Bill > S2504

This bill modifies the Veterans' Bonus Division by making several key changes to existing law. It defines specific time periods for different military conflicts, including World War II (September 16, 1940 to July 25, 1947), Korean Emergency (June 25, 1950 to January 31, 1955), Vietnam Conflict (July 1, 1958 to May 17, 1975), and Persian Gulf War (August 2, 1990 to April 10, 1991). The bill expands veteran bonus eligibility by allowing currently serving military personnel to qualify and removing the previous requirement that veterans must have been residents of Massachusetts for at least 6 months before entering service. Notably, the bill includes a progressive provision ensuring that veterans discharged under other than honorable conditions specifically due to sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, or HIV status are still eligible for bonuses. The legislation also makes several technical corrections to existing language and repeals multiple previous acts related to veteran bonuses. One specific section (Section 2) is scheduled to take effect on July 1, 2026, indicating a phased implementation of the bill's provisions.

Budget and Finance, Military Affairs and Security

https://malegislature.gov/Bills/194/S2504