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                                             ENGROSSED HOUSE BILL 1437

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State of Washington                              53rd Legislature                             1993 Regular Session

By Representatives R. Meyers, Dorn, Pruitt and Campbell

Read first time 01/27/93.  Referred to Committee on State Government.

Requiring policy and performance audits of department of veteran affairs, Washington soldiers' home, and Washington veterans' home.

          AN ACT Relating to audits of services for veterans; and creating a new section.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON:

NEW SECTION. Sec. 1.  (1) The legislative budget committee shall conduct an examination of the department of veterans affairs, the Washington soldiers' home at Orting, and the Washington veterans' home at Retsil.  The examination shall specifically address: 

          (a) The quality of patient care at the Washington soldiers' home and the Washington veterans' home to determine the quality of patient care and whether staffing ratios and funding are sufficient; and

          (b) A determination as to whether funds in the revolving funds governed under RCW 72.36.120 and 72.36.130 are being expended for the benefit and welfare of the members of these homes, and whether any of these funds are being inappropriately transferred to administrative offices in Olympia.

          (2) To ensure that there is no duplication of effort, prior to conducting the examination, the legislative budget committee shall confirm that these specific issues have not been fully addressed by recent federal or other audits.  If these issues have been fully addressed by other audits, the legislative budget committee shall report on the findings of these audits.  If these issues have not been fully addressed by other audits, the legislative budget committee shall conduct the examination described in subsection (1) of this section.

          (3) The legislative budget committee shall report the results of their findings and any recommendations to the legislature by January 1, 1994.

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