SENATE, No. 2012

By Mr. Tolman, a petition (accompanied by bill, Senate, No. 2012) of Steven A. Tolman, Susan C. Fargo and Thomas J. O'Brien for legislation relative to a study of veterans' benefits. Veterans and Federal Affairs

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

Seal of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts

In the Year Two Thousand and Five.

AN ACT RELATIVE TO A STUDY OF VETERANS BENEFITS

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court assembled, and by the authority of the same, as follows:

SECTION 1.

(a) The Department of Veterans' Services shall review whether the veterans’ benefits provisions provided through described in the Massachusetts General Laws, chapter 59, Section 5, clauses twenty-second (a) through twenty second (e) are fair and appropriate given factors including, but not limited to,  inflation and cost of living increases since their enactment.

(b) Within 180 days of the passage of this act, the Department of Veterans' Services shall report to the General Court’s Joint Committee on Taxation the results of the review, its recommendations, and the drafts of legislation necessary to carry such recommendations into effect.

(c)The Department of Veterans' Services shall, within available appropriations, provide such staff as is necessary for the performance of the functions and duties of the review.