SENATE BILL REPORT

                  ESHB 1527

              As Reported By Senate Committee On:

             Government Operations, March 22, 1995

Title:  An act relating to recognition of World War II veterans.

Brief Description:  Recognizing veterans of World War II.

Sponsors:  House Committee on Appropriations (originally sponsored by Representatives Benton, Clements, Koster, Dellwo, Campbell, Boldt, Kessler, Wolfe, Mielke, Thompson, Delvin, Carlson, Pelesky, D. Schmidt, Chopp, Van Luven, R. Fisher, Hickel, Sehlin, Costa, Ballasiotes, Pennington, Radcliff, Carrell, Hatfield, Romero, B. Thomas, Beeksma, Cody, Cooke, Dickerson, Conway, Jacobsen, Basich, Hargrove, L. Thomas, Chandler, Kremen, Robertson, Johnson, K. Schmidt, Smith, Dyer, Elliot, Blanton, Goldsmith, Mulliken, Schoesler and Brumsickle).

Brief History:

Committee Activity:  Government Operations:  3/21/95, 3/22/95 [DPA].

SENATE COMMITTEE ON GOVERNMENT OPERATIONS

Majority Report:  Do pass as amended.

  Signed by Senators Haugen, Chair; Sheldon, Vice Chair; Hale, McCaslin and Winsley.

Staff:  Eugene Green (786-7405)

Background:  State law establishes two veterans' memorials, one for state residents who died or are missing-in-action in southeast Asia, and one honoring state residents who died or are missing-in-action in the Korean conflict.

For the southeast Asia memorial, the Secretary of State was to coordinate the design, construction, and placement of the memorial.  For the Korean memorial, the director of the Department of Veterans Affairs was to coordinate the design, construction, and placement of the memorial.

Summary of Amended Bill:  The Department of Veterans Affairs is required to convene an 11-member advisory committee to make recommendations to the department for a memorial on the capitol campus to the men and women of Washington State who served in World War II.  The recommendations are subject to approval of the State Capitol Committee.

The amount of $50,000 is appropriated to the Department of Veterans Affairs for the purpose of erecting the monument on the state capitol campus. 

Amended Bill Compared to Substitute Bill:  The requirement that each dollar expended from the appropriation be matched by at least one dollar from nonstate sources for the same purpose is eliminated.

Appropriation:  $50,000 from the general fund to the Department of Veterans Affairs.

Fiscal Note:  Available.

Effective Date:  Ninety days after adjournment of session in which bill is passed.

Testimony For:  After 50 years, these individuals should be honored.  It is the proper thing to do.

Testimony Against:  None.

Testified:  PRO:  Beau Bergeron, Director, WA State Dept. of Veterans Affairs; Robert Sauter, VFW.