The proposed legislation, General Assembly Raised Bill No. 6441, aims to enhance the Department of Veterans Affairs' Office of Advocacy and Assistance by increasing its staffing and improving its outreach and training efforts. Specifically, the bill replaces the current requirement of a minimum of ten staff members with a new requirement of nineteen, including at least fourteen veterans' service officers and three clerical personnel. Additionally, it mandates that the manager develop a training module focused on assisting women veterans and conduct annual training sessions for veterans' service officers and municipal veterans representatives. The bill also stipulates that at least one veterans' service officer must be a woman with a demonstrated interest in women's veteran issues, and at least two must be bilingual in English and Spanish.

Furthermore, the bill introduces several new responsibilities for the Office of Advocacy and Assistance, including the development of a written outreach plan to better assist veterans and their families in accessing services and benefits. The office is required to track outreach efforts electronically and visit nursing homes and assisted living facilities regularly. Quarterly reports summarizing concerns raised by veterans and petitions filed will also be provided to the Board of Trustees for the Department of Veterans Affairs. The changes outlined in the bill are set to take effect on July 1, 2025.