Chuck Bryant

2025-2026 Regular Session Introduced by Terry Alexander and 121 co-sponsors

If a veteran files for Chapter 115 benefits within one year of discharge, the award starts the day after discharge.

Introduced and adopted

Main purpose

H 3883 would amend Massachusetts law governing state veterans’ disability compensation (Chapter 115, Section 5) to set a guaranteed effective date for an award of disability compensation when a veteran applies within one year of discharge. The change ensures the start date of benefits is the day after the veteran’s military discharge or release, provided the application is filed within one year of that date.

Key provision (text excerpt)

The bill inserts the following into Section 5 of Chapter 115:
- “...the effective date of an award of disability compensation to a veteran shall be the day following the date of the veteran's discharge or release if application therefor is received within 1 year from such date of discharge or release.”

What changes and how it works

Current practice: Effective dates for state disability awards are governed by existing Section 5 procedures (typically tied to application or determination dates).

Change made by H 3883: If a veteran files an application for Chapter 115 disability compensation within one year after discharge or release from service, the award’s effective date will be treated as beginning the day after discharge — potentially creating entitlement to benefits for the entire intervening period.

The one-year filing window is the critical eligibility condition for this retroactive effective date.

Who is affected

Primary: Massachusetts veterans who are eligible for disability compensation under Chapter 115 and who file their application within one year of discharge or release.

Secondary: The Commonwealth (Executive Office of Veterans’ Services and municipal veteran services officers), which administer Chapter 115 benefits and would handle any retroactive payments or administrative adjustments.

Fiscal effect: The Commonwealth’s near-term expenditures could increase because awards issued under the new rule may include retroactive benefits covering the period from discharge through application. The bill text does not specify funding or offsets.

Procedural status and timeline

Filed: House Docket No. 985 (filed 01/14/2025).

Introduced by Rep. Alan Silvia and co-petitioners; referred to the House Committee on Veterans and Federal Affairs (02/27/2025).

Legislative actions listed include committee hearing scheduling (rescheduled to 06/24/2025). The record also shows “Senate concurred” and “Introduced and adopted” entries — see notes below for potential data inconsistencies.

Related bill: HD 985 (the bill replaces HD 985).

Notes / Observations

The bill text on file is narrowly focused and contains no fiscal note or appropriation language; any increased costs would stem from retroactive benefit payments under existing Chapter 115 authority.

The document also contains text of an unrelated South Carolina House resolution honoring “Charles Lee ‘Chuck’ Bryant.” That resolution appears to be extraneous to the Massachusetts bill and is not part of H 3883’s substantive amendment.

For precise budgetary impact and implementation details, stakeholders should request a fiscal analysis from the Executive Office of Veterans’ Services or the House Committee on Veterans and Federal Affairs.

Bill