Florida Senate - 2025 COMMITTEE AMENDMENT
Bill No. SB 910
Ì791966WÎ791966
LEGISLATIVE ACTION
Senate . House
Comm: RS .
03/20/2025 .
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The Committee on Military and Veterans Affairs, Space, and
Domestic Security (Collins) recommended the following:
1 Senate Amendment (with title amendment)
2
3 Delete lines 36 - 131
4 and insert:
5 (b) “Veteran” has the same meaning as in s. 1.01(14) and
6 includes eligible peacetime service as defined in s. 296.02.
7 (c) “Veterans’ benefits matter” means the preparation,
8 presentation, or prosecution of a veteran’s claim, or a claim by
9 the veteran’s spouse, dependent child, or any other individual
10 eligible for any benefit, program, service, commodity, function,
11 status, or entitlement under the laws and regulations
12 administered by the Department of Veterans’ Affairs or the
13 United States Department of Veterans Affairs.
14 (2) LIMITS ON COMPENSATION; TERMS OF ENGAGEMENT; WRITTEN
15 DISCLOSURE.—
16 (a) A person may not receive compensation for referring an
17 individual to another person who will advise, assist, or consult
18 with the individual regarding any veterans’ benefits matter.
19 (b) A person may receive compensation for services rendered
20 in connection with a claim filed within the 1-year presumptive
21 period after active-duty release as determined by the United
22 States Department of Veterans Affairs only if the veteran
23 acknowledges, by signing a waiver, that he or she is within the
24 presumptive period and is choosing to deny the free services
25 available to him or her.
26 (c) A person seeking compensation for advising, assisting,
27 or consulting with an individual regarding any veterans’
28 benefits matter must, before rendering services, enter into a
29 written agreement, signed by both parties, which:
30 1. Memorializes the specific terms under which the
31 compensation will be determined; and
32 2. Provides that compensation for such services is
33 contingent upon securing an increase in benefits awarded as a
34 direct result of such services. Any such compensation may not
35 exceed five times the amount of the monthly increase in benefits
36 awarded based on the claim and must be paid out according to the
37 specific terms agreed to by both parties in accordance with
38 subparagraph 1.
39 (d)1. A person who advises, assists, or consults on
40 veterans’ benefits matters for compensation shall provide the
41 following disclosure, both orally and in writing, before
42 entering into a business relationship with an individual:
43
44 “This business is not sponsored by or affiliated with
45 the Florida Department of Veterans’ Affairs, the
46 United States Department of Veterans Affairs, or any
47 other federally chartered veterans’ service
48 organization. Other organizations, including, but not
49 limited to, the Florida Department of Veterans’
50 Affairs, a local veterans’ service organization, and
51 other federally chartered veterans’ service
52 organizations, may be able to provide you with this
53 service free of charge. Products or services offered
54 by this business are not necessarily endorsed by any
55 of these organizations. You may qualify for other
56 veterans’ benefits beyond the benefits for which you
57 are receiving services here.”
58
59 2. The written disclosure must appear in a font size of at
60 least 12 points in an easily identifiable place in the person’s
61 agreement with the individual seeking services and must be
62 signed by the individual to signify that he or she understands
63 the oral and written disclosure’s provisions. The person
64 offering services must retain a copy of the written disclosure
65 while providing veterans’ benefits services to the individual
66 for compensation and for at least 1 year after the date on which
67 the service relations terminate.
68 (e) A person who advises, assists, or consults on a
69 veterans’ benefits matter may not charge an initial or
70 nonrefundable fee. Any charge for interest on any payment plan
71 agreed to by the parties is prohibited.
72 (3) DEATH OF VETERAN CLAIMANT.—If a veteran claimant dies
73 before a claim is processed:
74 (a) Any expected compensation must be waived and a charge,
75 fee, or debt may not be collected; and
76 (b) Any payment plan for services rendered must be
77 terminated immediately.
78 (4) PROHIBITIONS.—
79 (a) A person may not guarantee, either directly or by
80 implication, a successful outcome or that an individual is
81 certain to receive specific veterans’ benefits or a specific
82 level, percentage, or amount of veterans’ benefits.
83 (b) A person who advises, assists, or consults on veterans’
84 benefits matters for compensation:
85 1. May not use an international call center or data center
86 to process a veteran’s personal information;
87 2. May not use a veteran’s personal log-in, username, or
88 password information to access that veteran’s medical,
89 financial, or government benefits information; and
90 3. Must ensure that an individual undergoes level 2
91 background screening as described in s. 435.04 before being
92 granted access to a veteran’s medical or financial information.
93 (5) COMPLAINT.—If an individual to whom a person provides
94 services under this section in return for compensation files a
95 complaint with the Consumer Protection Division of the Office of
96 the Attorney General, the person who provided such services may
97 not receive compensation for any services provided to such an
98 individual before the resolution of the complaint.
99 (6) PENALTIES.—A violation of this section constitutes a
100 violation of the Florida Deceptive and Unfair Trade Practices
101 Act under part II of this chapter. Violators may be subject to
102 penalties provided in that part, including s. 501.2077 for
103 violations against a military servicemember or his or her spouse
104 or dependent child.
105 (7) CONSTRUCTION.—This section may not be construed as
106
107 ================= T I T L E A M E N D M E N T ================
108 And the title is amended as follows:
109 Delete lines 14 - 22
110 and insert:
111 provide a specified oral and written disclosure before
112 entering into a business relationship with a client;
113 prohibiting persons who advise, assist, or consult on
114 veterans’ benefits matters from charging certain fees;
115 prohibiting the charging of interest on payment plans;
116 providing requirements in the event of the death of a
117 veteran claimant; prohibiting certain guarantees;
118 providing security requirements for the handling of a
119 veteran’s personal and account information;
120 prohibiting a person who provides services from
121 receiving compensation before the resolution of a
122 certain complaint if the individual receiving services
123 files such a complaint; providing