# Colorado SB25-282: Protections for Veterans Seeking Benefits Colorado SB25-282, Protections for Veterans Seeking Benefits, is a 2025 Regular Session Senate bill sponsored by Byron Pelton (Republican), Lisa Feret (Democratic), Matt Ball (Democratic) and 1 others; status signed, last action 2025-06-03 (Governor Signed); PRIA reads it as touching household money (as of 2026-10-16). - Canonical: https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/CO-SB25-282-2025A - As of: 2026-10-16 - Plain-text twin of the page above; the HTML and this file carry the same facts. ## Facts - Bill: Colorado SB25-282 - State: Colorado - Session: 2025 Regular Session - Title: Protections for Veterans Seeking Benefits - Status: signed - Chamber: Senate - Introduced: 2025-04-07 - Last action: 2025-06-03, Governor Signed - Sponsors: Byron Pelton (Republican), Lisa Feret (Democratic), Matt Ball (Democratic), Ryan Armagost - Cosponsors: 28 - Subjects: Military & Veterans - Touches household money: yes - Roll calls: 4 (98 yes, 15 no in all) - Economic provisions PRIA read: 5 ## Summary No summary available. ## Bill overview: provisions PRIA read - Limits on veterans’ benefits assistance fees: benefit, medium. Providers outside the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) accreditation and regulation system can collect fees only after securing increased benefits. Fees cannot exceed $9,200 or 25% of past-due benefits actually received from that increase, whichever is less. Providers cannot collect extra fees,… - Stronger privacy rules for veterans’ information: benefit, medium. Benefits-help providers cannot use veterans’ personal login details to access medical, financial, or government benefits records. They cannot share personal data from the benefits matter with third parties unless a court orders it. They must protect personal, financial, and medical information unde… - Clear contracts for veterans’ benefits help: benefit, low. Before paid help begins, veterans and providers must sign a clear, readable contract explaining services, fees, and payment terms. Contracts and all ads must clearly disclose no ties to specified veterans’ agencies or groups, free services, and no ability to speed VA processing. Providers cannot gu… - Penalties enforce veterans’ benefits protections: benefit, low. Violating these veterans’ benefits rules is a deceptive trade practice under the Colorado Consumer Protection Act. Civil penalties reach $20,000 per violation, or $50,000 per violation against an elderly person. The attorney general or district attorney sends collected penalties to the state treasu… - Veterans’ appeal help requires VA accreditation: mixed, medium. After VA issues an initial benefits decision, people without VA accreditation cannot advise or help with an appeal or review. This adds an accreditation safeguard but narrows veterans’ choices for appeal help. ## Sponsors and cosponsors - Sponsor: Byron Pelton (Republican), Senate - Sponsor: Lisa Feret (Democratic), House - Sponsor: Matt Ball (Democratic), Senate - Sponsor: Ryan Armagost - Cosponsor: Andrew Boesenecker (Democratic), House - Cosponsor: Amy Paschal (Democratic), House - Cosponsor: Bob Marshall (Democratic), House - Cosponsor: Brianna Titone (Democratic), House - Cosponsor: Chad Clifford (Democratic), House - Cosponsor: Eliza Hamrick (Democratic), House - Cosponsor: Jamie Jackson (Democratic), House - Cosponsor: Javier Mabrey (Democratic), House - Cosponsor: Julie McCluskie (Democratic), House - Cosponsor: Jacque Phillips (Democratic), House - Cosponsor: Monica Duran (Democratic), House - Cosponsor: Mandy Lindsay (Democratic), House - Cosponsor: Matthew Martinez (Democratic), House - Cosponsor: Manny Rutinel (Democratic), House - Cosponsor: Rep. S. Bird - Cosponsor: Sheila Lieder (Democratic), House - Cosponsor: Tammy Story (Democratic), House - Cosponsor: Barbara Kirkmeyer (Republican), Senate - Cosponsor: Chris Kolker (Democratic), Senate - Cosponsor: Iman Jodeh (Democratic), Senate - Cosponsor: Julie Gonzales (Democratic), Senate - Cosponsor: Kyle Mullica (Democratic), Senate - Cosponsor: Katie Wallace (Democratic), Senate - Cosponsor: Lisa Cutter (Democratic), Senate - Cosponsor: Mike Weissman (Democratic), Senate - Cosponsor: Rod Pelton (Republican), Senate - Cosponsor: Robert Rodriguez (Democratic), Senate - Cosponsor: Tony Exum (Democratic), Senate ## Roll call votes | Date | Chamber | Motion | Result | Yes | No | Other | | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | | 2025-05-01 | House | Third reading: Bill | pass | 52 | 11 | | | 2025-04-29 | House | Refer Senate Bill 25-282 to the Committee of the Whole. | pass | 9 | 2 | | | 2025-04-15 | Senate | Third reading: Bill | pass | 33 | 1 | | | 2025-04-10 | Senate | Refer Senate Bill 25-282, as amended, to the Committee of the Whole. | pass | 4 | 1 | | ## Actions (12) - 2025-06-03: Governor Signed (House) - 2025-05-13: Sent to the Governor (House) - 2025-05-13: Signed by the President of the Senate (Senate) - 2025-05-13: Signed by the Speaker of the House (House) - 2025-05-01: House Third Reading Passed - No Amendments (House) - 2025-04-30: House Second Reading Special Order - Passed - No Amendments (House) - 2025-04-29: House Committee on State, Civic, Military, & Veterans Affairs Refer Unamended to House Committee of the Whole (House) - 2025-04-15: Senate Third Reading Passed - No Amendments (Senate) - 2025-04-15: Introduced In House - Assigned to State, Civic, Military, & Veterans Affairs (House) - 2025-04-14: Senate Second Reading Passed with Amendments - Committee (Senate) - 2025-04-10: Senate Committee on State, Veterans, & Military Affairs Refer Amended to Senate Committee of the Whole (Senate) - 2025-04-07: Introduced In Senate - Assigned to State, Veterans, & Military Affairs (Senate) ## Bill text - Engrossed: [PDF](https://leg.colorado.gov/bill_files/85392/download) - Final Act: [PDF](https://leg.colorado.gov/bill_files/85380/download) - Introduced: [PDF](https://leg.colorado.gov/bill_files/85395/download) - Reengrossed: [PDF](https://leg.colorado.gov/bill_files/85389/download) - Rerevised: [PDF](https://leg.colorado.gov/bill_files/85383/download) - Revised: [PDF](https://leg.colorado.gov/bill_files/85386/download) - Senate State, Veterans, & Military Affairs Preamend: [PDF](https://leg.colorado.gov/bill_files/85397/download) - Signed Act: [PDF](https://leg.colorado.gov/bill_files/40921/download) ## Related bills - SB25-279: Colorado Code of Military Justice Updates (signed) - HB25-1307: Updating Technical References in Education Law (signed) - HB25-1234: Utility Consumer Protection (signed) - SB25-167: Invest State Funds to Benefit Communities (signed) - SB25-163: Battery Stewardship Programs (signed) - SB25-261: Property Tax Deferral Program Administration (signed) ## Sources - [Engrossed (PDF)](https://leg.colorado.gov/bill_files/85392/download) - [Final Act (PDF)](https://leg.colorado.gov/bill_files/85380/download) - [Introduced (PDF)](https://leg.colorado.gov/bill_files/85395/download) - [Reengrossed (PDF)](https://leg.colorado.gov/bill_files/85389/download) - [Rerevised (PDF)](https://leg.colorado.gov/bill_files/85383/download) - [Revised (PDF)](https://leg.colorado.gov/bill_files/85386/download) - [Senate State, Veterans, & Military Affairs Preamend (PDF)](https://leg.colorado.gov/bill_files/85397/download) - [Signed Act (PDF)](https://leg.colorado.gov/bill_files/40921/download) ## Related - [SB25-279: Colorado Code of Military Justice Updates](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/CO-SB25-279-2025A) - [HB25-1307: Updating Technical References in Education Law](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/CO-HB25-1307-2025A) - [HB25-1234: Utility Consumer Protection](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/CO-HB25-1234-2025A) - [SB25-167: Invest State Funds to Benefit Communities](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/CO-SB25-167-2025A) - [SB25-163: Battery Stewardship Programs](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/CO-SB25-163-2025A) - [SB25-261: Property Tax Deferral Program Administration](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/CO-SB25-261-2025A) - [Colorado bills](https://policyrisk.com/states/colorado/bills) - [Colorado state hub](https://policyrisk.com/states/colorado) - [All state legislation](https://policyrisk.com/state-bills) Source: PRIA, https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/CO-SB25-282-2025A (as of 2026-10-16).