AN ACT HONORING, EMPOWERING, AND RECOGNIZING OUR SERVICEMEMBERS AND VETERANS
Whereas, The deferred operation of this act would tend to defeat its purpose, which is to forthwith honor, empower and recognize servicemembers and veterans in the commonwealth, 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. Section 6A of chapter 2 of the General Laws, as appearing in the 2022 official edition, is hereby amended by adding the following 3 paragraphs:-
(h) In the event of the death of any military service member performing military duty under official orders, who is killed while in an active duty status, including, but not limited to, a member of the United States Army, United States Air Force, United States Coast Guard, United States Marine Corps, United States Navy, United States National Guard, United States Army Reserves and United States Space Force, and residing in the commonwealth, from the day of death until sunset of the day of interment, the flag of the commonwealth shall be flown at half-staff in accordance with such orders or instructions as may be issued by, or at the direction of, the governor.
(i) In the event the remains of a POW or a MIA are repatriated within the commonwealth, from the day of arrival within the commonwealth through the day of interment the flag of the commonwealth shall be flown at half-staff.
(j) Annually, on national POW/MIA recognition day, observed on the third Friday of September, from sunrise to sunset the flag of the commonwealth shall be flown at half-staff.
SECTION 2. Section 34 of said chapter 2, as so appearing, is hereby amended by striking out, in line 2, the word “department” and inserting in place thereof the following words:- executive office.
SECTION 3. Subsection (d) of section 16DD of chapter 6A of the General Laws, as appearing in the 2022 Official Edition, is hereby amended by striking out, in line 29, the second time it appears, the word “department” and inserting in place thereof the following words:- executive office.
SECTION 4. Chapter 6 of the General Laws is hereby amended by inserting after section 15ZZZZZZ the following 2 sections:-
Section 15AAAAAAA. The governor shall set apart May 22 as United States Merchant Marine Day in recognition of the establishment of the United States Merchant Marine on June 12, 1775, and shall annually issue a proclamation recommending that the day be observed in an appropriate manner by the people.
Section 15BBBBBBB. The governor shall annually set apart December 20 as United States Space Force Day, in recognition of the Space Force’s distinguished history and spacefaring service, and recommending that the day be observed in an appropriate manner by the people.
SECTION 5. Said section 219 of said chapter 6, as so appearing, is hereby further amended by inserting after the word “leader”, in line 18, the second time it appears, the following words:- ; 1 person appointed by the governor representing a veterans organization in the commonwealth.
SECTION 6. Section 219 of said chapter 6, as so appearing, is hereby amended by striking out, in line 8, the figure “21” and inserting in place thereof the following figure:- 23.
SECTION 7. Said section 219 of said chapter 6, as so appearing, is hereby further amended by inserting after the word “chair”, in line 10, the following words:- ; the secretary of veterans' services or a designee.
SECTION 8. Section 105 of said chapter 6A, as so appearing, is hereby amended by striking out, in line 1, the words “a department” and inserting in place thereof the following words:- an executive office.
SECTION 9. Chapter 6 is hereby amended by inserting after section 15ZZZZZZ the following section:-
Section 15CCCCCCC. (a) The governor shall annually issue a proclamation on Memorial Day in recognition of the sacrifices of Gold Star families in the commonwealth and the following landmarks and bridges shall be illuminated in gold on Memorial Day to commemorate and recognize the lives of those lost in military service, including, but not limited to:
(1) the Gold Star Families Bridge in the city of Lynn;
(2) the Leonard P. Zakim Bunker Hill Memorial Bridge in the cities of Boston and Cambridge;
(3) the Longfellow Bridge in the cities of Boston and Cambridge;
(4) the Fore River Bridge in the city of Quincy and the town of Weymouth; and
(5) the Kenneth F. Burns Memorial Bridge in the city of Worcester and the town of Shrewsbury.
(b) The governor, the department of transportation, the executive office of veterans’ services and the Military Friends Foundation shall establish policies and procedures necessary to implement this section.
SECTION 10. Section 4G of chapter 7 of the General Laws, as so appearing, is hereby amended by striking out, in lines 7 to 8, the words “the department of veterans’ services,”.
SECTION 11. Section 61 of said chapter 7 is hereby amended by striking out, in lines 124 and 125, as so appearing, the word “department” and inserting in place thereof the following words:- executive office.
SECTION 12. Section 78 of chapter 10 of the General Laws is hereby amended by inserting after the word "Reserve", in line 11, as so appearing, the following words:- , United States Space Force.
SECTION 13. Section 17 of chapter 11 of the General Laws, as so appearing, is hereby amended by striking out, in line 21, the word “department” and inserting in place thereof the following words:- executive office.
SECTION 14. Section 1G of chapter 15 of the General Laws, as so appearing, is hereby amended by inserting after the word “students”, in line 86, the following words:- , including military-connected students.
SECTION 15. Chapter 15D of the General Laws is hereby amended by inserting after section 7 the following section:- Section 7A. For the purposes of this section, “military installation” shall mean a base, camp, post, station, yard, center or other activity under the jurisdiction of the secretary of a United States military department or, in the case of an activity in a foreign country, under the operational control of the secretary of a United States military department or the United States Secretary of Defense, regardless of the duration of operational control.
Notwithstanding any general or special law, rule or regulation to the contrary, sections 6 and 7 shall not apply to a childcare provider on a military installation or a facility licensed or certified as a family child care provider by a branch of the United States Department of Defense or by the United States Coast Guard.
SECTION 16. Said section 1 of said chapter 15E, as so appearing, is hereby further amended by inserting after the word “Force”, in line 69, the following words:- , Space Force.
SECTION 17. Section 49 of chapter 31 of the General Laws, as so appearing, is hereby amended by striking out, in lines 14 and 15, the words “home in the city of Chelsea” and inserting in place thereof the following word:- homes.
SECTION 18. Paragraph (h) of subdivision (1) of section 4 of chapter 32 of the General Laws, as so appearing, is hereby amended by striking out the fourth subparagraph and inserting in place thereof the following subparagraph:-
Notwithstanding the provisions of this chapter or any other general or special law, rule or regulation to the contrary, a member in service of a retirement system as defined in section 1 shall be provided written notice by the retirement board upon entry into service that if they qualify as a veteran who served in the armed forces of the United States, they shall be entitled to credit for active service in the armed services of the United States; provided, however, that such active service shall not be credited until such member, prior to or within 1 year of vesting pursuant to this chapter, has paid into the annuity savings fund of such system, in 1 sum or in installments, upon such terms and conditions as the board may prescribe, makeup payments, for each year of creditable service sought, of an amount equal to 10 per cent of the regular annual compensation of the member when said member entered the retirement system; provided further, that such creditable service shall not be construed to include service for more than 4 years; and provided further, that such creditable service shall not be allowed for any period of active service for which said veteran has received credit pursuant to this paragraph. This paragraph shall apply to national guard and active reserve personnel, both former and present. Creditable service time, both enlisted and commissioned, may be applied toward retirement on a ratio of 5 years of national guard service or 5 years of active reserve service substitutable for each year of active service. National guard and active reserve personnel shall not be precluded from making said purchase if they qualify as a veteran after vesting or if they reach the maximum of 4 years of eligible service purchase after vesting and qualifying as a veteran; provided, however, that they enter into a purchase agreement within 5 years of the last occurring event.
SECTION 19. Section 15 of chapter 33 of the General Laws, as so appearing, is hereby amended by adding the following paragraph:-
(j) There shall be a military spouse liaison appointed by the adjutant general who shall conduct outreach to and advocate on behalf of military spouses residing in the commonwealth. The duties of the military spouse liaison shall include, but not be limited to: (i) providing assistance and information to military spouses seeking professional licenses and credentials or other employment the commonwealth; (ii) coordinating research on issues facing military spouses; (iii) creating informational materials to assist military spouses and their families; (iv) providing recommendations to assist spouses in accessing high quality child care; (v) developing resources in coordination with military installations to increase access to high quality child care for military families; and (vi) assisting military spouses with finding employment in relevant sectors.
SECTION 20. Said chapter 33 is hereby further amended by striking out section 59, as so appearing, and inserting in place thereof the following section:-
Section 59. (a) An employee of the commonwealth in the service of the armed forces of the commonwealth, the armed forces of another state or a reserve component of the armed forces of the United States shall be entitled to receive pay without loss of ordinary remuneration as a public employee during service in the uniformed services, annual training under section 60 or drills and parades under section 61, or for an employee in the service of the armed forces of another state, annual training, drills or parades under a corresponding law of that state, not exceeding 40 days in any federal fiscal year, and shall not lose any seniority or any accrued vacation leave, sick leave, personal leave, compensation time or earned overtime. For the purposes of this section, “uniformed services'' shall have the same meaning as in section 13. For the purposes of this subsection, “day'' shall mean any 24–hour period regardless of calendar day.
SECTION 21. Section 67A of chapter 33 of the General Laws, as so appearing, is hereby amended by adding the following paragraph:-
Next of kin of a fallen service member may apply to the adjutant general for a medal of liberty, in a form prescribed by the adjutant general. There shall be within the application for the medal of liberty a notification that informs applicants of their eligibility to receive the medal of liberty license plate, pursuant to section 2 of chapter 90, free of charge upon approval of the application. The notification shall read as follows: IF YOU RECEIVE THE MEDAL OF LIBERTY, YOU ARE ENTITLED TO RECEIVE THE MEDAL OF LIBERTY LICENSE PLATE FREE OF CHARGE. APPLY AT https://www.mass.gov/doc/application-for-medal-of-liberty-plates.
SECTION 22. Subsection (b) of article 43 of chapter 33A of the General Laws, as so appearing, is hereby amended by striking out paragraph (2) and inserting in place thereof the following paragraph:-
(2) A person charged with an offense shall not be liable to be punished under article 15 if the Massachusetts National Guard knew, or reasonably should have known, of the offense more than 2 years before the imposition of punishment.
SECTION 23. Section 5 of chapter 59 of the General Laws, as so appearing, is hereby amended by inserting after clause Twenty-second H the following 2 clauses:-
Twenty-second I. In a city or town that accepts this clause and is certified by the commissioner of revenue to be assessing all property at full and fair cash valuation, an abatement granted pursuant clause Twenty-second, Twenty-second A, Twenty-second B, Twenty-second C, Twenty-second E or Twenty-second F shall be increased annually by an amount equal to the increase in the cost of living as determined by the Consumer Price Index for such year. The department of revenue shall annually inform each city or town that accepts this clause of the amount of such increase.
Twenty-second J. In a city or town that accepts this clause and is certified by the commissioner of revenue to be assessing all property at full and fair cash valuation, a taxpayer who otherwise qualifies for an exemption pursuant to clause Twenty-second, Twenty-second A, Twenty-second B, Twenty-second C, Twenty-second E or Twenty-second F shall be granted an additional exemption the amount of which shall not exceed 100 per cent of the exemption for which the taxpayer qualifies, as may be determined by the legislative body of the city or town, subject to its charter, not later than the beginning of the fiscal year to which the additional exemption shall commence; provided, however, that the additional exemption shall be uniform for all taxpayers who qualify for an exemption under said clause Twenty-second, Twenty-second A, Twenty-second B, Twenty-second C, Twenty-second E or Twenty-second F. Once accepted, the amount of the exemption shall continue until amended by the legislative body of the city or town. Notwithstanding any provision of this chapter to the contrary, the exemption shall be in addition to any exemption allowable pursuant to this section; provided, however, the taxable valuation of the property receiving an exemption pursuant to this clause, after all applicable exemptions, shall not be reduced below 10 per cent of its full and fair cash valuation, except through the applicability of clause Eighteenth. Acceptance of this clause by a city or town shall not increase the amount that the city or town otherwise would have been reimbursed by the commonwealth pursuant to the clause. The additional exemption contained within this clause shall not be implemented in any year in which the city or town has also accepted section 5C1/2.
SECTION 24. Section 1 of chapter 60A of the General Laws, as so appearing, is hereby amended by striking out, in lines 101 to 103, inclusive, the words “medical advisory board established under section 8C of chapter 90 to be permanently disabled”, and inserting in place thereof the following words:- United States Department of Veterans Affairs to: (i) have a combined service-connected disability rating of 100 per cent; or (ii) be individually unemployable due to their service-connected disability.
SECTION 25. Subsection (u) of section 6 of chapter 62 of the General Laws, as so appearing, is hereby amended by striking out, in lines 1113 and 1130, the figure “$2,000” and inserting in place thereof, in each instance, the following figure:- $2,500.
SECTION 26. Said subsection (u) of said section 6 of said chapter 62, as so appearing, is hereby further amended by striking out, in line 1119, the words “the day” and inserting in place thereof the following words:- six months after.
SECTION 27. Section 38GG of chapter 63 of the General Laws, as so appearing, is hereby amended by striking out, in lines 8 and 24, the figure “$2,000” and inserting in place thereof, in each instance, the following figure:- $2,500.
SECTION 28. Said section 38GG of said chapter 63, as so appearing, is hereby further amended by striking out, in line 13, the words “the day” and inserting in place thereof the following words:- six months after.
SECTION 29. Section 6 of chapter 64H of the General Laws, as so appearing, is hereby amended by striking out subsection (u) and inserting in place thereof the following subsection:-
(u) Sale of a motor vehicle purchased by and for the use of a person who has suffered loss, or permanent loss of use, of both legs or both arms or 1 leg and 1 arm or by and for the use of a veteran who has been determined to be permanently disabled by the medical advisory board established under section 8C of chapter 90 and has been issued a plate displaying the words “Disabled Veteran” or a Purple Heart distinctive registration plate pursuant to section 2J of said chapter 90; provided, however, that this exemption shall apply to 1 motor vehicle owned and registered only for the personal, noncommercial use of such person. A person who is otherwise eligible for this exemption and who was previously issued a Purple Heart distinctive registration plate shall not be required to forfeit such plate to remain eligible for this exemption.
SECTION 30. Chapter 69 of the General Laws is hereby amended by adding the following section:-
Section 38. (a) For the purposes of this section, “military-connected student” shall mean a student who is an unemancipated person whose parent or guardian: (i) is a current or reserve member of the United States Army, United States Navy, United States Marine Corps, United States Coast Guard, United States Space Force, Army Nurse Corps, Navy Nurse Corps, United States Air Force, Air National Guard or Army National Guard; or (ii) a member of a military or reserve force under clause (i) who was killed in the line of duty.
(b) A school district shall provide information about support services available to a military-connected student if their parent or guardian is called or ordered to active duty pursuant to Title 10 or 32 of the United States Code and said parent or guardian notifies the district of such active duty or a student’s parent or guardian is a member of a military or reserve force and was killed in the line of duty. The school district shall include information on school-based support services available to such student related to mental and behavioral health supports.
(c) The department shall coordinate with the military division of the commonwealth to carry out subsection (b), including posting information about military family resources to the department’s website and providing informational materials for use by school districts to inform parents and guardians of the supports available under said subsection (b).
(d) A school district may notify a teacher of the enrollment of a military-connected student at the request of the military-connected student’s parent or guardian to provide the teacher with the opportunity to monitor a military-connected student’s level of academic engagement and provide support as needed.
SECTION 31. Section 4 of chapter 71 of the General Laws, is hereby amended by striking out, in line 32, the word “department”, the second time it appears, and inserting in place thereof the following words:- executive office.
SECTION 32. Said section 4 of said chapter 71, as so appearing, is hereby further amended by striking out, in line 39, the word “department” and inserting in place thereof the following words:- executive office.
SECTION 39. The twenty-third paragraph of said section 2 of chapter 90, as so appearing, is hereby amended by adding the following sentence:- The registrar, in consultation with the adjutant general of the Massachusetts national guard, shall notify all past recipients of the medal of liberty, established pursuant to said section 67A of said chapter 33, of their eligibility for the medal of liberty license plate through a letter, which shall include the application for the medal of liberty license plate.
SECTION 40. Section 33 of said chapter 90, as appearing in the 2022 Official Edition, is hereby amended by striking out paragraph (29) and inserting in place thereof the following paragraph:-
(29) No fee shall be exacted for the registration of any vehicle owned by a veteran who has been determined by the United States Department of Veterans Affairs to: (i) have a combined service-connected disability rating of 100 per cent; or (ii) be individually unemployable due to their service-connected disability, and no fee shall be exacted for the issuance to such disabled veteran of a license to operate such vehicle.
SECTION 41. Section 244 of chapter 111 of the General Laws, as inserted by section 14 of chapter 154 of the acts of 2022, is hereby amended by striking out, in lines 2, 28, the second time it appears, 35 and 38, the word “commissioner” and inserting in place thereof, in each instance, the following word:- secretary.
SECTION 42. Said section 244 of said chapter 111, inserted by said section 14 of said chapter 154, is hereby further amended by striking out, in line 43, as appearing in the 2022 Official Edition, the word “department” and inserting in place thereof the following words:- executive office.
SECTION 43. Section 244 of said chapter 111, inserted by section 34 of chapter 177 of the acts of 2023, is hereby repealed.
SECTION 44. Chapter 111 of the General Laws is hereby amended by adding the following section:-
Section 245. The department shall administer an initiative to increase public awareness of and education on the availability of the extreme risk protection order process established pursuant to sections 131R to 131Y, inclusive, of chapter 140, to remove a firearm from the control, ownership or possession of an individual who poses a risk of causing bodily injury to themself or others. The initiative shall focus on the heighted risk of suicide associated with the possession of a firearm and shall include information on: (i) eligibility to petition for an extreme risk protection order; (ii) the procedure to petition for an extreme risk protection order; (iii) options to voluntarily surrender a firearm to a law enforcement agency; and (iv) the availability of existing legal resources and support services for a potential petitioner.
SECTION 45. Subsection (b) of section 3 of chapter 111C of the General Laws, as appearing in the 2022 Official Edition, is hereby amended by striking out clause (26) and inserting in place thereof the following 2 clauses:-
(26) establish standards, which may include following National Registry of EMTs’ standards, for determining the extent to which the education and training requirements of veterans and military medics of the United States armed forces are substantially equivalent to the course and training requirements of emergency medical technicians in the commonwealth;
(27) take any other action consistent with its role as state lead agency for EMS.
SECTION 46. Said chapter 111C is hereby further amended by inserting after section 9A the following section:-
Section 9B. (a) The department may grant a waiver to veterans or military medics of the United States armed forces applying to be an emergency medical technician consistent with standards established pursuant to clause (26) of subsection (b) of section 3 if the completed courses or training required by the United States armed forces are substantially equivalent to training consistent with this chapter for emergency medical technicians.
(b) The applicant for a waiver pursuant to subsection (a) shall submit sufficient proof of completion of the substantially equivalent courses and training to the department.
(c) No veteran or military medic applying to be an emergency medical technician who has completed substantially equivalent emergency training with the United States armed forces, as determined by the department, shall be required to complete the same training for EMT certification or licensing in the commonwealth.
(d) The department shall issue a verification of emergency medical technician education and training equivalency if the department determines the completed courses or training required by the United States armed forces are substantially equivalent to training consistent with this chapter for emergency medical technicians.
SECTION 47. Chapter 115 of the General Laws is hereby amended by adding the following section:-
Section 18. (a) As used in this section, the following words shall have the following meanings unless the context clearly requires otherwise:
“Compensation”, payment of any money, thing of value or financial benefit.
“Person”, an individual, corporation, business trust, estate, trust, partnership, limited liability company, association, joint venture, public corporation, government or governmental subdivision, agency or instrumentality or any other legal or commercial entity.
“Veterans benefits matter”, the preparation, presentation or prosecution of any claim affecting any person who has filed or expressed an intent to file a claim for any benefit, program, service, commodity, function or status, entitlement to which is determined under the laws and regulations administered by the United States Department of Veterans Affairs or Department of Defense pertaining to veterans, their dependents, their survivors and any other individual eligible for such benefits.
(b) In regard to a veterans benefits matter, no person shall: (i) receive compensation for: (A) preparation, presentation, prosecution, advising, consulting or assisting any individual with regard to any veterans benefits matter, except as permitted under federal law; or (B) referring a veteran to another person to prepare, present, prosecute, advise, consult or assist such veteran with any veterans benefits matter; (ii) guarantee, either directly or by implication, that any individual is certain to receive specific veterans benefits or that any individual is certain to receive a specific level, percentage or amount of veterans benefits; or (iii) receive excessive or unreasonable fees under 38 C.F.R 14.636(e) as compensation for advising or assisting any veteran with any veterans benefits matter.
(c) A violation of this section shall also be a violation of chapter 93A.
SECTION 48. Said section 1 of said chapter 115, as so appearing, is hereby further amended by striking out the definition of “Veteran” and inserting in place thereof the following definition:-
“Veteran”, any person who (a) is a veteran as defined in clause Forty-third of section 7 of chapter 4; or (b) served on active duty in the armed forces for at least 90 days and whose last discharge or release was under conditions other than dishonorable; or (c) served on active duty, to include active duty solely for training purposes, in the armed forces, and was awarded a service-connected disability or who died in such service under conditions other than dishonorable; or (d) served in the national guard or as a reservist in any branch of the armed forces, including active duty solely for training purposes, and was awarded a service-connected disability or who died in such service under conditions other than dishonorable; or (e) is determined to be a veteran according to the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs; provided, that in any case, the service of such person qualified under clause (a) through clause (e) was entered into or served in Massachusetts, or such person has resided in the commonwealth for 1 day, except for the purpose of determining the residential eligibility of a deceased veteran’s dependents.
SECTION 49. Said chapter 115 is hereby amended by inserting after section 9 the following section:-
Section 9A. The executive office of veterans’ services shall operate, maintain and expand the Massachusetts Veterans’ Memorial cemetery located in the city known as the town of Agawam and the Massachusetts Veterans’ Memorial cemetery located in the town of Winchendon and may add new cemetery locations, subject to the availability of funds, to meet veterans’ and veteran dependents’ needs; provided, however, that the office shall maintain the cemetery grounds, facilities and infrastructure and shall manage the burial and interment services. The executive office may adopt additional rules, regulations and policies as necessary to fulfill its responsibilities and ensure the proper functioning of the cemeteries under its control.
SECTION 50. Subsection (c) of section 73B of chapter 272 of the General Laws, as appearing in the 2022 Official Edition, is hereby amended by striking out, in line 18, the second time it appears, and in line 23, the word “department” and inserting in place thereof, in each instance, the following words:-
executive office.
SECTION 51. Section 11 of chapter 276A of the General Laws, as so appearing, is hereby amended by striking out, in lines 6 and 13 the words “the department” and inserting in place thereof, in each instance, the following words:- the executive office.
SECTION 52. Section 3 of chapter 71 of the acts of 1996, as amended by section 2 of chapter 468 of the acts of 2002, is hereby further amended by striking out the second paragraph.
SECTION 53. Notwithstanding any general or special law to the contrary, any member of a retirement system who is a member in service and a veteran who failed to make the purchase authorized in paragraph (h) of subdivision (1) of section 4 of chapter 32 of the General Laws pursuant to chapter 71 of the acts of 1996, as amended, shall be given a 1-time opportunity to apply to the retirement system to make said purchase within 1 year from the effective date of this act. Each retirement system shall provide written notice to all members in service of their potential eligibility for this purchase within 90 days of the effective date of this act.
SECTION 54. Section 2EEEEE of chapter 29 of the General Laws, as so appearing, is hereby amended by striking out, in line 14, the words “department of veterans” and inserting in place thereof the following words:- executive office of veterans’.
SECTION 55. Section 41 of said chapter 6, as appearing in the 2022 Official Edition, is hereby amended by striking out, in lines 47 and 94, the word “department” and inserting in place thereof, in each instance, the following words:- executive office.
SECTION 56. Section 1 of chapter 115 of the General Laws, as so appearing, is hereby amended by striking out the definition of “'Dependent” and inserting in place thereof the following definition:-
“Dependent”, the spouse, widowed person, child or parent of a veteran, including any person who stood in the relationship of a parent to such veteran for the 5 years next preceding the commencement of the veteran’s wartime service; provided, that no child of a veteran who is older than 18 years of age shall be deemed a dependent, unless the child meets the criteria established for emancipation pursuant to section 28 of chapter 208 or section 9 of chapter 209C or unless the child is mentally or physically unable to support themselves after attaining the age of 23.
SECTION 57. Said section 1 of said chapter 115, as so appearing, is hereby further amended by striking out, in line 25, the word “his”, each time it appears, and inserting in place thereof, in each instance, the following words:- the applicant’s.
SECTION 58. Said section 1 of said chapter 115, as so appearing, is hereby further amended by striking out, in line 26, the word “he” and inserting in place thereof the following words:- the applicant.
SECTION 59. Said section 1 of said chapter 115, as so appearing, is hereby further amended by striking out, in lines 54 and 55, the words “as defined in clause Forty-third of section seven of chapter four,”.
SECTION 60. Section 2 of said chapter 115, as appearing in the 2022 Official Edition, is hereby amended by striking out, in lines 1 and 2, the words “as defined in clause Forty-third of section seven of chapter four”.
SECTION 61. Said section 2 of said chapter 115, as so appearing, is hereby amended by striking out, in line 39, the word “his” and inserting in place thereof the following words:- the person’s.
SECTION 62. Said section 2 of said chapter 115, as so appearing, is hereby further amended by striking out, in line 45, the word “his” and inserting in place thereof the following words:- a party’s.
SECTION 63. Said section 2 of said chapter 115, as so appearing, is hereby further amended by striking out, in lines 7 and 20, the word “his” and inserting in place thereof, in each instance, the following word:- the secretary’s.
SECTION 64. Said section 2 of said chapter 115, as so appearing, is hereby further amended by striking out, in lines 8, 12, 20, 66, 82, 103, 123, 131, 139 and 150, the word “He” and inserting in place thereof, in each instance, the following words:-The secretary.
SECTION 65. Said section 2 of said chapter 115, as so appearing, is hereby further amended by striking out, in lines 12, 63, 71, 89, 98, 113, 118 and 119, the word “him” and inserting in place thereof, in each instance, the following words:- the secretary.
SECTION 66. Said section 2 of said chapter 115, as so appearing, is hereby further amended by striking out, in lines 13, 14, 61, 118, 125, 129, 134 and 142, the word “he” and inserting in place thereof, in each instance, the following words:- the secretary.
SECTION 67. Said section 2 of said chapter 115, as so appearing, is hereby further amended by striking out, in line 82, the words “him or by his” and inserting in place thereof the following words:- the secretary or the secretary’s.
SECTION 68. Said section 2 of said chapter 115, as so appearing, is hereby further amended by striking out, in line 98, the word “his” and inserting in place thereof the following words:- the applicant’s.
SECTION 69. Said section 2 of said chapter 115, as so appearing, is hereby further amended by striking out, in lines 153 and 156, the word “his” and inserting in place thereof, in each instance, the following word:- a.
SECTION 70. Said section 2 of said chapter 115, as so appearing, is hereby further amended by striking out, in line 155, the word “chairman” and inserting in place thereof the following word:- chair.
SECTION 71. Said section 2 of said chapter 115, as so appearing, is hereby further amended by adding the following paragraph:-
Annually, not later than November 1, the secretary shall report on the activities of the office and data collected related to veterans, including, but not limited to: (i) the number of recipients of state veteran benefits and applicants for benefits, delineated by municipality and demographic; (ii) a breakdown on the outcome of benefit appeal decisions pursuant to this section; (iii) a summary of the office’s outreach to veterans on the availability of and process for applying for benefits; (iv) demographic and regional information available on the veteran population in the commonwealth; (v) directives in effect; and (vi) any legislative recommendations necessary to better serve veterans and their families in the commonwealth. The office shall publicly post the report on the office’s website and submit the report to the joint committee on veterans and federal affairs, the clerks of the senate and house of representatives and the senate and house committees on ways and means.
SECTION 72. Said section 2 of said chapter 115, as so appearing, is hereby further amended by adding the following 3 paragraphs:-
The secretary shall provide, subject to appropriation, a medical assistance benefit in addition to the other benefits provided in this chapter. A recipient of the medical assistance benefit shall, where applicable, make use of private, state or federally-funded resources before seeking aid under this paragraph. The medical assistance benefit shall include, but not be limited to, covering the cost of necessary medical visits, procedures, prescriptions and other such treatments as the secretary shall determine through regulations. The secretary shall, by regulation or otherwise, make provision to keep the program efficient and economical.
The secretary shall provide, subject to appropriation, a behavioral health assistance benefit in addition to the other benefits provided in this chapter. A recipient of the behavioral health assistance benefit shall, where applicable, make use of private, state or federally-funded resources before seeking aid under this paragraph. The behavioral health assistance benefit shall include, but not be limited to, coverage for the cost of those necessary outpatient behavioral health assessments, evaluations, visits, prescriptions and other such treatment as the secretary shall determine through regulations. The secretary shall, by regulation or otherwise, make provision to keep the program efficient and economical.
The secretary shall provide, subject to appropriation, a dental assistance benefit in addition to the other benefits provided in this chapter. A recipient of the dental assistance benefit shall, where applicable, make use of private, state or federally-funded resources before seeking aid under this paragraph. The dental assistance benefit shall include, but not be limited to, coverage for the cost of those necessary medical visits, procedures, prescriptions and other such treatments as the secretary shall determine through regulations. The secretary shall, by regulation or otherwise, make provision to keep the program efficient and economical.
SECTION 73. The third paragraph of said section 2 of said chapter 115, as so appearing, is hereby amended by inserting after the third sentence the following 3 sentences:- Any claimant aggrieved by a decision of a veterans’ agent regarding veterans benefits or by the failure of a city or town to render adequate veterans' benefits or to take, approve or deny an application for veterans’ benefits within 45 days of receiving such application or the claimant requesting to apply for benefits or any person aggrieved by the termination or reduction of such benefits shall have the right to appeal to the secretary. An appeal shall be filed with the secretary within 90 days of the claimant’s receipt of a written adverse notice. An informal administrative hearing of such appeal shall be conducted to review the facts and circumstances giving rise to the appeal. The secretary shall issue a decision on the appeal within 90 days after the informal administrative hearing has closed.
SECTION 74. Section 2B of said chapter 115, as so appearing, is hereby amended by striking out, in lines 7 and 8, each time it appears, the word “his” and inserting in place thereof, in each instance, the following word:- a.
SECTION 75. Said chapter 115 is hereby further amended by inserting after section 2D the following section:-
Section 2E. (a) The secretary, in consultation with the secretary of labor and workforce development, shall create and distribute a veterans’ benefits and services notice.
(b) The veterans’ benefits and services notice shall include information regarding the services and resources available to veterans, including, but not limited to: (i) contact and website information for the executive office of veterans’ services and the United States Department of Veterans Affairs; (ii) substance abuse and mental health treatment resources; (iii) educational, workforce and training resources; (iv) tax benefits resources; (v) information about obtaining a veteran indicator on a state driver’s license or identification card; (vi) information about eligibility for unemployment insurance benefits under state and federal law; (vii) legal services resources; and (viii) contact information for the United States Department of Veterans Affairs Veterans Crisis Line.
(c) Every employer in the commonwealth with more than 50 full-time employees shall post the notice created pursuant to subsection (a) in a conspicuous location in the workplace accessible to employees and shall distribute the notice to each employee at the start of employment and on an annual basis.
SECTION 76. Section 3 of said chapter 115, as so appearing, is hereby amended by striking out, in line 17, the word “his”.
SECTION 77. Said section 3 of said chapter 115, as so appearing, is hereby further amended by striking out, in line 18, the words “in behalf of a civil war” and inserting in place thereof the following words:- on behalf of a.
SECTION 78. Said section 3 of said chapter 115, as so appearing, is hereby further amended by striking out, in line 19, the words “, under the provisions of section two”.
SECTION 79. Said section 3 of said chapter 115, as so appearing, is hereby further amended by striking out, in lines 18 and 19, the words “his wife or widow” and inserting in place thereof the following words:- a veteran’s spouse or widowed person.
SECTION 80. Said section 3 of said chapter 115, as so appearing, is hereby further amended by striking out, in line 20, the word “him” and inserting in place thereof the following words:- the secretary.
SECTION 81. Said section 3 of said chapter 115, as so appearing, is hereby further amended by striking out, in line 20, the word “his” and inserting in place thereof the following words:- the agent’s.
SECTION 82. Said section 3 of said chapter 115, as so appearing, is hereby further amended by striking out, in line 24, the word “he” and inserting in place thereof the following words:- the veteran.
SECTION 83. Said section 3 of said chapter 115, as so appearing, is hereby further amended by striking out, in line 24, the word “his” and inserting in place thereof the following words:- the veteran’s.
SECTION 84. Said section 3 of said chapter 115, as so appearing, is hereby further amended by striking out, in lines 25 and 27, the word “him” and inserting in place thereof, in each instance, the following words:- the agent.
SECTION 85. Section 4 of said chapter 115, as so appearing, is hereby amended by striking out, in lines 4, 5, 8 and 20, the word “his” and inserting in place thereof, in each instance, the following words:- the applicant’s.
SECTION 86. Said section 4 of said chapter 115, as so appearing, is hereby further amended by striking out, in line 14, the word “widow” and inserting in place thereof the following words:- widowed person.
SECTION 87. Section 5 of said chapter 115, as so appearing, is hereby amended by striking out, in lines 2 and 55, the word “he” and inserting in place thereof, in each instance, the following words:- the veteran.
SECTION 88. Said section 5 of said chapter 115, as so appearing, is hereby further amended by striking out, in lines 5 to 10, the words “unless he has actually resided within the commonwealth continuously for three years next preceding the date of his application for such benefits, nor unless the veteran of whom he is a dependent has actually resided within the commonwealth continuously for three years next preceding the date of such dependent’s application for such benefits” and inserting in place thereof the following words:- except upon like terms.
SECTION 89. The seventh paragraph of said section 5 of said chapter 115, as so appearing, is hereby amended by adding the following sentence:- An increase in income from a cost-of-living adjustment made to social security, supplemental security income or social security disability insurance shall not serve to render any recipient ineligible for benefits under this chapter in the year that the cost-of-living adjustment was issued.
SECTION 90. Said section 5 of said chapter 115, as so appearing, is hereby further amended by striking out, in lines 4, 16, 25, 26, 45, 59, 62, 63, 65 and 66, the word “his” and inserting in place thereof, in each instance, the following word:- their.
SECTION 91. Said section 5 of said chapter 115, as so appearing, is hereby further amended by striking out, in lines 22 and 74, the word “him” and inserting in place thereof, in each instance, the following word:- them.
SECTION 92. Said section 5 of said chapter 115, as so appearing, is hereby further amended by striking out, in line 27, the word “him” and inserting in place thereof the following words:- the applicant.
SECTION 93. Said section 5 of said chapter 115, as so appearing, is hereby further amended by striking out, in line 24, the word “himself” and inserting in place thereof the following word:- themselves.
SECTION 94. Said section 5 of said chapter 115, as so appearing, is hereby further amended by striking out in lines 39, 43, 51, 54, 102 and 103, the word “his” and inserting in place thereof, in each instance, the following words:- the veteran’s.
SECTION 95. Said section 5 of said chapter 115, as so appearing, is hereby further amended by striking out, in line 42, the word “his” and inserting in place thereof the following words:- the secretary’s.
SECTION 96. Said section 5 of said chapter 115, as so appearing, is hereby further amended by striking out, in line 57, the word “him” and inserting in place thereof the following words:- the veteran.
SECTION 97. Said section 5 of said chapter 115, as so appearing, is hereby further amended by striking out, in line 59, the word “He” and inserting in place thereof the following word:- They.
SECTION 98. Said section 5 of said chapter 115, as so appearing, is hereby further amended by striking out, in line 61, the word “he” and inserting in place thereof the following word:- they.
SECTION 99. Said section 5 of said chapter 115, as so appearing, is hereby further amended by striking out, in line 92, the word “his” and inserting in place thereof the following words:- the veterans’ agent’s.
SECTION 100. Said section 5 of said chapter 115, as so appearing, is hereby further amended by striking out, in lines 95, 99 and 103, the word “mother” and inserting in place thereof, in each instance, the following word:- parent.
SECTION 101. Said section 5 of said chapter 115, as so appearing, is hereby further amended by striking out, in line 100, the word “her” and inserting in place thereof the following words:- the parent’s.
SECTION 102. Said section 5 of said chapter 115, as so appearing, is hereby further amended by striking out, in line 106, the word “him” and inserting in place thereof the following words:- the secretary.
SECTION 103. The second paragraph of said section 5 of said chapter 115, as so appearing, is hereby amended by adding the following sentence:- A city or town may, upon recommendation of the veterans’ agent and with written authorization from the veteran or dependent, disburse veterans’ benefits under this section by direct deposit to a financial institution of the veteran or dependent’s choice or by mail.
SECTION 104. Section 5A of said chapter 115, as so appearing, is hereby amended by striking out, in lines 2, 8, 11, 57, 60 and 63 and 64, the words “mother or father” and inserting in place thereof, in each instance, the following word:- parent.
SECTION 105. Said section 5A of said chapter 115, as so appearing, is hereby further amended by striking out, in lines 16 and 17, the words “mother’s or father’s” and inserting in place thereof the following word:- parent’s.
SECTION 106. Said section 5A of said chapter 115, as so appearing, is hereby further amended by striking out, in line 33, the word “him” and inserting in place thereof the following word:- the person.
SECTION 107. Said section 5A of said chapter 115, as so appearing, is hereby further amended by striking out, in line 40, the words “mother and father” and inserting in place thereof the following word:- parents.
SECTION 108. Said section 5A of said chapter 115, as so appearing, is hereby further amended by striking out, in line 41, the words “in his” and inserting in place thereof the following words:- within the secretary’s.
SECTION 109. Said section 5A of said chapter 115, as so appearing, is hereby further amended by striking out, in line 45, the word “his” and inserting in place thereof the following words:- the secretary’s.
SECTION 110. Said section 5A of said chapter 115, as so appearing, is hereby further amended by striking out, in lines 47 and 48, the words “the petition in his own name” and inserting in place thereof the following words:- a petition.
SECTION 111. Section 6 of said chapter 115, as so appearing, is hereby amended by striking out, in line 3, the word “him”.
SECTION 112. Said section 6 of said chapter 115, as so appearing, is hereby further amended by striking out, in line 12, each time it appears, the word “him” and inserting in place thereof, in each instance, the following words:- the secretary.
SECTION 113. Said section 6 of said chapter 115, as so appearing, is hereby further amended by striking out, in lines 15 and 19, the word “he” and inserting in place thereof, in each instance, the following words:- the secretary.
SECTION 114. Section 6A of said chapter 115 is hereby repealed.
SECTION 115. Section 6B of said chapter 115, as appearing in the 2022 Official Edition, is hereby amended by striking out, in lines 19, 28 and 35, the words “the sum of $2,000” and inserting in place thereof, in each instance, the following figure:- $2,250.
SECTION 116. Said section 6B of said chapter 115 is hereby further amended by striking out the figure “$2,250”, inserted by section 115, each time it appears, and inserting in place thereof, in each instance, the following figure:- $2,500.
SECTION 117. Said section 6B of said chapter 115, as appearing in the 2022 Official Edition, is hereby further amended by striking out, in lines 20, 29 and 35 and 36 the words “two equal payments on August and February 1” and inserting in place thereof, in each instance, the following words:- “1 payment on August 1.”
SECTION 118. Said section 6B of said chapter 115, as so appearing, is hereby further amended by striking out, in lines 21 and 30, the word “his” and inserting in place thereof, in each instance, the following words:- the veteran’s.
SECTION 119. Section 7 of said chapter 115, as so appearing, is hereby amended by striking out, in line 4, the word “He” and inserting in place thereof the following words:- The burial agent.
SECTION 120. Said section 7 of said chapter 115, as so appearing, is hereby further amended by striking out, in line 8, the words “his wife, or his widow” and inserting in place thereof the following words:- the veteran’s spouse, or widowed person.
SECTION 121. Said section 7 of said chapter 115, as so appearing, is hereby further amended by striking out, in line 10, the word “him” and inserting in place thereof the following words:- the burial agent.
SECTION 122. Said section 7 of said chapter 115, as so appearing, is hereby further amended by striking out, in lines 12 and 14, the word “he” and inserting in place thereof, in each instance, the following words:- the burial agent.
SECTION 123. Said section 7 of said chapter 115, as so appearing, is hereby further amended by striking out, in lines 17 and 20, the word “his” and inserting in place thereof, in each instance, the following words:- the person’s.
SECTION 124. Section 8 of said chapter 115, as so appearing, is hereby amended by striking out, in line 23, the words “widow, or widower” and inserting in place thereof the following words:- widowed person.
SECTION 125. Section 9 of said chapter 115, as so appearing, is hereby amended by striking out the first sentence and inserting in place thereof the following sentence:- The mayor of every city and the select board of every town shall appoint a resident of such city or town who shall be a veteran as a veterans’ graves officer for a term to be determined by the appointing authority; provided, however, that said term shall not exceed five years; provided further, that if no qualified, willing and able veteran seeks such appointment, a spouse of a veteran or a member of a Gold Star family may be appointed as a veterans' graves officer.
SECTION 126. Section 10 of said chapter 115, as appearing in the 2022 Official Edition, is hereby amended by striking out, in line 23, the word “his” and inserting in place thereof the following word:- such director’s.
SECTION 127. Said section 10 of said chapter 115, as so appearing, is hereby further amended by striking out, in lines 31 and 32, the words “duties of his office” and inserting in place thereof the following words:- office’s duties.
SECTION 128. Said section 10 of said chapter 115, as so appearing, is hereby further amended by striking out, in line 32, the word “his” and inserting in place thereof the following words:- the director’s.
SECTION 129. Said section 10 of said chapter 115, as so appearing, is hereby further amended by striking out, in line 37, the words “his duties as treasurer of the district” and inserting in place thereof the following words:- the district treasurer’s duties.
SECTION 130. Section 11 of said chapter 115, as so appearing, is hereby amended by striking out, in line 2, the word “his” and inserting in place thereof the following words:- the mayors.
SECTION 131. Said section 11 of said chapter 115, as so appearing, is hereby further amended by striking out, in lines 3 and 4, the word “chairman” and inserting in place thereof the following word:- chair.
SECTION 132. Said section 11 of said chapter 115, as so appearing, is hereby further amended by striking out, in line 5, the word “his” and inserting in place thereof the following words:- the town manager’s.
SECTION 133. Said section 11 of said chapter 115, as so appearing, is hereby further amended by striking out, in line 24, the word “his” and inserting in place thereof the following words:- the treasurer’s.
SECTION 134. Section 15 of said chapter 115, as so appearing, is hereby amended by striking out, in line 4, the words “he, and his duly accredited agents,” and inserting in place thereof the following words:- the director and the director’s agents.
SECTION 135. Said section 15 of said chapter 115, as so appearing, is hereby further amended by striking out, in line 11, the word “his” and inserting in place thereof the following word:- a.
SECTION 136. Section 16 of said chapter 115, inserted by section 53 of chapter 126 of the acts of 2022, is hereby amended by inserting after the first sentence the following sentence:- The board shall ensure that veterans receive state-based veteran benefits if they receive: (i) an other than honorable discharge on the basis of sex, race, color, religious creed, national origin, age, genetic information, ancestry, marital status or disability; or (ii) any United States Department of Veterans Affairs category eligible for a discharge upgrade, including, but not limited to, mental health conditions, military sexual trauma and traumatic brain injury. The executive office of veterans’ services shall promulgate rules and regulations to carry out this section.
SECTION 137. Said section 16 of said chapter 115, as so inserted, is hereby further amended by striking out, in lines 37, 40 and 50, the word “department” and inserting in place thereof the following words:- executive office.
SECTION 138. Section 16 of said chapter 115, inserted by section 18 of chapter 154 of the acts of 2022, is hereby repealed.
SECTION 139. Said chapter 115 is hereby amended by adding the following section:-
Section 18. (a) The commissioner, in consultation with the commissioner of public health and the adjutant general of the Massachusetts national guard, shall contact all members of the Massachusetts national guard and all known veterans and members of the United States armed forces residing in the commonwealth who may be eligible to participate in the United States Department of Veterans Affairs’ Airborne Hazards and Open Burn Pit Registry, including, but not limited, those who may have served in: (i) Operation Enduring Freedom, Operation Iraqi Freedom or Operation New Dawn; (ii) Djibouti, Africa on or after September 11, 2001; (iii) Afghanistan on or after September 11, 2001; (iv) Operation Desert Shield or Operation Desert Storm; or (v) in the Southwest Asia theater of operations on or after August 2, 1990. Veterans or service members contacted shall be encouraged to join the United States Department of Veterans Affairs’ Airborne Hazards and Open Burn Pit Registry and shall be provided with contact information for the United States Department of Veterans Affairs’ Airborne Hazards and Open Burn Pit Registry and a copy of the informational pamphlet created by the commissioner of public health pursuant to subsection (b) of section 244 of chapter 111.
(b) The commissioner shall create a database of self-identifying service members and veterans who have been exposed to open burn pits or other airborne hazards, which shall include the name, address, electronic address, phone number, location and period of service and other information as deemed necessary. Such information shall be used only for the purposes of communicating information about exposure to toxic airborne chemicals and fumes caused by open burn pits or other airborne hazards to service members and veterans. The database, materials or other information shall be confidential and privileged, shall not be subject to chapter 66, or clause Twenty-sixth of section 7 of chapter 4 and shall not be subject to subpoena, discovery or introduction into evidence in any private civil action.
SECTION 140. Section 9 of chapter 115A of the General Laws, as appearing in the 2022 Official Edition, is hereby amended by striking out, in line 3, the words “home in the city of Chelsea” and inserting in place thereof the following word:- homes.
SECTION 141. Section 12 of said chapter 115A, as so appearing, is hereby amended by striking out, in line 1, the word “department” and inserting in place thereof the following words:- executive office.
SECTION 142. Said section 12 of said chapter 115A, as so appearing, is hereby further amended by striking out, in line 22, the words “department of veterans” and inserting in place thereof the following words:- executive office of veterans’.
SECTION 143. Chapter 115A of the General Laws is hereby amended by striking out section 1, as appearing in the 2022 Official Edition, and inserting in place thereof the following section:-
Section 1. A person who is a veteran as defined in section 1 of chapter 115 shall be entitled to out-patient treatment at, admission to and hospitalization in a state-operated veterans' home, subject to the provisions of section 3.
SECTION 144. Section 3 of chapter 115B of the General Laws, as so appearing, is hereby amended by striking out, in line 16 to 18, inclusive, the words “home in the city of Chelsea; and the chair of the board of trustees of the veterans’ home in the city of Holyoke” and inserting in place thereof the following words:- homes
SECTION 145. Section 1 of chapter 15E of the General Laws, as appearing in the 2022 Official Edition, is hereby amended by striking out, in line 6, the word “sections” and inserting in place thereof the following word:- chapters.
SECTION 146. Section 51B of chapter 119 of the General Laws, as so appearing, is hereby amended by striking out, in lines 17 and 18, the words “and (vi) all other pertinent facts or matters” and inserting in place thereof the following:- (vi) the military status of the parents, guardian or caregiver of the child and, if applicable, of the spouse or intimate partner of the parent, guardian or caregiver of the child; and (vii) all other pertinent facts or matters.
SECTION 147. Said section 51B of said chapter 119, as so appearing, is hereby further amended by adding the following subsections:-
(s) The department shall provide notice to appropriate military authorities about an allegation of an individual subject to a 51A report with a military status in accordance with subsection (t) of section 51B.
(t)(i) For the purposes of this section, “family advocacy program” shall mean the program established by the United States Department of Defense for the prevention of and response to child abuse and neglect and domestic abuse and intimate partner violence in military families.(ii) The commissioner shall enter into a memorandum of understanding with the family advocacy program at military installations located in the commonwealth with respect to 51A reports and data collected for the investigation pursuant to subsection (b) of section 51B and reported pursuant to military status pursuant to subsection (s) of section 51B. The memorandum of understanding shall establish procedures and protocols for matters, including, but not limited to: (a) identifying an individual subject to a 51A report as military personnel; (b) identifying appropriate circumstances for reporting to the family advocacy program without reducing the likelihood of reporting or creating undue risk to the health or wellbeing of the spouse, intimate partner, caregiver or child of the military personnel; (c) reporting to the family advocacy program when an investigation implicating military personnel has been initiated; and (d) maintaining confidentiality requirements under state and federal law.
SECTION 148. The second paragraph of section 39A of chapter 129 of the General Laws, as so appearing, is hereby amended by inserting after the word, “auctions” the following sentence:- “, or to a professional service dog organization accredited by Assistance Dogs International and headquartered in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts.”
SECTION 149. (a) There shall be a special commission to study post-traumatic stress disorder in the commonwealth.
(b) The commission shall consist of: the secretary of health and human services, or a designee, who shall serve as chair; the secretary of public safety and security, or a designee; the secretary of veterans’ services, or a designee; the commissioner of mental health, or a designee; the house and senate chairs of the joint committee on mental health, substance use and recovery; a representative of the National Guard appointed by the adjutant general of the Massachusetts National Guard; and 9 members to be appointed by the secretary of health and human services, 1 of whom shall be an expert from the Anxiety and Traumatic Stress Disorders Laboratory at Harvard University in consultation with their relevant specialty chapters, 1 of whom shall be a representative of Boston Children's Hospital, 1 of whom shall be a representative of the Massachusetts Police Association, Inc., 1 of whom shall be a representative of Jane Doe Inc.: The Massachusetts Coalition Against Sexual Assault and Domestic Violence, 1 of whom shall be a representative from Massachusetts Immigrant and Refugee Advocacy Coalition, Inc., 1 of whom shall be a representative of Professional Fire Fighters of Massachusetts, 1 of whom shall be a representative of the Massachusetts Corrections Officers Federated Union, 1 of whom shall be a representative of a research advocacy or support organization primarily serving individuals with post-traumatic stress disorder and 1 of whom shall be a representative of Massachusetts General Hospital Home Base program.
(c) The commission shall: (i) assess and summarize the advances made in research on and treatment and diagnosis of post-traumatic stress disorder; (ii) assess and summarize the advances made in access to care for individuals with a diagnosis of post-traumatic stress disorder; (iii) assess and summarize research services and support activities for post-traumatic stress disorder across the commonwealth, including coordination of the commonwealth's activities and programs with respect to post-traumatic stress disorder; and (iv) develop a comprehensive strategic plan to improve health outcomes for individuals with a diagnosis of post-traumatic stress disorder including, but not limited to, recommendations to: (A) advance research on post-traumatic stress disorder; (B) improve the treatment of post-traumatic stress disorder; (C) improve public awareness and recognition of post-traumatic stress disorder; (D) improve mental health care delivery for individuals with a diagnosis of post-traumatic stress disorder; (E) improve the early and accurate diagnosis of post-traumatic stress disorder; and (F) systematically advance the full spectrum of biomedical research on post-traumatic stress disorder.
(d) The commission shall submit its findings and recommendations to the clerks of the house of representatives and senate not later than July 1, 2025.
SECTION 150. (a) The secretary of veterans’ services, in coordination with the executive office of health and human services, shall convene a working group to review alternative therapies for mental health treatments for veterans. The working group shall: (i) study whether psychedelic therapy is associated with improved outcomes among veterans with diagnosed mental health disorders; (ii) evaluate literature, research trials and expert opinions to determine if psychedelic therapy is associated with improved outcomes regarding mental health treatment for veterans; and (iii) issue recommendations regarding the provision of psychedelic therapy to treat veterans with mental health disorders in the commonwealth. As used in this section, “psychedelic therapy” shall mean the use of psilocybin, ketamine, or 3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine under the direction of a health care provider to treat mental health disorders.
(b) The secretary shall appoint the following members to the working group: 2 members who shall represent medical centers or hospitals in the commonwealth that serve veterans; 2 members who shall represent health insurance companies; 2 members who shall represent veterans’ services organizations; 1 member who shall represent an organization currently studying the subject matter of alternative therapies for mental health treatment of veterans; 1 member who shall represent the Center for the Neuroscience of Psychedelics at Massachusetts General Hospital; and such other members with experience in behavioral health or veterans’ services as the secretary deems necessary. The secretary shall designate a chair of the working group from the membership of the group.
(c) Not later than January 1, 2025, the working group shall file a report of its findings and any recommendations with the clerks of the house of representatives and the senate, the joint committee on veterans and federal affairs and the joint committee on mental health, substance use and recovery.
SECTION 151. The executive office of veterans’ services, in consultation with the department of revenue, shall study property tax abatements and exemptions for veterans and surviving spouses pursuant to chapter 59 of the General Laws. The study shall include, but not be limited to: (i) veteran property tax exemptions in other states; (ii) the utilization of a sliding scale based on the percentage of a veteran’s disability for the awarding of such exemption to veterans and spouses; (iii) determination of the relation of tax abatements and exemptions to United States Department of Veterans Affairs disability rating; (iv) the financial impact these tax exemptions have on veterans with disabilities; and (v) any anticipated monetary cost that the exemptions may cause. The office shall file a report of its findings and recommendations with the joint committee on veterans and federal affairs, the clerks of the senate and house of representatives and the senate and house committees on ways and means not later than December 31, 2024.
SECTION 152. There shall be a special commission to study and develop proposals for ways to improve the quality of life of veterans in the commonwealth, including, but not limited to, employment opportunities for veterans. The commission shall collaborate with veterans’ organizations in the commonwealth to develop such proposals. The commission shall consist of: the secretary of veterans’ services or a designee, who shall serve as chair; the veteran advocate or a designee; a representative from BRAVE for Veterans, Inc.; 2 persons appointed by the governor with experience in veterans’ advocacy; 3 persons appointed by the senate president with experiencing working with veterans; 1 person appointed by the speaker of the house of representatives who is a veteran or the spouse or family member of a veteran; 1 person appointed by the senate minority leader who is a veteran or the spouse or family member of a veteran; and an attorney with experience in veterans issues in the commonwealth, appointed by the minority leader of the house of representatives. Not later than December 31, 2024, the commission shall submit a report of its findings to the joint committee on veterans and federal affairs, the clerks of the senate and house of representatives and the senate and house committees on ways and means.
SECTION 153. Sections 25 and 27 shall take effect on taxable years beginning on January 1, 2024.
SECTION 154. Section 29 shall take effect 6 months after the effective date of this act.
SECTION 155. Sections 72 and 115 shall take effect on July 1, 2024.
SECTION 156. Section 116 shall take effect on July 1, 2025.
Approved, August 8, 2024.