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vets4ever
Member
35 Posts |
 Posted - 05/16/2008 : 8:41:27 PM
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From: Keller-Likins, Sarah (HOU)
Sent: Friday, May 09, 2008 3:53 PM
To: Keller-Likins, Sarah (HOU)
Subject: Veterans & Military House Budget FY2009 Highlights
May 2008
Dear Veterans & Military Stakeholders,
As many of you may know, May is National Military Appreciation Month. We salute Speaker DiMasi, Chairman DeLeo, and all the members of the House who showed not only appreciation but demonstrated a strong commitment in the FY ‘09 House Budget to all those who have worn the uniform. This House budget provides more than $116 million for veterans, servicemembers and their families, an increase of nearly $9 million over the FY ‘08 budget. Please find a selection of these budget highlights below.
Veterans and Military FY 2009 House Budget Highlights
· Provides $47 million+ for the Soldiers’ Homes in Chelsea and Holyoke (Line Items 4180-0100 and 4190-0100). The Soldiers' Homes are state-funded, fully accredited health care complexes that offer eligible veterans quality hospital care, skilled nursing and long term care, full-time residential accommodations, and multi-service outpatient care. The House budget provides $47,276,086, a nearly $1.5 million increase over FY08 appropriations, for these critical care centers.
· Provides $18.5+ million for Veterans Annuities (Line Item 1410-0300). Last year, tens of thousands of Massachusetts veterans, including all 100% service connected disabled veterans, received state annuity benefits. “The Welcome Home Bill” increased the annual amount of annuities benefits to $2000 and expanded eligibility to include Gold Star Spouses. This year, the House approved more than $420,000 of new annuity funding over the FY08 level to ensure that these benefits will continue to be provided to an increasing population.
· Increases Veterans Chapter 115 Veterans Benefits by $5.7+ million over FY08 (Line Item 1410-0400). The House approved $20,904,223 in funding for benefits for veterans in need, a one-of-a-kind program in the nation establish by the Massachusetts Legislature. This is an increase of $5.7+ million over the FY 08 appropriation.
For the second year in a row, the House included language in the budget that ensures local veterans agents/services officers receive sufficient training from the state Department of Veterans’ Services, to implement the Chapter 115 program. The language also guarantees that such trainings take place in several accessible locations across in the Commonwealth, including at the Massachusetts Veterans Service Officers Association (MVSOA) training conferences.
· Funds the Newly Created “Special Commission to Study the Hidden Wounds of War.” More than 29,000 servicemembers have returned home to the Commonwealth since September 11, 2001. This 15-member special commission is charged with examining the establishment of a mandatory mental health treatment program for national guard members, a state military family leave policy for primary caregivers of returning servicemembers, and a statewide education training program to assist law enforcement, corrections officers and other first responders in recognizing the symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder. The House approved $25,000 for the administrative costs of the commission (Chapter 1 of the Resolves of 2008).
· Provides $5+ million for 15 Organizations which Serve Homeless Veterans (Line Items 1410-0250 and 1410-0251). Despite the challenges of a tight fiscal year, the House and its leadership maintained its commitment to fighting homelessness among veterans and funded all programs included in the FY08 budget.
United Veterans of America – Leeds
$220,000
Veterans Hospice Homestead (Leominster) and Veterans Hospice (Fitchburg)
$405,500
Unity House Homeless Veterans’ Residence – Gardner
$199,405
Southeastern Veterans Housing Program, Inc, - New Bedford
$652,395
Springfield Bilingual Veterans Outreach Center – Springfield
$51,975
Transition House in Springfield – Springfield
$75,000
Massachusetts Shelter for Homeless Veterans – Worcester
$625,105
Habitat P.L.U.S. – Lynn
$190,000
Our Neighbor’s Table – Amesbury
$25,000
The Mansion – Haverhill
$80,000
Homestead Program – Hyannis
$37,350
Veterans Benefits Clearinghouse – Dorchester
$100,350
Veterans Benefits Clearinghouse – Roxbury
$73,350
Turner House – Williamstown
$42,000
New England Shelter for Homeless Veterans – Boston
(see below)
· Provides $2.2+ million for New England Shelter for Homeless Veterans in Separate Line Item (Line Item 1410-0251). New England Shelter for Homeless Veterans is a substance-free shelter offering a residential care program for both male and female homeless veterans. They also offer support services such as education and training, health care, and free legal services to veterans. The $2,278,266 in funding provided by the House in a stand alone line item enables the shelter to continue to maximize private and matching donations, and federal grants.
· Provides $2+ million for 17 Veterans Outreach Centers (Line Item 1410-0012) The House provided $2,033,248 in funding, an increased of more than $77,000 over the Governor’s budget, for veterans outreach centers, which give struggling veterans much-needed access to educational and career opportunities. The House funded all outreach centers that were funded in FY08 and also funded two new centers (the Central Massachusetts Veterans Outreach Center and the 54th Massachusetts Volunteers and the Colored Ladies).
Veteran’s Oral History Project at the Morse Institute Library – Natick
$30,000
Montachusett Veterans’ Outreach Center – Gardner
$367,422
Veterans Association of Bristol County – Fall River
$100,000
Puerto Rican Veterans Association of Massachusetts – Springfield
$200,000
Mason Square Area Veterans Outreach Center – Springfield
$35,000
Metrowest/Metrosouth Outreach Center – Framingham
$84,453
Nathan Hale Foundation of Plymouth – Plymouth
$100,000
Cape Cod Free Clinic and Community Health Center – Falmouth
$100,000
Veterans Benefit Clearinghouse – Boston (Roxbury)
$228,771
Veterans Northeast Outreach Center – Haverhill
$100,000
NamVets of the Cape and Islands – Hyannis
$131,500
Puerto Rican Veterans Associations of Massachusetts – Boston area
$100,000
Middleboro Veterans Outreach Center – Middleboro
$50,000
United Veterans of America – Berkshire County
$100,000
North Shore Veterans Counseling Center – Beverly
$106,102
Central Massachusetts Veterans Outreach Center – Worcester
$150,000
54th Massachusetts Volunteers and the Colored Ladies
$50,000
· Provides $3.4+ million for National Guard Tuition and Fee Waivers (Line Item 8700-1150). The House approved $3,424,492 for this program, which went into effect in July 2006. This program waives tuition and fees for Massachusetts National Guard members who attend UMass, state colleges, and community colleges. There are approximately 7,000 members of the Massachusetts Air and Army National Guard.
· Extends the Pay Differential Law for National Guard and Reserve. The House passed an language that provides a 2-year extension to the law that calls for the Commonwealth to make up any salary difference for state employees who are members of the National Guard or Reserve, and called up for active duty military service. It also extends the local option for cities and towns to adopt these benefits for municipal employees, including for employees of a school district. The law, set to expire this September 11, 2008, would be extended for another two years, until September 11, 2010, by the House budget.
· Provides $2.4+ million for the Department of Veterans’ Services (Line Item 1410-0010). The House budget provided $2,475,084, an increase of more than $317,000 over the FY08 appropriation, to ensure that the Department of Veterans’ Services continue to provide various services, such as increased outreach to veterans. The House also included language that requires the Department of Veterans’ Services to continue to submit an annual report to the Joint Committee on Veterans and Federal and the Ways and Means Committees pertaining to its outreach efforts.
· Increases funding by $1.8+ million over FY08 for the Massachusetts National Guard (Line Item 8700-0001). The House provided $9,207,659, a more than $1.8+ million over the FY08 budget, for the military division operating budget. This reflects a need for funding for troop preparedness, state activations and facility maintenance cost.
· Provides $1.7 million for the National Guard Life Insurance Reimbursement Program (Line Item 0611-1010). The program, established as part of “The Welcome Home Bill,” provides partial reimbursement to Massachusetts National Guard Members for life insurance premiums for policies worth up to $400,000.
The House completed its budget deliberations on Saturday, May 3, 2008. The Senate is expected to take up their budget later this month. If you have any questions about the actions taken on the House budget relative to veterans, servicemembers and their families, please contact our Committee staff at (617) 722-2877.
Sincerely,
ANTHONY J. VERGA MARK V. FALZONE
House Chair House Vice-Chair
Joint Committee on Veterans & Federal Affairs
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Update on pending state veterans legistiion
