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SENATE DOCKET, NO. 1962 FILED ON: 1/20/2023
SENATE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No. 1497
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts
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PRESENTED BY:
John J. Cronin
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To the Honorable Senate and House of Representatives of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts in General
Court assembled:
The undersigned legislators and/or citizens respectfully petition for the adoption of the accompanying bill:
An Act to connect veterans with earned benefits.
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PETITION OF:
NAME:DISTRICT/ADDRESS :John J. CroninWorcester and Middlesex 1 of 2
SENATE DOCKET, NO. 1962 FILED ON: 1/20/2023
SENATE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No. 1497
By Mr. Cronin, a petition (accompanied by bill, Senate, No. 1497) of John J. Cronin for
legislation to connect veterans with earned benefits. Public Safety and Homeland Security.
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts
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In the One Hundred and Ninety-Third General Court
(2023-2024)
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An Act to connect veterans with earned benefits.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court assembled, and by the authority
of the same, as follows:
1 SECTION 1. Section 3 of said chapter 276A, as so appearing, is hereby amended by
2striking out the first paragraph and inserting in place thereof the following paragraph:-
3 The probation officers of a district or municipal court, or an official designee of such a
4probation officer, when gathering information in accordance with section 85 of chapter 276, shall
5also screen each defendant for the purpose of enabling the judge at arraignment to consider the
6eligibility of the defendant for diversion to a program. The probation officers or an official
7designee shall also confirm the defendant's status as a veteran or as a person on active service in
8the armed forces of the United States and shall determine if the defendant has previously been
9diverted pursuant to clause (ii) of subsection (c) of section 4. Any person identified as a veteran,
10as defined in said clause, shall be provided with a list of contact information for the Veteran’s
11Administration, the local Veteran Justice Officer, their local Veteran Service Officer and the
12Veterans Administration Department of Veteran Services Suicide Hotline. 2 of 2
13 SECTION 2. The first paragraph of section 3 of chapter 276A, as so appearing, is hereby
14amended by adding after the first paragraph the following paragraph:
15 Once a veteran is identified by the indigency verification process, the office of probation
16shall refer said veteran to the Veteran Justice Officer for determination of Federal Benefits.