Following Veterans and Military Bills this Session
Memorial Day is not only a moment of remembrance–it’s also an opportunity to reflect on how we support those who’ve served, and the policies that shape their lives and well-being today. In this blog, we’re highlighting key pieces of legislation aimed at supporting veterans and their families and showing how MassTrac helps make it easier to find, track, and understand these important bills.
The Massachusetts 2025–2026 legislative session currently includes over 400 bills related to veterans or the U.S. military. Using MassTrac’s powerful Search feature, we quickly generated a comprehensive list of every bill and amendment that mentions 'veterans' or 'military,' cutting across multiple committees and issue areas. This includes not only standalone legislation but also amendments, which can significantly shape policy outcomes and are often treated with the same weight as full bills. Whether you’re an advocate, policymaker, or researcher, MassTrac enables you to track these developments with precision—helping you stay informed and engaged with just a few clicks.
From that list, several standout bills reflect the state’s ongoing efforts to improve support for veterans and military families. Let’s take a closer look at some of those bills and see how MassTrac helps you organize, track and understand these legislations.
HB3823 – An Act Relative to Assisting Veterans in Need
Expands municipal funding under Section 3F of Chapter 60 to include legal and housing assistance
Adds to existing transportation support services for veterans and their families
Aims to give cities and towns greater flexibility to address critical needs such as housing stability and legal aid
All of this information and more is easily found on the bill’s overview page, which provides real-time updates, summaries, sponsor details, committee assignments, and key dates in one central place. Simply click on the bill of choice and you will be taken directly to its bill page, as shown below.
Summaries, bill progression, and legislator information are just the beginning of what MassTrac provides. We also offer powerful bill comparison tools that help you track how legislation evolves over time. Let’s take a look at another standout veteran bill:
HB3852 - An Act relative to veteran health, opportunity, notification, observance and respect
Expands support for Massachusetts veterans in areas of health, education, and recognition.
Requires outreach efforts regarding burn pit exposure and related health risks.
Extends tuition benefits to dependents of National Guard members.
Designates state holidays to honor various U.S. military branches.
Protects veterans’ privacy by restricting disclosure of certain information.
Ensures veterans have access to information on funeral and burial benefits.
Allows veterans’ organizations to operate limited slot machine establishments for charitable purposes.
Establishes a review board to restore state benefits to veterans discharged under the “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” policy.
Like many bills, HB3852 is a refile from a previous session. With MassTrac, you can easily compare this year’s version with earlier ones—highlighting exactly what’s changed, down to the word. No more guesswork or manual scanning—just clear, side-by-side insights. Be on the look out for a new and improved bill text comparison tool from us soon!
To finish our overview of important veteran bills, let's examine one final bill and explore how MassTrac’s report generation feature can help you compile detailed and customizable insights.
HB2884 - An act relative to veteran inclusion
Introduces a new preference category specifically for Massachusetts National Guard and U.S. Reserves members with at least two years of continuous service.
The change elevates the employment priority for eligible Guard and Reserve members.
The bill acknowledges their service and contributions to the state and country.
It aims to provide fairer and improved employment opportunities within the Massachusetts civil service system for these service members.
With MassTrac, you can instantly generate comprehensive reports on bills like HB2884, pulling together summaries, bill progress, sponsors, committee actions, and so much more all in one easy-to-share document. Whether you’re preparing for a meeting, briefing stakeholders, or writing an article, these reports save time and keep you fully informed.
These are just a few highlights from the wide array of legislation aimed at supporting veterans, military members, and their families. Here are several more bills worth keeping an eye on:
HB480 – An Act Relative to Supporting Veteran Organizations
HB3395 – An Act Elevating the National Guard to a Cabinet-Level Position
HB3648 – An Act Relative to Veteran License Plates
HB3824 – An Act to Reform Veterans’ Services at the Municipal Level
HB3830 – An Act Providing for Timely Reimbursement of Cities and Towns for Veterans’ Benefits
HB3831 – An Act Supporting the Massachusetts National Guard, Reserves, and Their Families
HB3850 – An Act Establishing the Massachusetts Veterans Service Dog Program
And that’s still only a portion of what’s been filed this session. To explore the full list of bills related to veterans, service members, and their families, click here.
Memorial Day is a time of remembrance but it’s also a time to reflect on the responsibilities we carry toward those who’ve served. Honoring veterans means more than symbolic gestures; it means staying engaged, holding lawmakers accountable, and advancing legislation that meets the needs of our military communities.
Whether you're an advocate, a staffer, a lawmaker, or a journalist, MassTrac is here to help you track, analyze, and take action on the bills that matter. Dive into the data, use our tools, and help turn good intentions into real policy.
Have questions or need help finding something? Reach out to us at info@instatrac.com.
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