Bill
H 3823
Allows Massachusetts towns to use veterans assistance funds for legal and housing help, in addition to transportation, to support veterans and prevent homelessness.
Status and key dates
- Bill number: H 3823 (House Docket No. 2034)
- Filing/Initial docket: Filed 01/15/2025
- Introduced: 02/27/2025 (Petitioned by Rep. James C. Arena‑DeRosa, 8th Middlesex)
- Referred to: Committee on Veterans and Federal Affairs (02/27/2025)
- Senate concurred: 02/27/2025
- Hearing scheduled: 07/22/2025, 1:00 PM–5:00 PM, A‑2
- Classification: Bill (chapter amendment); document also contains an unrelated House resolution (see note below)
- Related bill: HD 2034 (replaces)
Purpose and intent
The bill seeks to expand the authorized uses of municipal veterans assistance funds so cities and towns in Massachusetts can provide a broader set of supports to veterans in need. The intent is to give local veteran service officials flexibility to address non‑medical, non‑transportation needs that affect veteran stability and well‑being.
Key provision (text change)
- Amends Section 3F of Chapter 60 of the Massachusetts General Laws (as appearing in the 2018 Official Edition) by inserting, after the word “transportation,” the following: “, legal, housing.”
- In other words, funds that municipalities administer under c.60, §3F (veterans assistance) would explicitly be usable for legal assistance and housing assistance in addition to current authorized uses such as transportation.
Who or what would be affected
- Primary beneficiaries: veterans and their families in Massachusetts who seek municipal veterans assistance.
- Responsible municipal actors: city/town treasurers, veterans’ agents/service officers, and municipal councils or boards that oversee local veterans’ relief funds.
- Local budgets: usage decisions would draw from existing municipal veterans assistance funds; fiscal impact depends on local fund balances and demand for new services (legal/housing).
- Service providers: legal aid, housing stabilization programs, emergency and transitional housing providers could see increased referrals or funding through municipal support.
Potential impacts and examples
- Municipalities could use veterans assistance funds to pay for:
- Legal services related to housing, benefits appeals, or landlord‑tenant disputes;
- Housing assistance such as short‑term rental aid, eviction prevention, deposits, or referral to transitional housing;
- Continue to cover transportation and other existing allowable needs.
- The change removes ambiguity and makes legal and housing support an explicitly allowable expenditure, potentially reducing barriers to providing non‑medical supports that prevent homelessness or loss of benefits.
Procedural notes and document irregularity
- The legislative record for H 3823 contains two distinct items: (1) the Massachusetts bill amending c.60, §3F described above (filed by Rep. Arena‑DeRosa) and (2) an unrelated South Carolina House resolution honoring a local employee named Hannah Miller. The Massachusetts measure is the substantive statutory change; the South Carolina resolution is ceremonial and not related to c.60 amendments.
Next steps
- The bill is scheduled for a committee hearing on 07/22/2025. Committee action and any amendment will determine whether it proceeds to a floor vote and, if passed by both branches, to the Governor for enactment.
Compiled from official sources — confirm details with the bill’s official record.
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