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Senate approves law to designate Sept. 22 as Veteran Suicide Awareness and Remembrance Day
Summary
The Massachusetts Senate passed House Bill 3388 on Nov. 6 to designate Sept. 22 each year as Veteran Suicide Awareness and Remembrance Day. Sponsor remarks cited national veteran‑suicide statistics from a 2024 Department of Veterans Affairs report and local advocates who helped advance the bill; the measure was passed to be engrossed.
The Massachusetts Senate on Nov. 6 passed House Bill 3388 to designate Sept. 22 as Veteran Suicide Awareness and Remembrance Day.
Sponsor remarks: Senator O’Connor, speaking in support, said the designation would formalize a remembrance day the governor had previously proclaimed and would “give us an opportunity to honor those we have lost and highlight the availability of services” for veterans. O’Connor cited a 2024 Department of Veterans Affairs report and said that, on average, "17.6 veterans will die from suicide every single day in the United States," noting the broader public‑health and community response required.
Why it matters: Supporters said the designation focuses attention on veteran mental‑health resources and builds on recent legislative efforts to expand services for veterans, including the SPEED Act and the HERO Act. Sponsor representatives and families with lived experience — including the…
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