Preserving Lawful Utilization of Services for Veterans Act of 2026 (PLUS Act); create., the official text

MISSISSIPPI LEGISLATURE

2026 Regular Session

To: Military Affairs

By: Representatives Carpenter, Newman, Hulum, Hall

House Bill 1076

(As Sent to Governor)

AN ACT ENTITLED THE "PRESERVING LAWFUL UTILIZATION OF
SERVICES FOR VETERANS ACT OF 2026 (PLUS ACT)"; TO PROVIDE DEFINITIONS; TO
PROVIDE THAT NO PERSON MAY RECEIVE ANY COMPENSATION FOR SERVICES RENDERED IN
CONNECTION WITH ANY VETERAN'S CLAIM UNLESS THE VETERAN SIGNS A WAIVER THAT THEY
ARE WITHIN THE ALLOWABLE TIME PERIOD AND ARE CHOOSING TO DENY FREE SERVICES
AVAILABLE; TO PROVIDE THAT ANY PERSON ASSISTING ON VETERANS' BENEFITS MATTERS
FOR COMPENSATION SHALL PROVIDE CERTAIN DISCLOSURES AT THE BEGINNING OF THE
BUSINESS RELATIONSHIP; TO PROHIBIT CERTAIN PRACTICES BY BUSINESSES ASSISTING
VETERANS BENEFITS MATTERS FOR COMPENSATION; AND FOR RELATED PURPOSES.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE
LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MISSISSIPPI:

SECTION 1.
This act shall be known and may be cited as the "Preserving Lawful
Utilization of Services for Veterans Act of 2026 (PLUS Act)".

SECTION 2.
(1)  For the purposes of this section:

(a)
"Compensation" means any money, thing of value, or economic benefit
conferred on, or received by, any person in return for services rendered, or to
be rendered, by himself or herself or another.

(b)  "Veterans'
benefits matter" means the preparation, presentation, or prosecution of
any claim affecting any person who has filed or expressed an intent to file a
claim for any benefit, program, service, commodity, function, status, or
entitlement for which veterans, their dependents, their survivors, or any other
individual are eligible under the laws and regulations administered by the
United States Department of Veterans' Affairs or the State Veterans Affairs
Board.

(c)  "Person"
means any natural person, corporation, trust, partnership, incorporated or
unincorporated association, or any other legal entity.

(2)  No person may receive
compensation for referring any individual to another person to advise or assist
the individual with any veterans' benefits matter.

(3)  No person may receive
any compensation for any services rendered in connection with any claim filed
within the one (1) year presumptive period of active-duty release, unless the
veteran acknowledges by signing a waiver that they are within this period and
choosing to deny free services available to them.

(4)  A person seeking to
receive compensation for advising, assisting, or consulting with any individual
in connection with any veterans' benefits matter must, before rendering any
services, memorialize the specific terms under which the amount to be paid will
be determined in a written agreement signed by both parties.  Compensation must
be purely contingent upon an increase in

benefits awarded, and if
successful, compensation must not exceed five (5) times the amount of the
monthly increase in benefits awarded based on the claim or Twelve Thousand Five
Hundred Dollars ($12,500.00), whichever is the lesser amount.  No initial or
nonrefundable fee may be charged by a person advising, assisting, or consulting
an individual on a veterans' benefit matter.

(5)  No person will
guarantee, either directly or by implication, a successful outcome or 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' benefit.

(6)  Any person advising,
assisting, or consulting on veterans' benefits matters for compensation must
provide the following disclosure at the outset of the business relationship:

"This business is not
sponsored by, or affiliated with, the United States Department of Veterans'
Affairs or the State Veterans Affairs Board, or any other federally chartered
veterans' service organization.  Other organizations, including, but not
limited to, the State Veterans Affairs Board, a local veterans' service
organization, and other federally chartered veterans' service organizations may
be able to provide you with this service free of charge.  Products or services
offered by this business are not necessarily endorsed by any of these
organizations.  You may qualify for other veterans' benefits beyond the
benefits for which you are receiving services here."

The written disclosure must
appear in at least twelve (12) point font in an easily identifiable place in
the person's agreement with the individual seeking services.  The individual
must sign the document in which the written disclosure appears to represent
understanding of these provisions.  The person offering services must retain a
copy of the written disclosure while providing veterans' benefits services for
compensation to the individual and for at least one (1) year after the date on
which the service relations terminate.

(7)  Businesses advising,
assisting, or consulting on veterans' benefits matters for a fee must abide by
the following:

(a)  Must not use a
veteran's personal log-in, username, or password information to access that veteran's
medical, financial, or government benefits information;

(b)  Must ensure that
any individual who has access to veterans' medical or financial information
undergoes a background check prior to having access to that information.  The
background check must be conducted by a reputable source and include identity
verification and a criminal records check.

(8)  (a)  A violation of the
provisions of this section constitutes an unfair, false, misleading, or
deceptive act or practice in the conduct of trade or commerce under Section 75-24-5,
Mississippi Code of 1972.

(b)  Each day a
violation continues is a separate violation.

(c)  Nothing in this
section is to be construed as applying to, limiting, or expanding the
requirements imposed on agents, attorneys, or other representatives accredited
by the United States Department of Veterans Affairs and regulated by the
agency.

SECTION 3.  This act
shall take effect and be in force from and after July 1, 2026.