(Boston – 6/13/2024) Today the Massachusetts State Senate unanimously passed legislation championed by Senator John C. Velis (D-Westfield) which includes critical and comprehensive additions to strengthen the HERO Act to benefit not only the Commonwealth’s veterans but also active-duty service members and their families.
The comprehensive legislative package, S.2817 An Act Honoring, Empowering and Recognizing Our Servicemembers and Veterans (HERO Act), would expand veteran eligibility for Chapter 115 benefits, remove specialty veteran license plate fees, increase annuity benefits for 100% disabled veterans and Gold Star families, expand veteran property tax exemptions, increase small business tax credits for hiring veterans, and expand access to veteran behavioral health treatment.
“Very few are brave enough to raise their hand and pledge to defend our nation and the values that we hold dear, no matter the cost. It is on us – as a Commonwealth – to always remember, recognize, and honor that sacrifice however we can. The legislation passed by the Senate today makes comprehensive and critical additions to the HERO Act to ensure that we are not only supporting Massachusetts veterans but also our active-duty service members and their families as well,” shared Senator John C. Velis (D-Westfield), Chair of the Joint Committee on Veterans and Federal Affairs. “I am extremely grateful for the dedication of my Senate colleagues, many of whom have filed legislation included in the bill passed today, and most especially for the leadership of Senate President Spilka and Chair Rodrigues in continuing to prioritize legislation that supports all those who have served and continue to serve in our armed forces.”
The Senate’s legislation builds on the historic legislative package filed by the Healey-Driscoll Administration by including additional provisions which would:
- Require a public school district to provide support services to a military-connected student when a parent or guardian is called to active duty.
- Create a military spouse liaison to help military spouses with obtaining employment and childcare, and deal with other issues they face.
- Repeal the restriction that currently prevents Gold Star spouses from maintaining their annuity benefit if they remarry.
- Ensure that both the Holyoke and Chelsea Veterans Homes receive funding to replace lost license plate revenue from waiving the fee on veteran license plates.
During debate, the Senate adopted an amendment by Senator Velis that would protect veterans from predatory claim sharks that target veterans seeking seeking assistance filing claims with the federal Department of Veteran Affairs. It is currently federally illegal to charge hefty fees for “assisting” or “consulting” veterans with filing the VA benefits claims however, federal law lacks criminal penalties for these bad actors known as “Claim Sharks”. The amendment adopted by the Senate today would prohibit someone from receiving compensation for assisting in a veterans benefit matters, except where allowed by federal law, and allows violators of this provision to be sued civilly.
“It is absolutely reprehensible that there are over 100 predatory claim shark companies operating and preying upon our Commonwealth’s veterans. By creating serious consequences for this deceitful behavior, the Senate is taking a monumental step to protecting those who have sacrificed so much to defend our nation,” explained Senator John C. Velis. “Often times, these claim shark companies are promising extremely vulnerable veterans increased disability ratings or expedited claim decisions from the VA when in reality they are seeking to entrap Veterans into paying exuberant fees for minimal assistance. It is beyond disgusting that veterans are being taken advantage of in this way.”
The bill passed by the Senate included 17 spending, policy initiatives, tax credits, and statute changes organized into three categories:
Benefit Expansion
- Expands access to Behavioral Health Treatment: Allows veterans to be reimbursed for visits to outpatient behavioral health providers.
- Increases the Disabled Veteran Annuity: Increases the annual annuity for veterans with a 100% service-connected disability, surviving spouses, or Gold Star Parents from $2,000 to $2,500.
- Increases the Vet-Hire Tax Credit: Increases to $2,500 a tax credit for small businesses hiring chronically unemployed or low-income veterans.
- Increases access to the Active-Duty Buyback program: Lengthens the timeframe for veterans in public service to participate in the Active-Duty Service Buyback program and allows retroactive participation for veterans who missed the buyback opportunity. This program will enable veterans to purchase up to four years of active-duty service time toward their state retirement.
- Prevents the “COLA Cliff”: Ensuring that a cost-of-living adjustment in Social Security benefits will not affect veterans’ eligibility for Chapter 115 benefits in the middle of the state fiscal year.
- Increases Local Flexibility for Veterans Property Tax Exemptions: Creates two separate local options. The first allows municipalities to double the veteran property tax exemption without doubling all other exemption clauses. The second ties the annual property tax abatement amount to inflation, allowing exempted property tax amounts to increase with inflation.
- Eliminates the Fee for Specialty License Plates for Veterans: Waives specialty license plate fees on specialty veteran license plates and creates a new woman veteran license plate decal.
Commitment to Inclusivity and Greater Representation
- Broadens the Chapter 115 Definition of Veteran: Expands eligibility to Chapter 115 and EOVS state veterans benefits by aligning eligibility with the federal definition of a veteran. This change allows more veterans to be eligible for the veteran annuity, Chapter 115 benefits, access to the Massachusetts Veterans Homes, and other state-provided benefits.
- Aligns the definition of a veteran dependent with the Family Court definition andupdates Dependent Residency Requirements to ensure that dependents are able to access benefits.
Modernization of Veterans Services
- Codifies Dental Assistance Benefits, Medical Assistance Benefits, and Authority over state Veterans Cemeteries under the Executive Office of Veterans’ Services. :Modernizes statute language for inclusivity and standardization Establishes a working group to study the potential benefits of alternative therapies in treating veterans suffering from mental health disorders.
Having passed both the Senate and House, a conference committee will now be appointed to reconcile differences between the two versions.
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