16 May, 2012
Today, the Massachusetts House of Representatives passed the Valor Act, a comprehensive piece of legislation which expands benefits and increases access to a range of services for veterans, active-duty military, and their families.
Included in the legislation were provisions of a bill filed by Rep. Dykema in 2010 that will ensure that veterans in the court system are given the opportunity to be evaluated for service-related psychological trauma including PTSD, and provided with access to rehabilitative programs already funded by the state and federal governments. The provision had the support of Secretary of Veterans Services Nee, Attorney General Coakley, Mayor Menino and veterans groups from across the state.
“Veterans who return home from military service often cope with challenges that the rest of us can’t imagine,” said Dykema. “Sometimes these challenges bring them into contact with the courts, offering a unique opportunity to connect vets with support services that are already available. The bill we passed today will ensure that veterans and their families get the support they need and deserve when they return home.”
Also included in the bill was an amendment filed by Reps. Dykema, Beaton and Peterson that allows communities to offer a property tax work -off program for veterans, similar to the senior citizen tax work-off program.
The Westborough Board of Selectmen had voted unanimously to support both the Act and the amendment for the local tax work off provision. Selectman Tim Dodd, who brought the motion forward locally, stated “This program has the potential to provide a real benefit to our local veterans. I was happy to work with our legislative delegation to make this happen.”
“This is just one more way that we can thank veterans for their service to our country and help them to stay in the area after they return home,” said Representative Dykema.
“With more and more servicemen and women returning from overseas every day, it is important that we continue to recognize the sacrifices that they have made,” said Representative Beaton. “This measure will go a long way towards renewing our commitment to the men and women who risk their lives on our behalf and help them to transition back to civilian life in Massachusetts.”
“Our returning veterans and their families have made tremendous sacrifices on our behalf and we owe them a debt of gratitude,” said Representative Peterson. “The provisions that we passed today establish programs and services that returning servicemembers need, and provides a meaningful way to thank them for all they do.”
Other provisions of the bill include:
- Adopts the Interstate Compact on Educational Opportunity for Military Children which streamlines the process for school-aged children of military personnel to transfer between school districts and states.
- Requires public institutions of higher education to develop a set of policies and procedures governing the evaluation of a student’s military occupation or occupations, military training, coursework, and experience, in order to determine whether academic credit shall be awarded for such experience, training, and coursework.
- Provides that a service member with a license or certificate issued by the Department of Public Safety shall have at least 90 days after returning from active duty to renew his or her license or certificate. The extension shall apply to elevator mechanics, boiler and amusement device inspectors, hoisting licenses, engineering licenses, firemen’s licenses, pipefitters’ licenses, sprinkler-fitters’ licenses, and refrigeration technician licenses.
- Establishes a commission to study and make assessments on the certification process for veterans’ service officers and for developing an improved training and certification process.
