H-0673.1          _______________________________________________

                                  HOUSE BILL 1737

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State of Washington              54th Legislature             1995 Regular Session

By Representatives Patterson, Cairnes, Mastin, Hatfield, Dickerson and Conway

Read first time 02/07/95.  Referred to Committee on Government Operations.

Qualifying Gulf War veterans for benefits.

     AN ACT Relating to veterans' preferences; and amending RCW 41.04.005.

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

     Sec. 1.  RCW 41.04.005 and 1991 c 240 s 1 are each amended to read as follows:

     As used in RCW 41.04.005, 41.04.010, 41.16.220, and 41.20.050 "veteran" includes every person, who at the time he or she seeks the benefits of RCW ((28B.40.361,)) 41.04.005, 41.04.010, 41.16.220, 41.20.050, 41.40.170, 73.04.110, or 73.08.080 has received an honorable discharge or received a discharge for physical reasons with an honorable record and who meets at least one of the following ((two)) three criteria:

     (1) The person has served between World War I and World War II or during any period of war as either (a) a member in any branch of the armed forces of the United States, (b) a member of the women's air forces service pilots, or (c) a U.S. documented merchant mariner with service aboard an oceangoing vessel operated by the war shipping administration, the office of defense transportation, or their agents, during the period of armed conflict, December 7, 1941, to August 15, 1945, or a civil service crewmember with service aboard a U.S. army transport service or U.S. naval transportation service vessel in oceangoing service during the period of armed conflict(([,])), December 7, 1941, to August 15, 1945; ((or))

     (2) The person has received the armed forces expeditionary medal, or marine corps and navy expeditionary medal, for opposed action on foreign soil, for service (a) in any branch of the armed forces of the United States; or (b) as a member of the women's air forces service pilots; or

(3) The person has served in any branch of the armed forces of the United States and was awarded the southwest Asia service medal for service in what is commonly called the "Gulf War."

     A "period of war" includes World War I, World War II, the Korean conflict, the Vietnam era, and the period beginning on the date of any future declaration of war by the congress and ending on the date prescribed by presidential proclamation or concurrent resolution of the congress.  The "Vietnam era" means the period beginning August 5, 1964, and ending on May 7, 1975.

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