Text of MA H 50 (2025)

1 of 4 HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 50 FILED ON: 1/2/2025 HOUSE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No. 50 The Commonwealth of Massachusetts _______________ In the One Hundred and Ninety-Fourth General Court (2025-2026) _______________ An Act relative to the Veterans' Bonus Division. 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. Subsection (a) of section 78 of chapter 10 of the General Laws, as 2 appearing in the 2022 Official Edition, is hereby amended by inserting at the end thereof the 3 following words:- 4 As used in this section, the term “Korean Emergency” shall mean the period on or after 5 June 25, 1950 to January 31, 1955. 6 As used in this section, the term “Persian Gulf War” shall mean the period on or after 7 August 2, 1990 to April 10, 1991. 8 As used in this section, the term “Vietnam Conflict” shall mean the period on or after 9 July 1, 1958 to May 17, 1975. 10 As used in this section, the term “World War II” shall mean the period on or after 11 September 16, 1940 to July 25, 1947. 2 of 4 12 SECTION 2. Subparagraph (1) of subsection (b) of said section 78 of said chapter 10 of 13 the General Laws, as so appearing, is hereby further amended by inserting after the word 14 “served”, in line 16, the following words:- “, or is currently serving,” 15 SECTION 3. Subparagraph (1) of subsection (b) of said section 78 of said chapter 10 of 16 the General Laws, as so appearing, is hereby further amended by striking out, in lines 19 through 17 23, the words “have been in the commonwealth for a period of not less than 6 months before the 18 time of the person's entry into the service” and inserting in place thereof the following words:- 19 “be the commonwealth” 20 SECTION 4. Subparagraph (5) of said subsection (b) of said section 78 of said chapter 10 21 of the General Laws, as appearing in the 2022 Official Edition, is hereby amended by striking 22 out, in line 44, the word “Medal” and inserting in place thereof the following words:- “Medal, or 23 equivalent Expeditionary Medal,” 24 SECTION 5. Said subparagraph (5) of said subsection (b) of said section 78 of said 25 chapter 10 of the General Laws, as so appearing, is hereby further amended by striking out, in 26 lines 48 through 52, the words “have been in the commonwealth for a period of not less than 6 27 months immediately before the time of the person's entry into service” and inserting in place 28 thereof the following words:- be the commonwealth 29 SECTION 6. Said subsection (b) of said section 78 of said chapter 10 of the General 30 Laws, as so appearing is hereby further amended by inserting at the end thereof the following 31 subparagraph:- 32 (6) Upon application, as provided in this section and as specified in rules and regulations 33 established by the treasurer, there shall be allowed and paid out of the treasury of the 3 of 4 34 commonwealth, without appropriation, the sums specified in such rules and regulations to each 35 person who has served in the armed forces of the United States in active service as part of World 36 War II, the Korean Emergency, the Vietnam War or the Persian Gulf War; provided, however, 37 that the domicile of a person on account of whose service the application is filed shall be the 38 commonwealth; and provided further, that any veteran discharged or released under other than 39 honorable conditions due to sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression or HIV status 40 based on the veteran's DD-214 form or equivalent documentation shall be eligible for a bonus 41 under this section. 42 SECTION 7. Subsection (e) of said section 78 of said chapter 10 of the General Laws, as 43 so appearing, is hereby further amended by striking out the fifth and sixth sentences. 44 SECTION 8. Subsection (e) of said section 78 of said chapter 10 of the General Laws, as 45 so appearing, is hereby further amended by striking out, in line 100, the word “section” and 46 inserting in place thereof the following word:- act 47 SECTION 9. Subsection (e) of said section 78 of said chapter 10 of the General Laws, as 48 so appearing, is hereby further amended by striking out, in lines 106-107, the word “designed” 49 and inserting in place thereof the following word:- designated 50 SECTION 10. Subsection (g) of said section 78 of said chapter 10 of the General Laws, 51 as so appearing, is hereby further amended by inserting after the word “service”, in line X, the 52 following words:- “during the enlistment period” 53 SECTION 11. Chapter 731 of the acts of 1945, as amended by chapter 210 of the acts of 54 1946, is hereby repealed. 4 of 4 55 SECTION 12. Chapter 210 of the acts of 1946 is hereby repealed. 56 SECTION 13. Chapter 581 of the acts of 1946, as amended by chapter 210 of the acts of 57 1946, is hereby repealed. 58 SECTION 14. Chapter 440 of the Acts of 1953 is hereby repealed. 59 SECTION 15. Chapter 646 of the acts of 1968 is hereby repealed. 60 SECTION 16. Chapter 325 of the acts of 1969 is hereby repealed. 61 SECTION 17. Section 16 of chapter 130 of the acts of 2005 is hereby repealed. 62 SECTION 18. Section 2 shall take effect on July 1, 2026.