Governor Healey signs HERO Act expanding veterans’ benefits, housing and hiring supports

Governor Maura Healey signed the HERO Act on Aug. 8, 2024, at a ceremony in Lexington, marking what officials called the most comprehensive veterans package in the Commonwealth’s history. The bill, sponsors and administration officials said, expands benefit eligibility, increases cash annuities for disabled veterans and opens new pathways to mental-health care and employment for service members.

The act bundles more than 30 policy changes covering benefits, housing, mental-health access and workforce incentives, according to John Santiago, secretary of the Executive Office of Veteran Services. “These were your ideas. These were your solutions. And now, this is your HERO Act,” Santiago said as he outlined provisions that include increasing the disabled-veteran annuity, broadening the statutory definition of “veteran,” creating a commission to advise on veteran services and offering an employer tax credit to incentivize hiring veterans.

Santiago said the HERO Act also removes an existing administrative barrier under Chapter 115 that, as he described it, had limited veterans’ access to mental-health services: “Unbeknownst to me, we have a program called chapter 115, that actually prohibits veterans from receiving mental health services. But guess what? That changes with the HERO Act.” He and other speakers framed that change as one of the bill’s most significant service-delivery reforms.

Governor Healey and administration officials emphasized new investments and recent federal support for veterans’ facilities. Healey cited an 11% increase in state funding for veteran services and said the administration had pursued federal grants that they said total about $87,000,000 in additional federal funding for Chelsea and Holyoke projects. Secretary Santiago said the administration secured federal backing for a new Holyoke Veterans Home facility estimated at $500,000,000 and noted a $20,000,000 state investment aimed at ending veteran homelessness.

Legislative leaders and veterans’ organizations at the ceremony praised the bill’s bipartisan and cross-branch development. Representative Jerry Cassidy, chair of the House Veterans and Federal Affairs Committee, summarized several nodal policy changes—including annuity increases, the standing veterans commission, EMT licensing waivers for veteran medics and mandated benefit-posting at public institutions—and credited staff who shepherded the bill through Beacon Hill.

Speakers representing veterans’ service organizations and gold-star families gave personal testimony about the bill’s impact. A representative of the Disabled American Veterans said the legislation will “make a huge impact” on veterans’ lives; Amanda Tipton, a gold-star mother, urged that the Act be a starting point for continued work to prevent veteran suicide and expand supports.

Officials said implementation will now be handled by the Executive Office of Veteran Services in coordination with legislative partners; the signing was presented as a ceremonial milestone that begins administrative rulemaking, outreach and program rollout. Governor Healey and Secretary Santiago said outreach to employers and veterans will be necessary so eligible veterans can use new benefits and employers can access hiring credits.

The signing closes the legislative phase of the HERO Act and moves the package into implementation; officials at the ceremony said they expect follow-up work on regulations, licensing changes and public information campaigns led by the Executive Office of Veteran Services.