North Carolina SB 693: Veteran Access, Liberty, Options for Recovery.

Bill Text

GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF NORTH CAROLINA
SESSION 2025
S 2
SENATE BILL 693
Judiciary Committee Substitute Adopted 4/30/25

Short Title: Veteran Access, Liberty, Options for Recovery. (Public)
Sponsors:
Referred to:
March 26, 2025
*S693-v-2*
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED 1
AN ACT TO REGULATE COMPENSATION FOR SERVICES RELATED TO VETERANS' 2
BENEFITS MATTERS. 3
The General Assembly of North Carolina enacts: 4
SECTION 1. Article 14 of Chapter 143B of the General Statutes is amended by 5
adding a new section to read: 6
"§ 143B-1278. Compensation for services related to veterans' benefits matters. 7
(a) Definitions. – Unless the context requires otherwise, the following definitions apply 8
in this section: 9
(1) Compensation. – The payment of money, anything of value, or a financial 10
benefit. 11
(2) Veterans' benefits matter. – The preparation, presentation, or prosecution of a 12
claim affecting an individual who has filed or expressed an intent to file a 13
claim for a benefit, program, service, commodity, pension, function, or status, 14
the entitlement to which is determined under the laws and regulations 15
administered by the United States Department of Veterans Affairs or the 16
Department of Military and Veterans Affairs pertaining to veterans, their 17
dependents, their survivors, and any other individual eligible for such benefits. 18
(b) Prohibitions. – A person shall not do any of the following: 19
(1) Receive compensation for preparation, presentation, or prosecution of, or 20
advising, consulting, or assisting an individual with an initial disability claim 21
related to a veterans' benefits matter, except as permitted by this section. 22
(2) Receive compensation for referring an individual to another person to prepare, 23
present, prosecute, or advise, consult, or assist the individual with a veterans' 24
benefits matter. 25
(3) Directly or by implication guarantee or advertise that any individual is certain 26
to receive specific veterans' benefits or that any individual is certain to receive 27
a specific level, percentage, or amount of veterans' benefits. 28
(4) A person seeking to receive compensation for advising, assisting, or 29
consulting any individual with any veterans' benefits matter or engaging in the 30
preparation of an initial claim for a fee shall not: 31
a. Aggressively or directly solicit business regarding any veterans' 32
benefit matter. 33
b. Gain direct access to any personal medical, financial, or government 34
benefits log in, username, or password information. 35

General Assembly Of North Carolina Session 2025
Page 2 Senate Bill 693-Second Edition
(5) A person seeking to receive compensation for advising, assisting, or 1
consulting any individual with any veterans' benefits matter shall not utilize a 2
medical professional for a secondary medical exam with whom they have an 3
employment relationship. 4
(6) Enter into any agreement related to a veterans' benefits matter that does not 5
comply with subsection (c) of this section. 6
(c) Memorialization of Terms. – Before rendering any services, a person seeking to 7
receive compensation for preparation, presentation, or prosecution of, or advising, consulting, or 8
assisting an individual with, a veterans' benefits matter shall memorialize all terms of the 9
agreement in a written agreement that complies with all of the following criteria: 10
(1) The written agreement is signed by both parties and contains all terms 11
regarding the individual's payment of fees for services rendered, including 12
both of the following: 13
a. Fees for services are contingent upon a successful outcome and shall 14
not exceed five times the one month increase in benefits. 15
b. No initial fee shall be charged. 16
(2) The written agreement must clearly provide at the outset of the business 17
relationship the following disclosure: "This business is not sponsored by, or 18
affiliated with, the United States Department of Veterans Affairs or the 19
Department of Military and Veterans Affairs, or any other federally chartered 20
veterans' service organization. Other organizations, including, but not limited 21
to, the Department of Military and Veterans Affairs, a local veterans' service 22
organization, and other federally chartered veterans' service organizations 23
may be able to provide you with this service free of charge. Products or 24
services offered by this business are not necessarily endorsed by any of these 25
organizations. You may qualify for other veterans' benefits beyond the 26
benefits for which you are receiving services here." This written disclosure 27
shall appear in at least 12-point font and shall appear in a readily noticeable 28
and identifiable place in the person's agreement with the individual seeking 29
services. This disclosure shall also be provided orally to the individual and the 30
individual shall verbally acknowledge understanding of the oral disclosure 31
and sign the document in which the written disclosure appears to repr