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S 2491

Relates to prohibiting certain discriminatory peremptory challenges to prospective jurors

2025 Regular Session Introduced by Andrew Gounardes

Massachusetts bill to reimburse veterans up to three municipal civil service exam fees, reducing upfront costs and expanding veterans' access to municipal jobs.

REFERRED TO CODES
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Bill Summary · S 2491

Summary — S.2491 (Massachusetts Senate Docket No. 598)

Short title (in bill text): An Act relative to veteran employment opportunities

Purpose / Intent

The bill creates a narrowly targeted program within Chapter 115 of the Massachusetts General Laws to reduce financial barriers that veterans face when pursuing municipal civil service employment. Its stated intent is to "further enhance employment opportunities and outcomes among veterans" by reimbursing veterans for costs associated with taking municipal civil service examinations.

Key provisions

  • Amends Chapter 115 (Veterans) by inserting a new Section 2D.
  • Authorizes the Commissioner (presumably the Commissioner of the Massachusetts Department of Veterans’ Services) to reimburse veterans for fees they incur to take municipal civil service exams.
  • Reimbursement limits:
    • No more than three reimbursements per veteran.
    • No reimbursement shall be authorized if the veteran fails a subsequent exam (i.e., reimbursement is not available if the veteran fails after the reimbursement? — see “fails a subsequent exam” language below for interpretation note).
  • Requires the Commissioner to engage with interested stakeholders and organizations that provide services to veterans in developing the program.

Who is affected

  • Primary beneficiaries: Massachusetts veterans who apply for municipal civil service positions and pay fees to take civil service examinations.
  • Administrative actors: The Commissioner of the Department of Veterans’ Services (or the Commissioner identified under Chapter 115) who must establish and administer the reimbursement program, and municipal civil service boards insofar as fees and exam structures are concerned.
  • Stakeholder organizations providing veteran services will be consulted in program development.

Administrative/operational details and limits

  • Each veteran may receive up to three reimbursements under the program.
  • The bill includes a disqualifying condition related to failing a “subsequent exam”; the plain language could be read to mean that if a veteran fails an exam after receiving a reimbursement, no further reimbursements will be authorized. (Implementation guidance would be needed to clarify timing and scope—e.g., whether a single failed attempt permanently disqualifies the veteran from the program or only disqualifies reimbursement for that exam.)
  • The Commissioner must conduct stakeholder engagement when developing program rules.

Procedural status and timeline (as reflected in provided materials)

  • Filed as Massachusetts Senate Docket No. 598 (filed 01/14/2025) and presented by Senator Michael F. Rush (with petition signatures including Paul McMurtry and Steven Xiarhos).
  • Legislative actions in the provided record include passage in the Senate (reported as PASSED SENATE on 2025-05-12) and delivery to the House/Assembly and referral to the Committee on Codes. Other entries show referral and hearings in 2025; however, the provided action log appears to mix entries from different jurisdictions/sessions (see “Notes / Discrepancies” below).

Potential impact

  • Low direct fiscal exposure per individual (civil service exam fees are generally modest), but the program could create recurring administrative costs for establishing and processing reimbursements statewide.
  • Expected to modestly lower upfront costs for veterans seeking municipal employment, possibly increasing application and exam participation rates among veterans.
  • The three-reimbursement cap and the disqualification language could limit long-term effectiveness for veterans who need multiple attempts.

Notes / Discrepancies in provided materials

The materials supplied for S.2491 contain inconsistent metadata:
- The text attached is a Massachusetts bill about veterans’ employment (Senate Docket No. 598 / Michael F. Rush).
- Other headers/titles (e.g., references to sunscreen standards, jury peremptory challenges) and sponsor lists (U.S. Senators Roger Marshall, Maggie Hassan, Andrew Gounardes) appear unrelated and likely originate from different bills or jurisdictions.
Recommendation: verify the bill number, jurisdiction (Massachusetts General Court), sponsor list, and official legislative history with the Massachusetts General Court website or the Senate Clerk to confirm status and reconcile inconsistencies before using this summary for formal purposes.

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

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