Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Committee hears broad push to expand Massachusettsdefinition of "veteran" to include USPHS, NOAA and long-serving reservists
Summary
A joint veterans committee heard hours of testimony urging changes to Massachusetts General Laws to align the statedefinition of "veteran" with federal and uniformed-services practice, including recognition of U.S. Public Health Service and NOAA commissioned officers and certain reserve-component service.
The Joint Committee on Veterans and Federal Affairs heard testimony supporting House Bill 3,871 and Senate Bill 24,67, which would amend MassachusettsGeneral Laws definitions so more people who served in uniform are eligible for state veterans' benefits and recognition.
Supporters said the current mismatch between the HERO Act and the primary statutory definition in chapter 4 has created inconsistent treatment for people seeking state benefits. "These bills aim to create consistency and fairness across Massachusetts General Laws for individuals defined as veterans," said Robert (Bob) Notch, the Commonwealth's veteran advocate, in testimony submitted to the committee.
Advocates who…
Already have an account? Log in
Subscribe to keep reading
Unlock the rest of this article — and every article on Citizen Portal.
- Unlimited articles
- AI-powered breakdowns of topics, speakers, decisions, and budgets
- Instant alerts when your location has a new meeting
- Follow topics and more locations
- 1,000 AI Insights / month, plus AI Chat
