Massachusetts 2025-2026 Regular Session

Massachusetts House Bill H3874 Compare Versions

Only one version of the bill is available at this time.

Old	New	Differences
1	1	1 of 1
2	2	HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 3975 FILED ON: 1/17/2025
3	3	HOUSE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No. 3874
4	4	The Commonwealth of Massachusetts
5	5	_________________
6	6	PRESENTED BY:
7	7	Bridget Plouffe
8	8	_________________
9	9	To the Honorable Senate and House of Representatives of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts in General
10	10	Court assembled:
11	11	The undersigned legislators and/or citizens respectfully petition for the adoption of the accompanying bill:
12	12	An Act relative to the Veterans’ Bonus Division.
13	13	_______________
14	14	PETITION OF:
15	15	NAME:DISTRICT/ADDRESS :DATE ADDED:Bridget Plouffe9th Plymouth1/17/2025 1 of 4
16	16	HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 3975 FILED ON: 1/17/2025
17	17	HOUSE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No. 3874
18	18	By Representative Plouffe of Brockton, a petition (accompanied by bill, House, No. 3874) of
19	19	Bridget Plouffe relative to the Veterans’ Bonus Division. Veterans and Federal Affairs.
20	20	The Commonwealth of Massachusetts
21	21	_______________
22	22	In the One Hundred and Ninety-Fourth General Court
23	23	(2025-2026)
24	24	_______________
25	25	An Act relative to the Veterans’ Bonus Division.
26	26	Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court assembled, and by the authority
27	27	of the same, as follows:
28	28	1 SECTION 1. Subsection (a) of section 78 of chapter 10 of the General Laws, as
29	29	2appearing in the 2022 Official Edition, is hereby amended by inserting at the end thereof the
30	30	3following words:-
31	31	4 As used in this section, the term “Korean Emergency” shall mean the period on or after
32	32	5June 25, 1950 to January 31, 1955.
33	33	6 As used in this section, the term “Persian Gulf War” shall mean the period on or after
34	34	7August 2, 1990 to April 10, 1991.
35	35	8 As used in this section, the term “Vietnam Conflict” shall mean the period on or after
36	36	9July 1, 1958 to May 17, 1975.
37	37	10 As used in this section, the term “World War II” shall mean the period on or after
38	38	11September 16, 1940 to July 25, 1947. 2 of 4
39	39	12 SECTION 2. Subparagraph (1) of subsection (b) of said section 78 of said chapter 10 of
40	40	13the General Laws, as so appearing, is hereby further amended by inserting after the word
41	41	14“served”, in line 16, the following words:- “, or is currently serving,”
42	42	15 SECTION 3. Subparagraph (1) of subsection (b) of said section 78 of said chapter 10 of
43	43	16the General Laws, as so appearing, is hereby further amended by striking out, in lines 19 through
44	44	1723, the words “have been in the commonwealth for a period of not less than 6 months before the
45	45	18time of the person's entry into the service” and inserting in place thereof the following words:-
46	46	19“be the commonwealth”
47	47	20 SECTION 4. Subparagraph (5) of said subsection (b) of said section 78 of said chapter 10
48	48	21of the General Laws, as appearing in the 2022 Official Edition, is hereby amended by striking
49	49	22 out, in line 44, the word “Medal” and inserting in place thereof the following words:-
50	50	23“Medal, or equivalent Expeditionary Medal,”
51	51	24 SECTION 5. Said subparagraph (5) of said subsection (b) of said section 78 of said
52	52	25chapter 10 of the General Laws, as so appearing, is hereby further amended by striking out, in
53	53	26lines 48 through 52, the words “have been in the commonwealth for a period of not less than 6
54	54	27months immediately before the time of the person's entry into service” and inserting in place
55	55	28thereof the following words:- be the commonwealth
56	56	29 SECTION 6. Said subsection (b) of said section 78 of said chapter 10 of the General
57	57	30Laws, as so appearing is hereby further amended by inserting at the end thereof the following
58	58	31subparagraph:- 3 of 4
59	59	32 (6) Upon application, as provided in this section and as specified in rules and regulations
60	60	33established by the treasurer, there shall be allowed and paid out of the treasury of the
61	61	34commonwealth, without appropriation, the sums specified in such rules and regulations to each
62	62	35person who has served in the armed forces of the United States in active service as part of World
63	63	36War II, the Korean Emergency, the Vietnam War or the Persian Gulf War; provided, however,
64	64	37that the domicile of a person on account of whose service the application is filed shall be the
65	65	38commonwealth; and provided further, that any veteran discharged or released under other than
66	66	39honorable conditions due to sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression or HIV status
67	67	40based on the veteran's DD-214 form or equivalent documentation shall be eligible for a bonus
68	68	41under this section.
69	69	42 SECTION 7. Subsection (e) of said section 78 of said chapter 10 of the General Laws, as
70	70	43so appearing, is hereby further amended by striking out the fifth and sixth sentences.
71	71	44 SECTION 8. Subsection (e) of said section 78 of said chapter 10 of the General Laws, as
72	72	45so appearing, is hereby further amended by striking out, in line 100, the word “section” and
73	73	46inserting in place thereof the following word:- act
74	74	47 SECTION 9. Subsection (e) of said section 78 of said chapter 10 of the General Laws, as
75	75	48so appearing, is hereby further amended by striking out, in lines 106-107, the word “designed”
76	76	49and inserting in place thereof the following word:- designated
77	77	50 SECTION 10. Subsection (g) of said section 78 of said chapter 10 of the General Laws,
78	78	51as so appearing, is hereby further amended by inserting after the word “service”, in line X, the
79	79	52following words:- “during the enlistment period” 4 of 4
80	80	53 SECTION 11. Chapter 731 of the acts of 1945, as amended by chapter 210 of the acts of
81	81	541946, is hereby repealed.
82	82	55 SECTION 12. Chapter 210 of the acts of 1946 is hereby repealed.
83	83	56 SECTION 13. Chapter 581 of the acts of 1946, as amended by chapter 210 of the acts of
84	84	571946, is hereby repealed.
85	85	58 SECTION 14. Chapter 440 of the Acts of 1953 is hereby repealed.
86	86	59 SECTION 15. Chapter 646 of the acts of 1968 is hereby repealed.
87	87	60 SECTION 16. Chapter 325 of the acts of 1969 is hereby repealed.
88	88	61 SECTION 17. Section 16 of chapter 130 of the acts of 2005 is hereby repealed.
89	89	62 SECTION 18. Section 2 shall take effect on July 1, 2026.