Department of Defense backs bills to ease moves, juvenile jurisdiction and military protective orders for military families

Chairman Joe McGonigal, House chair of the Joint Committee on Veterans and Federal Affairs, opened the committee’s first public hearing of the 2025–26 legislative session and recognized testimony supporting S.2503 and H.3886 from the Department of Defense and bill sponsors. "The Department of Defense is grateful for the opportunity to support the policies reflected in S.2503 and H.3886," Melissa Willette, New England region liaison for the Department of Defense State Liaison Office, told the committee.

The bills would (1) improve education continuity for military-connected children who relocate, (2) provide a mechanism for concurrent juvenile jurisdiction on federal installations so certain juvenile matters can be adjudicated in state family courts, and (3) enable civilian courts to consider military protective orders as evidence in applications for temporary protection from abuse, Willette said. "You recruit the service member, but you retain the family," she added.

Why it matters: committee testimony…