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Bill

S 2189

Relates to certain tuition payments by school districts for general education and special students residing in such school districts

2025 Regular Session Introduced by Tony Palumbo

Designates September 22 as Military Service Members and Veterans Suicide Awareness and Remembrance Day to recognize the epidemic and promote prevention efforts.

REFERRED TO EDUCATION
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Bill Summary · S 2189

Summary — S.2189: “Military Service Members and Veterans Suicide Awareness and Remembrance Day”

What the bill would do

S.2189 would add a new section (Section 15AAAAAAA) to Chapter 6 of the Massachusetts General Laws requiring the Governor to annually issue a proclamation designating September 22 as “Military Service Members and Veterans Suicide Awareness and Remembrance Day.” The proclamation would:

  • recognize fallen service members and veterans and their families;
  • acknowledge suicide among service members and veterans as an epidemic;
  • foster awareness and call for suicide-prevention measures targeted to service members and veterans; and
  • recommend that the day be observed appropriately by the people of the Commonwealth.

Key provisions

  • Creates a named awareness/remembrance day: September 22 each year.
  • Places the duty on the Governor to issue an annual proclamation setting the day apart.
  • Explicitly frames the day as a vehicle to acknowledge suicide as an epidemic among service members and veterans, to foster awareness, and to recommend prevention measures.
  • Recommends public observance but imposes no statutory mandates, funding, reporting, or programmatic obligations.

Who is affected

  • Primary focus: Massachusetts military service members and veterans and their families (awareness, remembrance, and prevention outreach).
  • State actors: the Governor’s office (responsibility to issue the proclamation) and any state/local organizations that opt to observe the day.
  • General public and nonprofit/advocacy groups: potential participants in observances, outreach, and education activities.

Fiscal and legal impact

  • Ceremonial/proclamatory in nature; does not create new programs, appropriations, or regulatory requirements.
  • No direct fiscal impact specified in the text.

Procedural status & timeline (as provided)

  • Filed (Senate Docket No. 336) and presented by Senator Patrick M. O’Connor.
  • Various committee referrals are listed (State Administration and Regulatory Oversight; Finance; Senate Rules; Education) and at least one favorable committee report is noted.
  • Several dates in the provided metadata conflict (filed 1/11/2025; introduced/read 6/26/2025; hearings and committee actions on different dates). Related and prior-session bills are listed (e.g., SD 336, S-2361, A-3112).

Note: The bill text and primary petitioners in the text are Senator Patrick M. O’Connor and Steven George Xiarhos. Some provided metadata (sponsor names, committee referrals, and status entries) appear inconsistent or duplicated. Verify current status and sponsor information on the official Massachusetts legislative website for the most up-to-date procedural history.

Compiled from official sources — confirm details with the bill’s official record.

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