Massachusetts Gov. Maura Healey signed the HERO Act this month, which includes more than 30 provisions that will positively impact hundreds of thousands of veterans in the state.
The HERO Act, whose full name is An Act Honoring, Empowering, and Recognizing our service members and veterans, will increase benefits, modernize services and promote inclusivity for veterans in the state, which includes nearly 30,000 women veterans and thousands of LGBTQ+ veterans.
Key provisions include expanding access to behavioral health treatment, increasing benefits for disabled veterans, supporting businesses that hire veterans, updating the definition of a veteran, expanding the Veterans Equality Review Board's scope and codifying medical and dental benefits.
“This is our most comprehensive veterans’ legislation in over 20 years, and it’s the result of Massachusetts coming together to make veterans our priority,” Healey said. “From the start, our administration has been dedicated to revitalizing veterans' services in Massachusetts, ensuring that every hero receives the benefits, resources and support they deserve. As we celebrate the 250th anniversary of our country – we can and will be the state where veterans and service members continue to lead and make all our freedom and success possible.”
The HERO Act marks the first time in 20 years that a Massachusetts governor has introduced a comprehensive and expansive legislative package dedicated to the welfare of veterans.
Healey, who filed the original version of the bill on Veterans’ Day last November, called the act “the most comprehensive veterans’ legislation to come out of the state ever, probably.”
Since its filing, additional provisions were added by the Senate and House to further show Massachusetts’ commitment to veterans and their families.
The HERO Act’s provisions can be organized into four categories: benefit expansion, commitment to inclusivity and greater representation, modernization of veterans services and recognizing/honoring veterans.
Highlights from the legislation include things such as expanding access to behavioral health treatment by allowing veterans to be reimbursed for visits to outpatient behavioral health providers and ensuring disabled veterans can use the Purple Heart specialty license plate for sales tax exemptions.
Other provisions include public school districts required to provide support services to military-connected students when a parent or guardian is called to active duty, creating a Military Family Advocacy Program, which establishes a program to protect against child abuse on military installations.
The Act will also require flags to be flown at half-staff from the day of death until the day of interment for any military service member residing in Massachusetts. Also, the state will honor United States Space Force Day and United States Merchant Marine Day.
“Massachusetts is the cradle of American patriotism: home to the first National Guard, the birthplace of the American Revolution, the first to declare that disabled veterans must be cared for, the first to establish local Veterans Service Officers, and so much more,” said Lieutenant Governor Kim Driscoll. “This is our legacy, and as a member of a military family, I am tremendously proud of Massachusetts for leading the nation for veterans’ services.”
To view a fact sheet of the HERO Act, click here .
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