Bills › 91st General Assembly
Relating to veterans’ benefits claims, and providing penalties
Sponsored by Rep. Ken Croken (D)
Where it is now
- Done: IntroducedFebruary 12, 2026
- Stopped: SubcommitteeDied when the General Assembly ended
- Next: House committeeFunnel: by February 20, 2026
- Next: Passes the House
- Next: Senate committeeFunnel: by March 20, 2026
- Next: Passes the Senate
- Next: To the Governor
- Next: Signed into law
Died when the session ended The 2026 session adjourned on May 3, 2026, the General Assembly’s last regular session. Bills that didn’t pass both chambers died. What’s a funnel?
What’s in it
AI summary People who are not officially licensed cannot take money for helping veterans or their families file benefit claims. It is also illegal for these people to lie about their connection to the government or claim they can speed up a veteran's application. If someone breaks these rules, they could face a $10,000 fine or be sued in court.1
Read the official explanation
This bill relates to veterans’ benefits claims. The bill prohibits a person other than an accredited representative, defined in the bill, from receiving or attempting to receive compensation for assisting a veteran, service member, or dependent of a veteran or service member with a claim. The bill also prohibits any person from misrepresenting the person’s United States department of veterans affairs accreditation or affiliation with the United States department of veterans affairs, a veterans service organization, or a government agency; obtaining or using a veteran’s or service member’s personal identifying information for unauthorized claims representation; or making deceptive statements about the person’s ability to expedite or influence the outcome of a claim. The bill does not prohibit a person who is not an accredited representative from providing general education regarding claims or a referral to an accredited representative without receiving compensation. The bill provides that a person who violates these provisions is subject to a civil penalty of $10,000 imposed by the attorney general. Civil penalties collected by the attorney general under the bill must be deposited in the veterans trust fund. The attorney general may seek an injunction or other equitable relief. The bill also authorizes a veteran, service member, or veteran’s or service member’s dependent to bring a civil action for damages, attorney fees, and equitable relief. The bill requires the department of veterans affairs to conduct outreach to educate veterans and veterans’ families about predatory claims practices, promote awareness of assistance available through accredited representatives, and maintain a public list of accredited representatives.