be appointed by the president of the senate; 1 of whom shall be appointed by speaker of the house of representatives; 1 of whom shall be appointed by the governor; 2 of whom shall be appointed by the secretary of veterans’ services of whom 1 shall be a Gold Star parent of a fallen service member who served in United States military operations in either Iraq or Afghanistan; and 4 of whom shall be appointed by the executive director of the Massachusetts Iraq and Afghanistan Fallen Heroes Memorial Fund, Inc. Each member, except the Gold Star parent, shall have been a veteran of United States military operations in Iraq or Afghanistan. The committee shall oversee the construction, maintenance and dedications of the memorial. Upon completion and dedication of the memorial all commission duties relative to the memorial shall be the responsibility of the Massachusetts Iraq and Afghanistan Fallen Heroes Memorial Fund, Inc.
SECTION 4A. Section 67 of chapter 3 of the General Laws, as appearing in the 2012 Official Edition, is hereby amended by striking out, in lines 1 and 2, the words “gay and lesbian” and inserting in place thereof the following words:- lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer and questioning.”; and
by inserting after section 54 the following section:-
“SECTION 54A . Section 2E of chapter 90 of the General Laws, as appearing in the 2012 Official Edition, is hereby amended by adding the following subsection:-
(d) The registrar shall furnish, upon application, to owners of private passenger motor vehicles distinctive registration plates which shall display on their face the silhouette of a soldier, a soldier’s cross and gold star with the words “Honor Their Sacrifice”, to honor men and women who have died in the military service of the United States. There shall be a fee of not less than $50 for such plates in addition to the established registration fee for private passenger motor vehicles, which shall be payable at the time of registration of the vehicle and at each renewal thereof. The registrar shall furnish without charge 1 “Honor Their Sacrifice” registration plate for 1 private passenger motor vehicle owned and principally used by parents, children, siblings, grandchildren or spouses of members of the military who died while in active service in the armed forces under conditions other than dishonorable. The portion of the total fee remaining after the deduction of costs directly attributable to the issuance of such plates shall be deposited in a registry retained revenue account. Of the remaining portion of the fee, 75 per cent shall be directed to the Massachusetts Iraq and Afghanistan Fallen Heroes Memorial Fund, Inc., to be distributed by the fund at its discretion in cooperation with Iraq and Afghanistan Memorial monitoring committee for the benefit of the programs, design, construction and maintenance of the Massachusetts Iraq and Afghanistan Fallen Heroes Memorial, veterans memorials and fallen heroes memorials throughout the commonwealth and 25 per cent shall be directed to the Disabled American Veterans, Department of Massachusetts.”