(BOSTON 11/7/2025) — The Massachusetts Senate yesterday voted unanimously to pass two significant bills relating to the Massachusetts National Guard and US Military families.
The first, S.2675 – An Act clarifying the duties of the adjutant general, writes into law that the Adjutant General – Massachusetts’ highest-ranking military officer – has command of all troops in the state National Guard while carrying out the orders of the Governor. A technical clarification, the bill brings state statute around the National Guard chain of command into line with the model used by the vast majority of other states.
Under a bipartisan amendment introduced by Second Worcester District Senator Michael Moore, the Adjutant General must also ensure that National Guard members receive training on how to identify whether or not orders violate Constitutional or statutory rights. The amendment was adopted unanimously.
The second bill passed, S.2676 – An Act to enhance access, inclusion, support and equity for military connected families, also known as the EASE Act, would guarantee that a child of a military family would have a seat in the classroom at their current school in Massachusetts, even if their parent or guardian is temporarily transferred elsewhere on official orders. If a military family moves permanently and arrives in a Massachusetts community, the bill also requires a timely and seamless transition for students who receive special education services.
To strengthen public safety and increase access to justice around military bases, the legislation allows certain information from the military to be admissible as evidence in state courts for people seeking temporary domestic violence restraining orders. The bill also allows for federal judges to transfer juvenile cases to Massachusetts courts for offenses that occur on military bases. Over the course of yesterday’s debate, Senators adopted an amendment with bipartisan support that further directs National Guard leadership to track and report suicide data among veterans of the Massachusetts National Guard. Senators passed the entire bill with a 39-0 roll call.
“Clarifying the chain of command within the National Guard and ensuring fair treatment for our military families is a bipartisan issue, and I’m thrilled that the Senate has acted this week on a unanimous basis,” said Senator Michael Moore (D-Millbury). “Specifically regarding the National Guard bill, this is an issue that I have been sounding the alarm on for months. This legislation ensures there is no ambiguity about who is in command of our Guard during an emergency, but it goes even further thanks to an amendment I introduced with bipartisan support. National Guard troops across the country are being asked to potentially violate the sovereignty of other states and the constitutional rights of ordinary Americans by a president who wants to use them like pawns in his game of intimidation. My amendment to the bill is simple: by creating a comprehensive training curriculum for servicemembers, Massachusetts is empowering our National Guard with the knowledge they need to determine, in the event that they are federalized, whether the orders they receive are lawful. The rights guaranteed by the United States Constitution are non-negotiable – the Commonwealth of Massachusetts will not let our Guard be illegally used against its own people.”
Provisions in the EASE Act respond directly to needs that have been raised by military families in recent years. Addressing these concerns is key to further boosting Massachusetts’ standing on the Department of Defense scorecard, a key metric that the federal government takes into account when deciding where to increase or maintain its spending for military bases.
Massachusetts is currently among the top 10 states for defense contract spending. More than 57,000 Massachusetts jobs are supported by the state’s six military installations: Fort Devens, Hanscom Air Force Base, Joint Base Cape Cod, Barnes Air National Guard Base, Westover Air Reserve Base, and the Natick Soldier Systems Center.
Both bills were advanced to the floor by 16-0 votes of the Senate Committee on Ways and Means on October 30, 2025, after previous drafts were reviewed and advanced by the Joint Committee on Veterans and Federal Affairs in September and October. All committee votes are publicly posted on the Legislature’s website.
Both bills acted upon today were approved by the Senate and now move to the House of Representatives for further consideration.
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