Florida Senate - 2025 COMMITTEE AMENDMENT Bill No. SB 910 Ì791966WÎ791966 LEGISLATIVE ACTION Senate . House Comm: RS . 03/20/2025 . . . . ————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————— ————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————— 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