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Mass. leaders cite HERO Act, budget amendment as part of state's expanded veteran support
Summary
At the inaugural Military Appreciation Day, legislative and executive leaders highlighted the HERO Act and recent budget measures expanding veteran benefits, and the Senate unanimously adopted an amendment to the fiscal 2026 budget to change a Gold Star spouse annuity rule.
State officials used the inaugural Military Appreciation Day on May 22 to outline recent and ongoing policy steps aimed at supporting veterans and military families, including the HERO Act and a Senate budget amendment to protect Gold Star spouses' annuities.
Senate President Karen Spilka said the legislature worked with the administration "to pass the HERO Act, our most comprehensive veterans legislation ever," and described the law as expanding the definition of a veteran, increasing hiring tax credits for veterans, expanding behavioral health access, increasing property tax exemptions and codifying medical and dental benefits for veterans. Spilka also said the Senate unanimously adopted an amendment to the fiscal year 2026 budget sponsored by Senator John Velis that "would allow Gold Star family spouses to remarry without the penalty of losing their annuity benefit." She described that amendment as unanimously adopted by the Senate during that week's budget process.
Secretary John Santiago and Governor Maura Healey both cited work on veterans housing and programs to end veteran homelessness. Secretary Santiago praised legislative and nonprofit partners and framed the event as part of ongoing commitments to veterans' services. Governor Healey noted state investments in veterans homes and said Massachusetts has prioritized veteran services, calling the Commonwealth "the number 1 state for veterans." Lieutenant Governor Kim Driscoll highlighted the economic footprint of defense installations in the state, saying they support more than 50,000 jobs and that the federal government invested "nearly $1,000,000,000 in capital construction" at Massachusetts military installations in the last decade.
General Joseph Dunford, the event's keynote speaker, endorsed Massachusetts' veteran programs and urged continued care for veterans and families: "We have an enduring responsibility to take care of those veterans and family members who need our support," he said.
No new legislation was introduced or voted on at the ceremony itself; the policy references were statements about previously enacted laws and recent legislative budget activity. The Senate budget amendment described by Senate President Spilka was reported as unanimously adopted in the Senate; the transcript does not include a roll-call vote or a House concurrence at the event.
Speakers tied those policy points to specific program areas—including modernization of veterans homes in Chelsea and Holyoke, expanded behavioral health services, and tax- and benefit-related changes in the HERO Act—without providing implementing timelines or statutory citations beyond the HERO Act reference and the budget amendment description. Officials at the event urged continued support for veterans' transition assistance, housing and behavioral health services.
Follow-up: the Senate budget amendment and other cited budget measures will require standard legislative and executive budget processes for final implementation; reports or itemized appropriations were not presented during the ceremony.
