H.B. 428

             1     

VETERAN BENEFIT ASSISTANCE DISCLOSURE

             2     
2014 GENERAL SESSION

             3     
STATE OF UTAH

             4     
Chief Sponsor: Tim M. Cosgrove

             5     
Senate Sponsor: Peter C. Knudson

             6     
             7      LONG TITLE
             8      General Description:
             9          This bill provides for disclosure of federal laws governing assistance to veterans when
             10      they are applying for benefits, a notification requirement for those providers of
             11      assistance, and a list of accredited providers by the department.
             12      Highlighted Provisions:
             13          This bill:
             14          .    requires that anyone assisting a veteran applying for veterans benefits disclose the
             15      federal law governing that assistance;
             16          .    specifies that the disclosure shall include the federal prohibition for charging a fee
             17      to assist a veteran in applying for benefits and that anyone providing assistance must
             18      be federally accredited;
             19          .    creates a notification requirement about the federal law to certain providers of
             20      assistance to veterans; and
             21          .    requires the Department of Veterans' and Military Affairs to provide a list of
             22      federally accredited advisors on the department's website.
             23      Money Appropriated in this Bill:
             24          None
             25      Other Special Clauses:
             26          None
             27      Utah Code Sections Affected:


             28      ENACTS:
             29           71-8-9 , Utah Code Annotated 1953
             30     
             31      Be it enacted by the Legislature of the state of Utah:
             32          Section 1. Section 71-8-9 is enacted to read:
             33          71-8-9. Veterans benefit assistance -- Notification -- Disclosure -- Accreditation.
             34          (1) The Utah Department of Veterans' and Military Affairs shall notify, in writing, each
             35      veteran for whom the department has contact information, that any individual or business
             36      offering to assist veterans in applying for benefits shall disclose in writing to the veteran the
             37      following:
             38          (a) that Title 38, C.F.R. 14.629 and Title 38, C.F.R. 14.630 requires that anyone
             39      assisting a veteran to apply for benefits shall be federally accredited;
             40          (b) that federal law prohibits charging a veteran a fee for assisting in the application for
             41      benefits; and
             42          (c) that the department's website has a list with contact information of federally
             43      accredited advisors.
             44          (2) Beginning July 1, 2014, every three years the department shall:
             45          (a) notify the Department of Insurance regarding the federal law governing assistance
             46      for veterans applying for benefits, and the Department of Insurance shall notify all licensed
             47      insurance brokers, agents, or businesses of those same federal laws governing assistance for
             48      veterans applying for benefits;
             49          (b) contact the Utah Bar Association regarding federal law governing legal assistance
             50      for veterans applying for benefits and request that the association provide continuing legal
             51      education on federal laws governing assistance; and
             52          (c) notify the Utah Department of Health regarding federal law governing the
             53      assistance for veterans applying for benefits, and the Department of Health shall notify all
             54      assisted living and nursing care facilities of those federal laws.
             55          (3) Each person offering to assist veterans in applying for benefits shall:
             56          (a) be federally accredited, or employed and directly supervised by a federally
             57      accredited person; and
             58          (b) disclose in writing, in a format the veteran can retain, the federal law governing the


             59      assistance to veterans for obtaining benefits.
             60          (4) The disclosure required by Subsection (3)(b) shall specifically include:
             61          (a) the person's name;
             62          (b) the person's business address;
             63          (c) the person's business phone number;
             64          (d) the person's registration number from the United States Department of Veterans
             65      Affairs; and
             66          (e) a statement of the veteran's rights regarding the person's assistance, including that
             67      there is no charge for assistance with the initial benefits application, and any charges that might
             68      apply for subsequent assistance.
             69          (5) The department shall provide a list of federally accredited advisors and contact
             70      information on the department's website.




Legislative Review Note
    as of 2-26-14 9:54 AM


Office of Legislative Research and General Counsel


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