Senate Assistant Majority Leader Joan B. Lovely (D-Salem) announced Monday that the Massachusetts Senate voted unanimously to provide enhanced safety, stability, and educational opportunities for military families. The legislation advanced this week also positions the Commonwealth for greater federal defense investment and economic growth around its six military bases.
An Act to enhance access, inclusion, support, and equity for military connected families, S.2676 — also known as the EASE Act — would guarantee that a child of a military family would have a seat in the classroom at their current school in Massachusetts, even if their parent or guardian is temporarily transferred elsewhere on official orders. If a military family moves permanently and arrives in a Massachusetts community, the bill also requires a timely and seamless transition for students who receive special education services.
To strengthen public safety and increase access to justice around military bases, the legislation allows certain information from the military to be admissible as evidence in state courts for people seeking temporary domestic violence restraining orders. The bill also allows for federal judges to transfer juvenile cases to Massachusetts courts for offenses that occur on military bases.
Over the course of Monday’s debate, Senators adopted an amendment with bipartisan support that further directs National Guard leadership to track and report suicide data among veterans of the Massachusetts National Guard. Senators passed the entire bill with a 39-0 roll call.
During the same session, the Senate passed An Act clarifying the duties of the Adjutant General, S.2675, which writes into law that the Adjutant General — Massachusetts’ highest-ranking military officer — has command of all troops in the state National Guard while carrying out the orders of the Governor. A technical clarification, the bill brings state statute around the National Guard chain of command into line with the model used by the vast majority of other states.
Under a bipartisan amendment that was adopted unanimously, the Adjutant General must also ensure that National Guard members receive training on how to identify whether or not orders violate Constitutional or statutory rights. Senators voted 38-0 to pass the legislation.
“I am pleased that these bills honor the sacrifice of our active-duty military members and veterans, and the sacrifices their families make in support of them at home and abroad,” Lovely said. “From supporting young students to honoring Military Service Members and Veterans Suicide Awareness and Remembrance Day, both active duty or veteran, it is imperative that we as a Commonwealth do all we can to support the individuals and families who have dedicated their lives to serving in our armed forces.”
Senate President Karen E. Spilka (D-Ashland) said, “I’m proud that Massachusetts continues to seek out ways to support our active military members and veterans — and their families. In advance of Veterans Day, it was important that the Senate reinforce our commitment to meeting veterans, active military members, and their families where they are and provide support to those who have served and are serving our nation. It was also important to make a technical clarification to the command structure of the Massachusetts National Guard that brings us in line with most other states. I am tremendously grateful to Sen. Velis for his leadership on these issues — and for his service—as well as Chair Rodrigues and the entire Senate for advancing these measures.”
Sen. Michael J. Rodrigues (D-Westport), Chair of the Senate Committee on Ways and Means, said, “Military families very often face difficult situations when parents are called to duty, never knowing when or where their service to our country will take them. This bill will help create a more stable environment for military-serving families by ensuring continuous education and a smooth transition for special education services when changing school districts. Additional legislation takes action to clarify that the Adjutant General of the Massachusetts National Guard has command of all the militias of the Commonwealth. I would like to thank Sen. Velis and Senate President Spilka for their leadership in advancing these bills that assist our brave men and women soldiers, and their families, so fitting in honor and recognition of Veterans Day.”
Sen. John C. Velis (D-Westfield), Senate Chair of the Joint Committee on Veterans and Federal Affairs, said, “As we approach Veterans Day, I am incredibly proud to be a part of a legislative body that prioritizes not only our veterans and servicemembers but also our military families as well. Building off the comprehensive advancements made in the SPEED Act and HERO Act over the last two legislative sessions, the EASE Act bolsters the way that Massachusetts cares for our military families and in turn helps improve our Department of Defense scorecard to maintain critical federal military investments in our state. At the end of the day, my focus as Chairman of the Joint Committee on Veterans and Federal Affairs continues to be on ensuring that our Commonwealth is not only the very best state for a veteran to call home, but also a welcoming and supportive home for our active-duty service members and their families.”
Provisions in the EASE Act respond directly to needs that have been raised by military families in recent years. Addressing these concerns is key to further boosting Massachusetts’ standing on the Department of Defense scorecard, a key metric that the federal government takes into account when deciding where to increase or maintain its spending for military bases.
Massachusetts is currently among the top 10 states for defense contract spending. More than 57,000 Massachusetts jobs are supported by the state’s six military installations: Fort Devens, Hanscom Air Force Base, Joint Base Cape Cod, Barnes Air National Guard Base, Westover Air Reserve Base, and the Natick Soldier Systems Center.
Both bills were advanced to the floor by 16-0 votes of the Senate Committee on Ways and Means on Oct. 30, after previous drafts were reviewed and advanced by the Joint Committee on Veterans and Federal Affairs in September and October. All committee votes are publicly posted on the Legislature’s website.
Separately, the Senate approved legislation — H.3388, An Act designating veterans suicide awareness and remembrance day — that will set aside Sept. 22 of each year as Military Service Members and Veterans Suicide Awareness and Remembrance Day. That bill, which has already been passed by the House of Representatives, acknowledges that suicide among service members and veterans is an epidemic and calls for annual recognition with a proclamation from the Governor.
All three bills acted upon today were approved by the Senate and now move to the House of Representatives for further consideration.
