H-0020.1

HOUSE BILL 1864

ByRepresentatives Mosbrucker, Kilduff, Corry, Wylie, Chandler, Hoff, Maycumber, Appleton, Stanford, Steele, Leavitt, and Shea

AN ACT Relating to eligibility for lifetime veteran's disability passes; amending RCW 79A.05.065; creating a new section; and providing an expiration date.

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

(a) The significant contributions veterans have made to the United States and to Washington state through their military service;

(b) The potential health benefits of outdoor recreation to all people, including veterans with disabilities; and

(c) The concrete economic benefits to Washington's small businesses and rural communities that result when disabled veterans and other individuals choose Washington as their outdoor recreation destination.

(2) Washington already provides disabled veterans who are residents of the state with the benefit of free access to state parks through the lifetime veteran's disability pass. However, our neighbor to the south, Oregon, extends disabled veteran's state parks passes to veterans who are residents of other states, including residents of Washington, while Washington does not have a reciprocal policy in place to offer similar recognition to Oregon veterans.

(3) Therefore, the legislature intends to extend eligibility for Washington's existing lifetime veteran's disability pass to disabled veterans who are residents of Oregon, both in order to recognize the service of those individuals and to encourage disabled veterans who live in Oregon to recreate in our state.

Sec. 2. RCW 79A.05.065 and 2011 c 171 s 115 are each amended to read as follows:

(1)(a) The commission shall grant to any person who meets the eligibility requirements specified in this section a senior citizen's pass which shall: (i) Entitle such a person, and members of his or her camping unit, to a fifty percent reduction in the campsite rental fee prescribed by the commission; and (ii) entitle such a person to free admission to any state park.

(b) The commission shall grant a senior citizen's pass to any person who applies for the senior citizen's pass and who meets the following requirements:

(i) The person is at least sixty-two years of age;

(ii) The person is a domiciliary of the state of Washington and meets reasonable residency requirements prescribed by the commission; and

(iii) The person and his or her spouse have a combined income that would qualify the person for a property tax exemption pursuant to RCW 84.36.381. The financial eligibility requirements of this subsection (1)(b)(iii) apply regardless of whether the applicant for a senior citizen's pass owns taxable property or has obtained or applied for such property tax exemption.

(c) Each senior citizen's pass granted pursuant to this section is valid as long as the senior citizen meets the requirements of (b)(ii) of this subsection. A senior citizen meeting the eligibility requirements of this section may make a voluntary donation for the upkeep and maintenance of state parks.

(d) A holder of a senior citizen's pass shall surrender the pass upon request of a commission employee when the employee has reason to believe the holder fails to meet the criteria in (b) of this subsection. The holder shall have the pass returned upon providing proof to the satisfaction of the director that the holder meets the eligibility criteria for obtaining the senior citizen's pass.

(2)(a) Any resident of Washington who is disabled as defined by the social security administration and who receives social security benefits for that disability, or any other benefits for that disability from any other governmental or nongovernmental source, or who is entitled to benefits for permanent disability under RCW 71A.10.020(((3)))(5) due to unemployability full time at the minimum wage, or who is legally blind or profoundly deaf, or who has been issued a card, decal, or special license plate for a permanent disability under RCW 46.19.010 shall be entitled to receive, regardless of age and upon making application therefor, a disability pass at no cost to the holder. The pass shall: (i) Entitle such a person, and members of his or her camping unit, to a fifty percent reduction in the campsite rental fee prescribed by the commission; and (ii) entitle such a person to free admission to any state park.

(b) A card, decal, or special license plate issued for a permanent disability under RCW 46.19.010 may serve as a pass for the holder to entitle that person and members of the person's camping unit to a fifty percent reduction in the campsite rental fee prescribed by the commission, and to allow the holder free admission to state parks.

(3)(a) Any resident of Washington or Oregon who is a veteran ((and has))with a service-connected disability of at least thirty percent shall be entitled to receive a lifetime veteran's disability pass at no cost to the holder. The pass shall: (((a)))(i) Entitle such a person, and members of his or her camping unit, to free use of any campsite within any state park; (((b)))(ii) entitle such a person to free admission to any state park; and (((c)))(iii) entitle such a person to an exemption from any reservation fees.

(4)(a) Any Washington state resident who provides out-of-home care to a child, as either a licensed foster-family home or a person related to the child, is entitled to a foster home pass.

(b) An applicant for a foster home pass must request a pass in the manner required by the commission. Upon receipt of a properly submitted request, the commission shall verify with the department of social and health services that the applicant qualifies under (a) of this subsection. Once issued, a foster home pass is valid for the period, which may not be less than one year, designated by the commission.

(c) When accompanied by a child receiving out-of-home care from the pass holder, a foster home pass: (i) Entitles such a person, and members of his or her camping unit, to free use of any campsite within any state park; and (ii) entitles such a person to free admission to any state park.

(d) For the purposes of this subsection (4):

(i) "Out-of-home care" means placement in a foster-family home or with a person related to the child under the authority of chapter 13.32A, 13.34, or 74.13 RCW;

(ii) "Foster-family home" has the same meaning as defined in RCW 74.15.020; and

(iii) "Person related to the child" means those persons referred to in RCW 74.15.020(2)(a) (i) through (vi).

(5) All passes issued pursuant to this section are valid at all parks any time during the year. However, the pass is not valid for admission to concessionaire operated facilities.

(6) The commission shall negotiate payment and costs, to allow holders of a foster home pass free access and usage of park campsites, with the following nonoperated, nonstate-owned parks: Central Ferry, Chief Timothy, Crow Butte, and Lyons Ferry. The commission shall seek state general fund reimbursement on a biennial basis.

(7) The commission may deny or revoke any Washington state park pass issued under this section for cause, including but not limited to the following:

(a) Except for passes issued under subsection (3) of this section, residency outside the state of Washington;

(b) Violation of laws or state park rules resulting in eviction from a state park;

(c) Intimidating, obstructing, or assaulting a park employee or park volunteer who is engaged in the performance of official duties;

(d) Fraudulent use of a pass;

(e) Providing false information or documentation in the application for a state parks pass;

(f) Refusing to display or show the pass to park employees when requested; or

(g) Failing to provide current eligibility information upon request by the agency or when eligibility ceases or changes.

(8) This section shall not affect or otherwise impair the power of the commission to continue or discontinue any other programs it has adopted for senior citizens.

(9) The commission may engage in a mutually agreed upon reciprocal or discounted program for all or specific pass programs with other outdoor recreation agencies.

(10) The commission shall adopt those rules as it finds appropriate for the administration of this section. Among other things, the rules shall prescribe a definition of "camping unit" which will authorize a reasonable number of persons traveling with the person having a pass to stay at the campsite rented by such a person, a minimum Washington residency requirement for applicants for a senior citizen's pass, and an application form to be completed by applicants for a senior citizen's pass.

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