By Bob Katzen
The Senate 39-0, approved and sent to the House a bill that supporters say would provide enhanced safety, stability and educational opportunities for military families, and position the Bay State for greater federal defense investment and economic growth around its six military bases.
The bill would guarantee that a child of a military family would retain 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.
Other provisions allow certain information from the military to be admissible as evidence in state courts for people seeking temporary domestic violence restraining orders; allow for federal judges to transfer juvenile cases to Massachusetts courts for offenses that occur on military bases; and direct National Guard leadership to track and report suicide data among veterans of the Massachusetts National Guard.
Sen. John Velis (D-Westfield), Senate Chair of the Committee on Veterans and Federal Affairs, said the bill bolsters the way that Massachusetts cares for its military families and in turn helps improve our Department of Defense scorecard to maintain critical federal military investments in our state.
“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,” said Velis. “At the end of the day, my focus as Chairman of the 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.”
“I’m proud that Massachusetts continues to seek out ways to support our active military members and veterans and their families,” said Senate President Karen Spilka (D-Ashland). “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.”
“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,” said Sen. Mike Rodrigues (D-Westport), Chair of the Senate Committee on Ways and Means. “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.”
“I have seen firsthand the power of legislation that seeks to improve the lives of our military and military-connected families,” said Jeffrey Chin, Executive Director of Blue Star Families of New England. “[The bill] will provide our military families a vital component that has all too often been missing in their ability to properly provide educational resources for their children. These families are often required to move to various duty stations as part of their duty and lifestyle, and this legislation will allow our military families to access the same choices that non-military families have available to them with regard to schools and access to appropriate educational resources for their children.”
(A “Yes” vote is for the bill.)
Sen. Patricia Jehlen Yes