CT veterans can save thousands of dollars, thanks to new state law
Eligible veterans can receive up to $3,000 for dental services and free drivers licenses under the 2026 Heroes Act.
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Connecticut veterans can soon save thousands of dollars – everywhere from the dentist to the Department of Motor Vehicles – thanks to a new state law called the 2026 Heroes Act.
Vietnam vet Joe DellaPorta, of Southington, pushed for the new law. As he gets older, his medical bills get more expensive.
“Just like everything else, it goes up and never comes down,” DellaPorta said.
Thanks to the 2026 Heroes Act, veterans can get up to $3,000 for dental services beginning in Jan. 2027. The Veterans Dental Care Program (administered by the Soldiers, Sailors, and Marines Fund) is capped at $1 million – enough money to cover at least 333 vets.
“If you don’t get dental care, it erupts. It flows into so many other illnesses and so forth,” said retired Army Lt. Col. Christopher Poulos, Sr., whose son is a state lawmaker.
There are some restrictions.
For a two-person household, your income must be less than $86,560 a year. And you can’t already get dental care from the Veterans Administration.
But it’s not just dental visits. All drivers’ licenses will be free for veterans starting on October 1; a 2025 law only waived renewal fees.
And for current National Guard members, active deployment pay will be exempt from state income tax.
“This is about a lot more than dental,” said Gov. Ned Lamont. “It’s about the fact that our veterans never stopped giving.”
DellaPorta fought hard for the dental coverage. He said that many vets are too proud to ask for help.
“They’ll be helped,” DellaPorta said. “I don’t know if they're afraid or they’re not willing to ask for assistance.”
