Bipartisan Bill to Streamline Veterans Services Clears Senate

The bill aims to improve veterans services that are currently impacted by delays 

DENVER, CO – Today, the Colorado Senate unanimously approved Senator Rhonda Fields’, D-Aurora, bipartisan bill to decrease delays at veterans centers and improve veterans services.

SB24-004, co-sponsored by Senator Rod Pelton, R-Cheyenne Wells, would increase the efficiency and effectiveness of County Veterans Service Offices, which provide free assistance to veterans and their families. Currently, some counties receive state funding for veterans service officers (VSOs) even if the VSO is not accredited with the federal government, and therefore unable to help veterans file claims. 

“Veterans and their families make big sacrifices to serve our country and defend our freedom, and it’s critical that we support them when they return to civilian life,” said Fields. “Right now, too many veterans are waiting for weeks on end to get assistance, or they live in a county without someone who can actually help them file a claim. It's time we fix these discrepancies so our nation’s heroes can get the support and resources they’ve earned no matter where they live.”

This bill would tie funding for VSOs to the number of federally accredited VSOs in a given county and their hours worked, incentivizing them to get the training they need to meet the needs of veterans throughout Colorado. The bill would also direct counties to provide faster service to veterans.

SB24-004 now heads to the House of Representatives for further consideration. Follow the bill's progress HERE.