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SB00376 • 2026

AN ACT CONCERNING WARNINGS AND OTHER MEASURES ON THE DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS INTERNET WEB SITE FOR THE PROTECTION OF VETERANS AGAINST CERTAIN PROVIDERS OF ASSISTANCE WITH VETERANS' BENEFITS CLAIMS.

AN ACT CONCERNING WARNINGS AND OTHER MEASURES ON THE DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS INTERNET WEB SITE FOR THE PROTECTION OF VETERANS AGAINST CERTAIN PROVIDERS OF ASSISTANCE WITH VETERANS' BENEFITS CLAIMS.

Passed Legislature

This bill passed both chambers and reached final enrollment, even if later executive action is not shown here.

Sponsor
Veterans' and Military Affairs Committee
Last action
2026-02-27
Official status
Public Hearing 03/03
Effective date
Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

Checked against official source text during the last sync.

Warnings on Veterans Affairs Website About Claim Helpers

Starting July 1, 2026, the Commissioner of Veterans Affairs must post warnings and helpful links on the state Department of Veterans Affairs website to protect veterans from unapproved claim helpers.

What This Bill Does

  • Requires posting a warning about people who try to act as agents or attorneys for benefit claims without being recognized by the U.S. Secretary of Veterans Affairs under federal law (38 USC Chapter 59).
  • Adds a link to report individuals who are not officially recognized to help with veterans' benefits claims.
  • Provides a search tool to find agents, attorneys, and entities that have been approved by the U.S. Secretary of Veterans Affairs.
  • Includes a link showing final disciplinary decisions against helpers who broke rules under 38 USC Chapter 59.
  • Posts a message telling veterans not to share their login usernames or passwords with anyone.

Who It Names or Affects

  • Veterans seeking help with benefits claims
  • The Commissioner of Veterans Affairs responsible for posting the information on the state website

Terms To Know

38 USC Chapter 59
Federal law that sets rules about who can legally help veterans with their benefits claims.
Recognized agent or attorney
A person approved by the U.S. Secretary of Veterans Affairs to prepare and present benefit claims.

Limits and Unknowns

  • The law only requires posting information on a website; it does not change federal rules for approving agents.
  • The text does not specify penalties if state officials fail to post the required warnings or links.

Bill History

  1. 2026-02-27 Connecticut General Assembly

    Public Hearing 03/03

  2. 2026-02-26 Connecticut General Assembly

    Referred to Joint Committee on Veterans' and Military Affairs

Official Summary Text

To require the posting of warnings and other measures on the Department of Veterans Affairs' Internet web site to protect veterans against certain providers of assistance with veterans' benefits claims.

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text 
LCO No. 2234 1 of 2

General Assembly Raised Bill No. 376
February Session, 2026 LCO No. 2234

Referred to Committee on VETERANS' AND MILITARY
AFFAIRS

Introduced by:
(VA)

AN ACT CONCERNING WARNINGS AND OTHER MEASURES ON THE
DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS INTERNET WEB SITE FOR
THE PROTECTION OF VETERANS AGAINST CERTAIN PROVIDERS
OF ASSISTANCE WITH VETERANS' BENEFITS CLAIMS.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General
Assembly convened:

Section 1. (NEW) (Effective July 1, 2026) On and after July 1, 2026, the 1
Commissioner of Veterans Affairs shall post in a conspicuous place on 2
the Department of Veterans Affairs' Internet web site: 3
(1) A plain -language warning about individuals who seek to act in 4
violation of 38 USC Chapter 59, as amended from time to time, including 5
individuals seeking to act as agent s or attorney s in the preparation, 6
presentation or prosecution of any claim under laws administered by 7
the United States Secretary of Veterans Affairs without having being 8
recognized for such purposes by said secretary; 9
(2) A link to a United States Department of Veterans Affairs online 10
tool through whic h individuals lacking the recognition described in 11
subdivision (1) of this section may be reported; 12

Raised Bill No. 376

LCO No. 2234 2 of 2

(3) A link to a United States Department of Veterans Affairs online 13
tool through which agents, attorneys or other entities that are 14
recognized by the United States Secretary of Veterans Affairs for the 15
preparation, presentation or prosecution of any claim under laws 16
administered by said secretary may be searched; 17
(4) A link to a United States Department of Veterans Affairs Internet 18
web site or online tool that provides final decisions on discipline by the 19
United States Secretary of Veterans Affairs of agents, attorneys and 20
entities described in subdivision (3) of this section for violations of 38 21
USC Chapter 59, as amended from time to time; and 22
(5) A plain -language message discouraging veterans from sharing 23
with anyone such veterans' United States Department of Veterans 24
Affairs account login credentials or bank account login credentials, such 25
as usernames or passwords. 26
This act shall take effect as follows and shall amend the following
sections:

Section 1 July 1, 2026 New section

Statement of Purpose:
To require the posting of warnings and other measures on the
Department of Veterans Affairs ' Internet web site to protect veterans
against certain providers of assistance with veterans' benefits claims.

[Proposed deletions are enclosed in brackets. Proposed additions are indicated by underline, except
that when the entire text of a bill or resolution or a section of a bill or resolution is new, it is not
underlined.]