(BOSTON 8/8/2024) – The Massachusetts Legislature has passed An Act Honoring, Empowering and Recognizing Our Service Members and Veterans (HERO Act), legislation designed to boost support for hundreds of thousands of individuals across the state who have served in the United States military, including nearly 30,000 women Veterans and thousands of LGBTQ+ Veterans.

This compromise legislation increases and simplifies benefits and opportunities, modernizes services, and promotes inclusivity for Massachusetts Veterans while reaffirming the Commonwealth’s commitment to recognizing and serving all service members and their families. It increases benefits for disabled Veterans and Gold Star family members, bolsters new and existing initiatives for municipalities and businesses to support Veterans, creates comprehensive services for active-duty service members and military families, expands the scope of the Veterans Equality Review Board, updates the Chapter 115 definition of a Veteran to expand eligibility, and codifies medical, behavioral health, and dental benefits.

Further, it establishes new recognitions for military service in the Commonwealth and requires several working groups to review post-traumatic stress disorder in Veterans, mental health treatments for Veterans, and overall quality of life for Veterans in Massachusetts.

“Those who have made the selfless choice to join the United States Armed Forces deserve the best benefits and services our Commonwealth can offer,” said Senator Michael Moore (D-Millbury). “The HERO Act ensures we recognize all types of military service and that the families of servicemembers are supported both while they are deployed and after they return home, just to name a few benefits of this bill. I’m proud of the support the Commonwealth offers our Veterans, and I’m thrilled that this bill will continue to bolster our military community.”

A compromise having passed the Legislature, the bill now goes to the Governor’s desk for her signature.

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