The Veterans Restorative Justice Act, which aims to divert at-risk veterans toward probation and social service programs instead of jail time when they commit certain less-severe crimes, was signed by the Governor on Tuesday. This Act provides incentives for sentencing courts to create positive outcomes for veterans suffering from service-connected trauma and/or mental health conditions, such as post-traumatic stress disorder.

“Our Veterans have made tremendous sacrifices to defend our country, and oftentimes, return from service suffering from unseen and long-lasting trauma,” said Senator Jeff Howe (R-Rockville). “I was honored to be an author on this bill, and am thankful for the folks that worked tirelessly to get this done. It is our duty to help our Veterans in every way that we can—that includes offering programs that provide treatment for their trauma. For low-level crimes, our Veterans deserve treatment and compassion, not incarceration. Our brave servicemen and servicewomen have made great sacrifices for our state and nation during the course of their service, and they deserve to have our support in all areas of their post-service lives.”

The bill not only allows for alternatives to jail time, but also allows courts to consider service-related issues like chemical exposure, physical injuries, post-traumatic stress disorder, and military sexual trauma.