NY A08476

Requires the Commissioner of Veterans' Services to establish an informational outreach program warning veterans, service members, and their families about benefits fraud, including public service announcements, a toll-free hotline, website resources, and three seminars per year statewide

Prohibits any entity from soliciting, charging, or receiving fees for veterans' benefits matters unless permitted under federal law (Title 38) or state rules, expanding existing restrictions on unaccredited representatives

Creates civil penalties of up to $10,000 per violation for defrauding veterans on benefits matters, and allows harmed individuals to sue for actual damages or $2,500 (whichever is greater) plus attorney's fees

Establishes "unlawful compensation in a veterans' benefits matter" as a class A misdemeanor punishable by up to $1,000 fine and/or one year imprisonment for first offense, increasing to $3,000 fine for subsequent offenses

Creates a Veterans' Services Fund to collect civil penalties and distribute grants to VA-certified veterans' service organizations that help veterans with benefits claims, with annual reporting requirements to the legislature