New Hampshire SB 66: including a fetus in the definition of "another" for purposes of certain criminal offenses.

Bill Text

SB 66-FN - AS INTRODUCED

2025 SESSION

 25-1049

 06/11

SENATE BILL 66-FN

AN ACT relative to third-party veterans' claims assistance and protection.

SPONSORS: Sen. Lang, Dist 2; Sen. Innis, Dist 7; Sen. Long, Dist 20; Sen. Pearl, Dist 17; Sen. Fenton, Dist 10; Sen. Carson, Dist 14; Rep. Moffett, Merr. 4; Rep. Sweeney, Rock. 25

COMMITTEE: Commerce

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ANALYSIS

 This bill prohibits the receipt of compensation for referring individuals to veterans' benefits advisors, mandates written agreements for paid advisory services, requires specific disclosures, and sets penalties for violations.

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Explanation: Matter added to current law appears in bold italics.

 Matter removed from current law appears [in brackets and struckthrough.]

 Matter which is either (a) all new or (b) repealed and reenacted appears in regular type.

 25-1049

 06/11

STATE OF NEW HAMPSHIRE

In the Year of Our Lord Two Thousand Twenty Five

AN ACT relative to third-party veterans' claims assistance and protection.

Be it Enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court convened:

 1 Short Title. This act may be known as the Safeguarding American Veteran Empowerment (SAVE) Act.

 2 New Chapter; Veterans' Claims Assistance and Protection Act. Amend RSA by inserting after chapter 110-E the following new chapter:

CHAPTER 110-F

VETERANS' CLAIMS ASSISTANCE AND PROTECTION ACT

 110-F:1 Definitions. 

 I. In this chapter: 

 (a) "Compensation" means any money, thing of value, or economic benefit conferred on, or received by, any person in return for services rendered, or to be rendered, by himself or herself or another. 

 (b) "Veterans’ benefits matter" means the preparation, presentation, or prosecution of any claim affecting any person who has filed or expressed an intent to file a claim for any benefit, program, service, commodity, function, status, or entitlement for which veterans, their dependents, their survivors, or any other individual are eligible under the laws and regulations administered by the United States Department of Veterans' Affairs or the New Hampshire Department of Veterans' Affairs. 

 (c) Except as provided in RSA 110-F:2, V, "person" means any natural person, corporation, trust, partnership, incorporated or unincorporated association, or any other legal entity.

 110-F:2 Prohibited Activities. 

 I. No person may receive compensation for referring any individual to another person to advise or assist the individual with any veterans’ benefits matter.

 II. No person may receive any compensation for any services rendered in connection with any claim filed within the one year presumptive period of active-duty release, unless the veteran acknowledges by signing a waiver that they are within this period and choosing to deny free services available to them. 

 III. A person seeking to receive compensation for advising, assisting, or consulting with any individual in connection with any veterans' benefits matter shall, before rendering any services, memorialize the specific terms under which the amount to be paid will be determined in a written agreement signed by both parties. Compensation shall be purely contingent upon an increase in benefits awarded, and if successful, compensation shall not exceed 5 times the amount of the monthly increase in benefits awarded based on the claim. No initial or nonrefundable fee may be charged by a person advising, assisting, or consulting an individual on a veterans’ benefit matter. 

 IV. No person will guarantee, either directly or by implication, a successful outcome or that any individual is certain to receive specific veterans' benefits or that any individual is certain to receive a specific level, percentage, or amount of veterans' benefit. 

 V. Any person advising, assisting, or consulting on veterans’ benefits matters for compensation shall provide the following disclosure at the outset of the business relationship: "This business is not sponsored by, or affiliated with, the United States Department of Veterans' Affairs or the New Hampshire department of veterans' affairs, or any other federally chartered veterans' service organization. Other organizations, including but not limited to, the New Hampshire department of veterans' affairs, a local veterans' service organization, and other federally chartered veterans' service organizations may be able to provide you with this service free of charge. Products or services offered by this business are not necessarily endorsed by any of these organizations. You may qualify for other veterans' benefits beyond the benefits for which you are receiving services here."

 The written disclosure shall appear in at least 12-point font in an easily identifiable place in the person's agreeme