1 of 1
HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 383 FILED ON: 1/8/2025
HOUSE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No. 3850
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts
_________________
PRESENTED BY:
Tara T. Hong
_________________
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 establishing the Massachusetts veterans service dog program.
_______________
PETITION OF:
NAME:DISTRICT/ADDRESS :DATE ADDED:Tara T. Hong18th Middlesex1/8/2025Dennis C. Gallagher8th Plymouth1/14/2025Colleen M. Garry36th Middlesex3/9/2025Samantha Montaño15th Suffolk3/5/2025 1 of 3
HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 383 FILED ON: 1/8/2025
HOUSE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No. 3850
By Representative Hong of Lowell, a petition (accompanied by bill, House, No. 3850) of Tara T.
Hong and others relative to establishing a veterans service dog program. Veterans and Federal
Affairs.
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts
_______________
In the One Hundred and Ninety-Fourth General Court
(2025-2026)
_______________
An Act establishing the Massachusetts veterans service dog program.
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. Chapter 29 of the General Laws is hereby amended by inserting after
2section 2JJJJJJ, added by section 58 of chapter 140 of the acts of 2024, the following section:-
3 Section 2KKKKKK. (a) There shall be a separate fund on the books of the
4commonwealth to be known as the Massachusetts Veterans Service Dog Fund. The fund shall be
5credited with: (i) appropriations or other money authorized or transferred by the general court
6and specifically designated to be credited to the fund; (ii) funds from public and private sources,
7including, but not limited to, gifts, grants and donations; and (iii) any interest earned on the
8assets of the fund.
9 (b) Such monies shall be deposited to the credit of the fund and shall, in addition to any
10other monies made available for such purpose, be expended by executive office of veterans’
11services, without further appropriation, for the Massachusetts veterans service dog program
12established pursuant to section 19 of chapter 115. Amounts credited to the fund shall not be 2 of 3
13subject to further appropriation and money remaining in the fund at the end of a fiscal year shall
14not revert to the General Fund. The fund shall retain all interest earned on sums deposited in the
15fund.
16 SECTION 2. Chapter 115 of the General Laws is hereby amended by adding the
17following section:-
18 Section 19. (a) For the purpose of this section, the following terms shall, unless the
19context clearly requires otherwise, have the following meanings:
20 “Service dog”, a dog specifically trained to help persons with disabilities and perform
21specific tasks to assist a veteran with a disability, as defined under the Americans with
22Disabilities Act pursuant to 42 U.S.C. sections 12101 et seq.
23 “The office”, the executive office of veterans’ services.
24 “Veteran”, any person who has served in the United States Armed Forces and received an
25honorable discharge or general discharge under honorable conditions.
26 (b) The office shall establish and administer the Massachusetts veterans service dog
27program that shall:
28 (i) assess the needs of Massachusetts veterans for service dogs;
29 (ii) partner with a professional service dog organization accredited by Assistance Dogs
30International and headquartered in the commonwealth to procure and train service dogs;
31 (iii) match trained service dogs with eligible veterans based on their needs and work to
32provide those veterans eligible for a service dog within 1 year; and 3 of 3
33 (iv) provide resources and training for service dogs to enhance the transition for the
34veteran and service dog.
35 (c) Veterans that qualify for the Massachusetts veterans service dog program shall:
36 (i) be a resident of the commonwealth;
37 (ii) have a documented disability that may benefit from a service dog; and
38 (iii) obtain a recommendation from a licensed healthcare professional or mental health
39provider for a service dog.
40 (d) The office shall prepare an annual report that includes, but is not limited to: (i) details
41on the program’s implementation; (ii) the number of service dogs matched with veterans; and
42(iii) the impact service dogs have had on participating veterans. The office shall submit the
43annual report to the governor, the chairs of the joint committee on veterans and federal affairs
44and the offices of the house and senate clerk.
45 SECTION 3. Subsection (c) of section 139 chapter 140 of the General Laws, as appearing
46in the 2022 Official Edition, is hereby amended by adding the following sentence:- No fee shall
47be charged for a license issued under this section for a service dog pursuant to section 19 of
48chapter 115.
49 SECTION 4. This act shall take effect 1 year after its passage.