Budget Amendment ID: FY2021-S4-4

GOV 4

Guaranteeing Annuities for Families of Veterans that Perished from COVID-19 while Residing in the Soldiers' Homes of Massachusetts

Messrs. Timilty, O'Connor, Welch and Velis moved that the proposed new text be amended by adding after section X the following new section:-

SECTION X. Section 6B of Chapter 115 of the General Laws, as appearing in the 2018 Official Edition, is hereby amended by adding after the third paragraph the following paragraph:-

The parents and surviving spouse, provided that surviving spouse does not remarry, of a deceased member of the armed forces of the United States, whose death occurred as a result of contracting COVID-19 while residing at the Soldiers’ Home in Holyoke or the Soldiers’ Home in Chelsea on or since January 1, 2020, shall be paid the sum of $2,000 annually in two equal payments on August 1 and February 1. Such payments shall be due and payable from the date of the parents' and surviving spouse's application; provided, however, that the first payment shall be retroactive to the applicant's initial date of eligibility if the deceased member or the parent or spouse making application was a resident of the commonwealth at the time of death and the parent or spouse making application is a resident of the commonwealth at the time of application. For the purposes of calculating any retroactive payment of benefits under this section, the initial date of eligibility shall be the later of: (i) the date of death of the member of the armed forces of the United States; or (ii) July 1, 1998, in the case of parents and November 11, 2005, in the case of a spouse.