BOSTON - In honor of Veterans Day, Gov. Maura Healey announced a new piece of legislation Thursday nicknamed the "Hero Act."

Healey said the bill will expand veterans’ benefits and is the first legislation of its kind introduced by a governor in 20 years.

"We need action, and we know we need to step up and we need to listen and we need to be there for veterans who have given so much," Healey said in a speech in Braintree Thursday. 

The bill includes expanded access to behavorial health treatments, increases tax credits and incentivizes businesses to hire veterans.

"Our knowledge of who veterans are and how they are impacted by their service has advanced greatly over the years, so the benefits that they qualify for should be expanding as well," Healey said. "Mental health, behavioral health is real. This stuff is real."

State Sen. John Velis, D-Hampden & Hampshire, is a veteran himself and said he has been working on his own bills to help veterans and hopes that the governor’s legislation can build upon that.

"They have a package that they are presenting today, we have a package that we are working out the details on right now that is going to include much of what is included in the 'Heroes Act,'" Velis said. "I hope what they filed today makes our bill a better bill because that’s when government works best, when we are all working together." 

Velis said hes looking forward to diving into the "Hero Act" and finding ways to improve it even more.