,,ii  #aaith ,,congress  #b;d ,session  
,s4 #ecbh  ,,in ,,the ,,senate ,,of     
,,the ,,united ,,states  ,august #f1    
#bjbf,ms4 ,cortez ,masto 7for herself1  
,mr4 ,blumenthal1 and ,ms4 ,rosen7      
introduced the following bill2 which was
 read twice and referred to the         
,committee on ,veterans' ,affairs  ,a   
,,bill  ,to require the ,secretary of   
,veterans ,affairs to share veterans'   
contact information with ,state veterans
 agencies to improve outreach1 and for  
other purposes4  #a4 ,short title ,this 
,act may be cited as the ,empowering    
,states to ,serve ,veterans ,act4  #b4  
,sharing of veterans' contact           
information with ,state veterans        
agencies  7a7 ,in general  7#a7         
,requirement ,subject to paragraph 7#b71
 not less frequently than quarterly1 the
 ,secretary of ,veterans ,affairs shall 
share with each ,state veterans agency  
contact information of veterans         
maintained by the ,department of        
,veterans ,affairs for statistical      

purposes and conducting outreach to     
veterans residing in that ,state4  7#b7 
,limitations ,contact information shared
 under this ,act shall not include--    
7,a7 any protected health information   
7as defined in section #afj4ajc of title
 #de1 ,code of ,federal ,regulations 7or
 any successor regulations772  7,b7 any 
,social ,security number or date of     
birth2  7,c7 any financial1 disability  
rating1 appeal1 or claims information2  
or  7,d7 any information designated by  
the ,secretary as sensitive or          
restricted under ,federal law4  7b7     
,notice2 opt out  7#a7 ,notice  7,a7 ,in
 general ,the ,secretary shall provide  
clear notice to each veteran1 in paper  
and electronic communications1 that--   
7i7 the veteran's contact information   
may be shared1 for statistical and      
outreach purposes1 with the ,state      
veterans agency of the ,state in which  
the veteran resides2 and  7ii7 the      
veteran may opt out of such sharing at  
any time4  7,b7 ,timing ,the ,secretary 

shall provide notice required by        
subparagraph 7,a7-- 7i7 #de days before 
the initial transfer of contact         
information to a ,state veterans agency 
for any individual who is a veteran on  
the date of the enactment of this ,act2 
and  7ii7 at the time of transition from
 military service for any individual who
 is a member of the ,armed ,forces4     
7#b7 ,opt out  7,a7 ,process ,the       
,secretary shall establish and maintain 
an accessible process for veterans to   
opt out of contact-information sharing  
under this ,act1 including an online    
form and toll-free telephone number4    
7,b7 ,prohibition ,if a veteran opts out
 of contact-information sharing under   
this ,act through the process           
established under subparagraph 7,a7--   
7i7 the ,secretary shall not share the  
contact information of the veteran under
 this ,act unless the veteran           
subsequently provides the ,secretary    
affirmative consent for such sharing2   
and  7ii7 any ,state veterans agency in 

receipt of contact information of the   
veteran shall immediately cease use of  
and destroy that information4  7c7      
,privacy and security  7#a7 ,use and    
disclosure ,each ,state veterans agency 
that receives contact information of    
veterans under this ,act-- 7,a7 shall   
use such information solely for         
statistical and outreach purposes       
authorized by the ,secretary2 and  7,b7 
shall not-- 7i7 sell1 transfer1 or      
otherwise disclose such information to  
any third party2 or  7ii7 publish data  
based on such information4  7#b7        
,security measures ,each ,state veterans
 agency that receives contact           
information of veterans under this ,act 
shall implement data protection and     
cybersecurity measures consistent with  
,federal standards for safeguarding     
personally identifiable information4    
7#c7 ,compliance ,the ,secretary-- 7,a7 
shall require proof of compliance with  
the measures described in paragraph 7#b7
 before sharing contact information of  

veterans under this ,act with a ,state  
veterans agency2  7,b7 shall not share  
contact information of veterans under   
this ,act with a ,state veterans agency 
that does not demonstrate compliance    
with the requirements of this ,act2 and 
7,c7 shall require certifications or    
audits to ensure ongoing compliance with
 this ,act4  7d7 ,state veterans agency 
defined ,in this section1 the term      
,state veterans agency means an agency  
of a ,state government that provides a  
range of benefits and services to       
veterans and their families4  7e7       
,regulations ,not later than #ahj days  
after the date of the enactment of this 
,act1 the ,secretary shall prescribe    
regulations to carry out this ,act1     
including procedures for                
contact-information sharing1 opt-out    
management1 and security compliance4    
7f7 ,effective date ,subsections 7a7    
through 7d7 shall take effect on the    
date that is one year after the date of 
the enactment of this ,act4