Senate Committee Hears Bill to Regulate Paid Veteran‑claim Assistants; Attorney General Warns of Federal Conflict

The Indiana Senate Veterans Affairs Committee on House Bill 1670 heard testimony on a proposal to regulate paid companies that assist veterans with Department of Veterans Affairs claims, a measure supporters called the "Veteran Empowerment Act" and critics said may conflict with federal law.

Senator Baldwin, who presented the bill, told the committee that "House Bill 16 70 in its current form would empower veterans to seek local assistance with applying for veteran benefits through creating a Veteran Empowerment Act." He said the bill seeks to set "strict rules and regulations for people and organizations working to assist our veterans" and to address "bad actors" sometimes described in testimony as "claim sharks." Baldwin described the problem as in part one of access and paperwork, saying in his own experience it took several attempts to obtain a disability rating because of administrative errors.

The bill would require paid preparers to disclose that free options exist and would cap compensation for paid assistance at "five times the amount of the increase or a maximum of $12,000," language supporters described to the committee. Proponents said the bill aims to allow veterans a paid option while protecting them from deceptive or predatory practices.

Proponents' testimony

William Taylor, cofounder and CEO of Veterans Guardian VA Claims Consulting, described his firm as a veteran‑staffed business that…