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Louisiana committee hears clash over bill to curb ‘claim sharks’ who assist veterans with VA benefits
Summary
Lawmakers, veterans groups and industry representatives debated House Bill 979 in Judiciary B on May 21. Supporters said the bill would require accreditation and reinstate penalties to stop predatory firms; opponents said it could limit veterans’ choices and raise federal preemption questions. The committee adopted a technical amendment but took no final action.
Charlton McGinley, secretary of the Louisiana Department of Veterans Affairs, told the Senate Judiciary B committee that House Bill 979 is intended to protect veterans from private companies that charge fees to assist with VA claims and often operate outside VA accreditation rules. “If you wanna help veterans, you gotta play by the rules,” McGinley said.
McGinley described a federal backdrop of recent veterans legislation — including the PACT Act and the Camp Lejeune-related measures — and said a private market of unaccredited disability-claims consultants has arisen to fill veterans’ needs. He said many of those firms use consulting or fee agreements rather than powers of attorney and, under federal regulation, “most of these companies are operating illegally.”
The bill, sponsored in the House by Representative Horton and presented to the committee by LDVA, would require that…
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