H3854 • 2025

An Act establishing a Vietnam War commemoration fund

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The official status still shows this bill as active or still awaiting another formal step.

Sponsor: Bradley H. Jones, Jr.
Last action: 2026-06-01
Official status: Accompanied a study order, see H5466 (under House Rule 27)
Effective date: Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

The official source material does not provide specific details on how schools or organizations will be affected by this act.

Creating a Fund to Honor Vietnam War Veterans

This act creates a fund in Massachusetts to honor veterans of the Vietnam War by building and fixing memorials, planning events, and making educational materials.

What This Bill Does

Creates a special fund called the Vietnam War Commemoration Fund.
Uses money from this fund for memorial construction and renovation, event planning, and creating educational materials about the war.
The Massachusetts Historical Commission will manage the fund and decide which projects get funding.

Who It Names or Affects

Veterans of the Vietnam War in Massachusetts
People who want to build memorials for Vietnam War veterans

Terms To Know

Commemoration Fund: A special fund set up by the government to honor a specific event or group of people.

Limits and Unknowns

It is not clear how much money will be available for the fund.
Private donations must meet certain conditions before they can go into the fund.

Bill History

2026-06-01 House
Accompanied a study order, see H5466 (under House Rule 27)
2025-09-30 Joint
Hearing rescheduled to 09/30/2025 from 01:00 PM-02:50 PM in A-1 and Virtual Hearing updated to New End Time
2025-09-19 Joint
Hearing scheduled for 09/30/2025 from 01:00 PM-05:00 PM in A-1
2025-02-27 House
Referred to the committee on Veterans and Federal Affairs
2025-02-27 Senate
Senate concurred
House
Reported by committee to Clerk’s Office for processing, will accompany a study order

Official Summary Text

An Act establishing a Vietnam War commemoration fund
By Representative Jones of North Reading, a petition (accompanied by bill, House, No. 3854) of Bradley H. Jones, Jr., and others relative to establishing a Vietnam War commemoration fund. Veterans and Federal Affairs.

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text

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Bill H.3854

(a) Notwithstanding any general or special law to the contrary, there shall be established and set up on the books of the commonwealth a separate fund known as the Vietnam War Commemoration Fund to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the United States’ withdrawal from the Vietnam War, a conflict in which more than 1,300 service members from Massachusetts lost their lives. The fund shall be established for the purposes of constructing and renovating memorials, planning events, and generating educational materials. The fund shall be administered by the Massachusetts Historical Commission, and municipalities may apply for monies from the fund, subject to the approval of the commission. The fund shall be credited with: (i) revenue from appropriations or other money authorized by the general court and specifically designated to be credited to the fund; (ii) interest earned on such revenues; (iii) funds from public and private sources such as gifts, grants, and donations to further commemoration of the Vietnam War. Amounts credited to the fund shall not be subject to further appropriation.

(b) Amounts received from private sources shall be approved by the commission and subject to review before being deposited in the fund to ensure that pledged funds are not accompanied by conditions, explicit or implicit. The review shall be made publicly available.

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