Bill Summary for S 693 (2025-2026)

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Summary date: 

Mar 31 2025

Bill Information:

View NCGA Bill Details(link is external)2025-2026 Session
Senate Bill 693 (Public) Filed Tuesday, March 25, 2025
AN ACT TO REGULATE COMPENSATION FOR SERVICES RELATED TO VETERANS' BENEFITS MATTERS.
Intro. by Britt, Lee, Craven.

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Bill summary

Enacts new GS 143B-1278, providing as follows. Defines veterans' benefits matter as the preparation, presentation, or prosecution of a claim affecting an individual who has filed or expressed an intent to file a claim for a benefit, program, service, commodity, pension, function, or status, the entitlement to which is determined under the laws and regulations administered by the US Department of Veterans Affairs or the Department of Military and Veterans Affairs pertaining to veterans, their dependents, their survivors and any other individual eligible for such benefits. Prohibits a person from: (1) receiving compensation for preparation, presentation or prosecution of, or advising, consulting, or assisting an individual with an initial disability claim related to a veterans' benefits matter, except as permitted by this statute; (2) receive compensation for referring an individual to another person to prepare, present, prosecute, or advise, consult, or assist the individual with, a veterans' benefits matter; (3) directly or by implication guarantee or advertise 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' benefits; (4) a person seeking to receive compensation for advising, assisting, or consulting any individual with any veterans' benefits matter or engaging in the preparation of an initial claim for a fee shall not: a. aggressively or directly solicit business regarding any veterans' benefit matter, or b. gain direct access to any personal medical, financial, or government benefits log in, username, or password information; (5) a person seeking to receive compensation for advising, assisting, or consulting any individual with any veterans' benefits matter must not use a medical professional for a secondary medical exam with whom they have an employment relationship; and (6) enter into any agreement related to a veterans' benefits matter that does not comply with this statute. Requires a person seeking to receive compensation for preparing, presentation or prosecution of, or advising, consulting or assisting an individual with, a veterans’ benefits matter to memorial all terms of the agreement, before rendering services, in a written agreement signed by both parties and contains specified terms. Violations are a violation of the NC Unfair Trade Practices Act. Exempts attorneys licensed to practice in NC from the statute. Effective October 1, 2025.