Budget Amendment ID: FY2025-S4-454-R1

Redraft EHS 454

Women Veterans

Mr. Velis, Ms. Rausch, Messrs. Tarr, O'Connor and Pacheco, Ms. Edwards and Mr. Rush moved that the proposed new text be amended by inserting after section 51 the following section:- 

“SECTION 51A. Chapter 115 of the General Laws is hereby amended by inserting after section 17 the following section:-

Section 18. (a) There shall be within the executive office of veterans’ services a women veterans network. The duties of the network shall include, but not be limited to: (i) performing outreach to women veterans; (ii) improving women veterans' awareness of eligibility for federal and state veterans' services and benefits; (iii) holding in-person events for women veterans; (iv) making recommendations to the secretary of veterans’ services to improve benefits and services for women veterans; (v) incorporating women veterans' issues in the strategic planning of the executive office; and (vi) creating and distributing documents detailing benefits and resources available to women veterans, including but not limited to, resources to help women veterans transition to civilian life; provided, however, that such documents shall be made available on the executive office’s website.

(b) The network shall employ a women veterans’ coordinator to assist in the programming and outreach to women veterans, who shall work with the executive office of veterans’ services and veteran services officers to engage women veterans in a geographically equitable manner.

(c) Annually, not later than November 1, the office shall submit a report to the clerks of the senate and the house of representatives, the senate and house committees on ways and means and the joint committee on veterans and federal affairs, which shall include, but not be limited to: (i) demographic information on women veterans in the commonwealth; (ii) summation of veteran outreach events designed to connect women veterans; (iii) women veteran benefits documents created by the network; and (iv) upcoming in-person events organized or identified by the network .”