There’s a bill making its way through the Nevada Legislature that’s raising some serious concerns—especially among veterans, small business owners, and free-market advocates.
Assembly Bill 145 (AB145) claims to protect veterans but it may actually do more harm than good.
At first glance, AB145 seems reasonable.
It would make it illegal for anyone to help a veteran with their benefits claim—unless they’ve been “accredited” by the federal government.
The only exception? You can help someone for free, but you can’t accept a dime for your time or even a donation unless you’re officially approved by the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA).
Here’s the problem: getting accredited isn’t easy—or cheap.
It’s a long, bureaucratic process with red tape that many independent advisors, small nonprofits, and veteran-run businesses just can’t afford.
And that means fewer choices for veterans who are trying to get help navigating a complicated benefits system.
Shutting Out the Little Guys
Let’s say you’re a retired soldier who helps other vets understand how to apply for health care or disability benefits. Maybe you charge a small fee, or maybe people just toss you a little money to say thanks.
Under AB145, if you’re not federally accredited, you’d have to stop—or do it for free.
And if you don’t? You could get hit with a $10,000 fine.
Yes, really. That’s what has a lot of people worried.
Critics of the bill say it gives an unfair advantage to big national organizations—the ones that have legal teams, full-time staff, and plenty of funding to navigate the accreditation process.
Meanwhile, the folks who are actually out in the community helping fellow veterans on the ground? They get pushed out.
“This is a classic example of the government picking winners and losers,” Assemblywoman Danielle Gallant (R-Clark) said. “If veterans trust someone and want to pay them for help, that should be their choice—not the state’s.”
Let Veterans Decide
Supporters of the bill say it’s meant to stop fraud—and that’s a fair concern. No one wants to see veterans taken advantage of.
But there are already laws on the books to go after scammers. Nevada’s Attorney General can prosecute fraud and deceptive practices.
AB145 doesn’t create new protections—it just limits who can get paid to help, even if they’re doing good work.
And that’s where the real issue lies.
This bill assumes the government knows best. But veterans aren’t helpless.
They’re smart, capable people who’ve served our country. They should be trusted to decide who they want to work with, whether it’s a VA-accredited rep or a neighbor down the street who’s been through the same process.
Besides, most of the folks getting targeted by this bill aren’t scammers. They’re veterans helping veterans. They’re small businesses. They’re trusted advisors who built a reputation in the community.
AB145 tells them: “Work for free, or don’t work at all.”
A Better Way Forward
Nobody’s saying we shouldn’t protect veterans. But this one-size-fits-all bill goes too far. There’s a smarter way to do this:
- Require clear disclosures when someone isn’t VA-accredited
- Make it illegal to lie about qualifications, not to offer help
- Strengthen fraud enforcement, not ban private help altogether
Bottom line?
Veterans deserve more choices, not fewer. They deserve support from people they know and trust.
And they deserve the freedom to decide who they want helping them—not some government agency making that choice for them.
AB145 might have good intentions, but it’s a bad solution. Lawmakers should rethink it before it shuts down the very people doing the most good for Nevada’s veteran community.
This article was written with the assistance of AI. Please verify information and consult additional sources as needed.
