FINAL BILL REPORT

SHB 2227

C 4 L 01 E 2

Synopsis as Enacted

Brief Description:  Establishing the eastern Washington veterans' home.

Sponsors:  By House Committee on Appropriations (originally sponsored by Representatives Ahern, Gombosky, Schoesler, Wood, Benson, Haigh, Schindler, Conway, Cox, Reardon, D. Schmidt, Talcott, Campbell and Bush; by request of Department of Veterans Affairs).

House Committee on Appropriations

Senate Committee on Ways & Means

Background:

The Washington Department of Veterans' Affairs (WDVA) operates two state veterans' homes that provide long-term care for veterans and their spouses.  The homes are the Soldiers' Home at Orting and the Veterans' Home at Retsil.  Both homes are funded through a combination of funds that includes state general funds, per diem payments from the federal Department of Veterans' Affairs, Medicaid payments, and contributions from residents' incomes.

Summary:

An Eastern Washington veterans' home is established.  The Legislature intends that the state general fund shall not provide support in future biennia for the Eastern Washington home, except for amounts required to pay the state share of Medicaid costs.  The WDVA is authorized to operate and manage the Eastern Washington veterans' home in the same manner as other state veterans' homes are operated and managed.

Votes on Final Passage:

First Special Session

House840

Second Special Session

House890

Senate420

Effective:  September 20, 2001