Dallas, Jan. 27, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — VetsForever, a VA-accredited law group dedicated to helping veterans successfully navigate the VA claims process, announces its support for California Senate Bill 694. California is home to more than 1.2 million veterans, making it one of the top three states in the nation by veteran population as of 2024. Introduced in 2025, Senate Bill 694 (SB 694) is advancing through the California Legislature and is designed to safeguard veterans from unscrupulous practices that exploit those seeking help with VA claims.
“Veterans serve their countries with honor, and our service-disabled veterans deserve our appreciation and the benefits they’ve earned,” says Trinidad Aguirre, co-founder and CEO of VetsForever. “SB 694 represents a critical step forward in shielding California’s veterans from deceptive and predatory practices.”
VetsForever provides legal services to U.S. veterans worldwide, with four team members currently residing in California. This legislation provides much-needed clarity around who is authorized to offer paid assistance to California veterans with VA benefits claims and reinforces why accreditation and oversight matter.
If enacted, SB 694 would prohibit individuals from receiving compensation for preparing, presenting, or prosecuting claims for federal veterans benefits unless they are accredited by the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs as an attorney or claims agent. The bill would also bar claim sharks from accessing VA computer systems using a veteran’s login credentials and from charging fees for claims assistance that exceed those permitted for VA-accredited attorneys or claims agents.
“VetsForever strongly supports legal protections at both the state and federal level that prevent the exploitation of veterans, and SB 694 is a prime example,” adds Aguirre. “We’re encouraged by California’s momentum toward joining the growing list of states taking a firm stand against claim sharks.”
Through this legislation, California would join other states and territories working to protect veterans pursuing disability benefits. Maine, New Jersey, and New York have already enacted VA-accreditation requirements, while similar measures are under consideration in Nevada, Virginia, Puerto Rico, and Arizona.
VetsForever encourages California constituents who desire to protect veterans in this meaningful way to contact their senators and representatives through the California Legislature’s “Find Your Representative” website and urge them to vote in favor of it in early 2026.
More information on this bill and its implications is available in VetsForever’s blog and contributed article to the Sacramento Bee.
# # #
About VetsForever
VetsForever is a VA-accredited law group (VA Accreditation Number: 55664) founded in 2022 by 100% service-disabled veterans Trinidad Aguirre, Chris Ward, and Jacob Pugh. VetsForever is dedicated to helping veterans successfully navigate the complexity of the VA claims process to get them the benefits and compensation they earned. For more information, visit vetsforever.com or call 1-866-9VETAID (1-866-983-8243). Connect with us on Facebook, LinkedIn, YouTube, Instagram, and TikTok.
- Senate Bill 694 (SB 694) is advancing through the California Legislature and is designed to safeguard veterans from unscrupulous practices that exploit those seeking help with VA claims.
- VetsForever is a VA-accredited law group dedicated to helping veterans successfully navigate the VA claims process.