WESTFIELD – State Rep. John Velis proudly stood with fellow veterans surrounding Gov. Charlie Baker yesterday as Velis’ Stolen Valor Act was signed into law.
“We now have the toughest law on the books,” Velis said. “This really shows our veterans we appreciate them.”
The law came just shy of a year since Velis filed his bill that he said “fills the loopholes” in Stolen Valor laws in other states.
“In other states with Stolen Valor laws, they apply to people who misrepresent that they received military awards,” he said. “With this new law, it includes penalties for anyone who even falsely wears a military uniform.”
The House of Representatives passed the bill several weeks ago and the Senate unanimously approved it last week. Baker signed it Monday morning.
Velis celebrated his first law, but quickly got back to work.
“I will always continue to have veterans’ concerns at the forefront,” said the U.S. Army captain and veteran. “I want to take on homelessness for veterans, but I am also going to work on business regulations.”
Velis said in his conversations with owners of area businesses, whether it’s a small family-owned shop, a medium company, or a larger corporation, the consensus is that what hurts them is not what he expected.
“It’s not the taxes hurting them, but the burdensome regulations,” he said. “I’ll be bringing members of the Baker administration to western Mass. after the new year to meet with business owners and see what can be done to help them.”
Velis said he is also concerned about school safety and pledged his support to his fellow Rep. Nicholas Boldyga (R-Southwick) and his bill to enhance penalties for people who ignore school bus stop signs.
“I’ve heard about it a lot, and then about a year ago 22News did a great investigative report trying to get the numbers state-wide,” Boldyga said of the Westfield News media partner.
It was last school year when 22News discovered the RMV sent out warnings to more than 3,100 Massachusetts drivers who had been spotted violating this law in 2013.
Boldyga said he wants to see fines upped to $500 and to take licenses away from first time offenders. He also wants to double the fine and time you lose your license if you’re caught passing a stopped school bus a second time.
“The fines are not big enough, because people are clearly and apparently still breaking the law and could possibly kill a child by passing a school bus in the morning because they are a few minutes late for work,” Boldyga said.
Boldyga plans to file a second piece of legislation on the issue this coming spring, in hopes of making these drivers accountable for putting your children in danger.
Baker signed five pieces of legislation supporting members of the Armed Services, veterans, first responders and their families Monday, including Velis’ bill.
“The brave men and women and their families who sacrifice so much for our freedom and safety at home and abroad deserve our support and gratitude,” said Baker. “I thank the legislature for taking these important steps to ensure our first responders, veterans and active duty military receive the utmost respect and dignity.”
The five bills signed into law by Baker were:
· An Act relative to the false representation of military status (H.B. 1641), making it a crime, punishable by imprisonment for not more than 1 year, a fine of $1,000 or both, for any person to fraudulently represent themselves as an active member or veteran of the U.S. Armed Forces, including through the unauthorized use of military gear, regalia or honors with the intent to obtain money, property or any other tangible benefit.
· An Act providing free access to certain parks and recreation areas to Purple Heart recipients (H.B. 3243), adding recipients of Purple Hearts to the list of persons exempt from admission fees at state recreation areas and parks, under section 2D of chapter 132A of the General Laws.
· An Act providing further penalties for intentional loss or damage to a gravestone or other grave marker (H.B. 1600), requiring any person convicted of willfully damaging a war memorial, gravestone, or veteran’s gravemarker to pay restitution to property owners in addition to existing provisions imposing imprisonment and fines.
· An Act relative to the removal of commemorative flag holders from the graves of veterans and certain police and fire personnel (H.B. 3173), adding the American Flag, commemorative flag holders, and other emblems memorializing service by veterans, police officers, and firefighters to the list of objects protected from theft or destruction under MGL Chapter 272 Section 73.
· An act relative to grave markers to commemorate the grave of a veteran, police officer or firefighter (H.B. 1306), making it a crime to buy or sell stolen grave markers, headstones and monuments honoring veterans, police officers and firefighters.
