Healey-Driscoll Administration and Broad Coalition of Stakeholders Testify in Support of Veterans Legislative Package

Healey-Driscoll Administration and Broad Coalition of Stakeholders Testify in Support of Veterans Legislative Package 

An Act Honoring, Empowering, and Recognizing Our Servicemembers and Veterans (HERO Act) will positively impact hundreds of thousands of veterans living in Massachusetts. 

 

BOSTON – Today, Governor Maura Healey, and Secretary of the Veterans Services Jon Santiago testified in support of H. 4172, the An Act Honoring, Empowering, and Recognizing our Servicemembers and Veterans (HERO Act), before the Joint Committee on Veterans and Federal Affairs.     

 
The HERO Act marks the first comprehensive legislative package dedicated to veterans' welfare introduced by a Massachusetts Governor in two decades. 

 

“The HERO Act represents a visionary commitment by our administration to redefine the landscape of veterans' services for Massachusetts. At its core, the bill ensures that veterans receive proper support by expanding benefits, modernizing services, and reaching more veterans and families,” said Governor Maura Healey. "Together, we can ensure that Massachusetts not only does right by our veterans, but leads the nation in providing the best veterans’ services.” 

“As the proud daughter of a Navy veteran, I understand the impact that the sacrifices made by our servicemembers have on military families," said Lieutenant Governor Kim Driscoll. "That's why we filed the HERO Act – to ensure we actively support our veterans and their families in the most effective manner possible." 

 

"When veterans return home from active duty and transition into civilian life, our priority at the Executive Office of Veterans Services is to ensure they and their families receive support," said Secretary Jon Santiago. "The legislation takes a vital stride towards meeting the diverse needs of our veteran community, addressing issues from expanding benefits to modernizing services." 

The HERO Act proposes 17 spending and policy initiatives, tax credits, and statutory changes seeking to improve the lives of veterans through benefit expansion, commitment to inclusivity and greater representation, and modernization of veterans’ services. Key highlights include:  

 

• Increasing the EOVS Disabled Veteran Annuity: Increases the annual annuity paid from $2,000 to $2,500, phased in over two fiscal years.  

• Expanding Veteran Access to Behavioral Health Treatment: Allows any Chapter 115 recipient to be reimbursed for outpatient behavioral health care visits.  

• Increasing the Vet-Hire Tax Credit: Increase the tax credit to $2,500 for small businesses hiring chronically unemployed or low-income veterans. Eligible veterans include those receiving SNAP benefits, chronically unemployed veterans, and unemployed service-connected disabled veterans.  

• Increasing access to the Active-Duty Buyback program: This provision lengthens the timeframe for veterans to participate in the Active-Duty Service Buyback program from 180 days to 10 years and provides a retroactive grace period for veteran state employees who missed this opportunity.  

• Broadening the Chapter 115 Definition of a Veteran: Better aligns the state Chapter 115 program definition of a veteran with the federal definition. This change allows more Massachusetts veterans to be eligible for the annuity, Chapter 115 benefits, and other state benefits. This only applies to EOVS programs and does not affect any other agency or entity.  

 

The administration collaborated with municipal veteran service officers representing more than 100 municipalities and engaged with over 30 nonprofit partners to determine the legislative and programmatic priorities of the veteran community. A comprehensive 50-state review of veteran policies and legislative efforts was also conducted.