Senator Kennedy was proud to join his colleagues in shaping and approving the HERO Act in 2024, the Commonwealth’s largest ever investment in veteran services. This bipartisan legislation increases and simplifies benefits and opportunities, modernizes services, and promotes inclusivity for Massachusetts veterans while reaffirming the Commonwealth’s commitment to recognizing and serving all service members and their families. It increases benefits for disabled veterans and Gold Star family members, bolsters new and existing initiatives for municipalities and businesses to support veterans, creates comprehensive services for active-duty service members and military families, expands the scope of the Veterans Equality Review Board, updates the Chapter 115 definition of a veteran to expand eligibility, and codifies medical, behavioral health, and dental benefits.