DE HB31

Prohibits individuals not accredited by the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs from receiving compensation for advising, assisting, or referring veterans on VA benefits matters, except as permitted under federal law

Requires non-VA accredited persons offering paid veterans benefits services to provide written and oral disclosures stating they are not affiliated with the VA or Delaware agencies, and that free services may be available elsewhere

Mandates that fee agreements follow the same criteria as those required for VA-accredited agents under 38 C.F.R. §14.636, and prohibits excessive or unreasonable fees

Creates a private cause of action for victims of violations, classifies violations as unlawful trade practices, and allows courts to impose additional civil penalties up to $10,000 per violation when victims are elderly (65+) or have disabilities

Takes effect 18 months after enactment and does not apply to services unrelated to VA claims, such as investment, insurance, or banking advice