SESSION OF 2024
SUPPLEMENTAL NOTE ON HOUSE BILL NO. 2623
As Recommended by House Committee on
Veterans and Military

Brief*
HB 2623 would update the Veterans Claims Assistance
Program (VCAP) to include references to the federal
Department of Veterans Affairs medical centers and cross-
accreditation requirements.

Veterans Claims Assistance Program
The VCAP requires the Kansas Commission on
Veterans Affairs Office (KCVAO) to administer annual service
grants to eligible veterans service organizations (VSOs). The
service grants are used to train veterans who wish to become
accredited veterans claims assistance representatives
(VCARs). Accredited VCARs are statutorily able to assist
other veterans and their dependents in filing claims with the
federal government for earned benefits. Under current law, a
VSO is eligible to participate in the annual service grant with
KCVAO if, among other provisions, the VSO has a presence
at the federal Veterans Administration regional office and
each Veterans Administration medical center in Kansas.

HB 2623 VCAP Eligibility and Requirements
The bill would replace references to the obsolete federal
Veterans Administration with references to the federal
Department of Veterans Affairs (VA). This means that in order
to be eligible to participate in the annual service grant, VSOs
____________________
*Supplemental notes are prepared by the Legislative Research
Department and do not express legislative intent. The supplemental
note and fiscal note for this bill may be accessed on the Internet at
http://www.kslegislature.org
would be required to have a presence at the federal VA
regional office or medical center in Wichita, as well as each
VA medical center operating in Topeka and Leavenworth.
Moreover, the bill would also specify that VCAR training
be conducted by qualified trainers, rather than qualified
veterans claims assistance representatives. An individual who
wishes to be an accredited VCAR would be required to
provide proof to KCVAO that such an individual successfully
completed the VA Office Training, Responsibility, Involvement,
and Preparation of Claims course.
Finally, the bill would make technical amendments to
ensure consistency in statutory phrasing and to remove
outdated language.

Background
The bill was introduced by the House Committee on
Veterans and Military at the request of a representative of the
KCVAO on behalf of the KCVAO.

House Committee on Veterans and Military
In the House Committee hearing on February 8, 2024,
Representative Ruiz and representatives from the KCVAO
and the Military Officers Association of America (MOAA)
provided proponent testimony. The proponents generally
noted that the bill would allow the KCVAO to partner with
numerous other organizations recognized and approved by
the VA to provide veteran service representative training. In
addition, the representative from the MOAA testified that the
bill would lead to an increase in the number of submitted
claims, which, in turn, could lead to an increase in the amount
of federal benefits paid to veterans in Kansas.


2- 2623
Fiscal Information
According to the fiscal note prepared by the Division of
the Budget on the bill, the KCVAO states that enactment of
the bill would have no fiscal effect on the agency.
Veterans and military; Veterans Claims Assistance Program; VCAP; Veterans Affairs
medical centers


3- 2623


Statutes affected:
As introduced: 73-1234