Brief Description: Establishing the eastern Washington state veterans' cemetery.

Sponsors: By Representatives Barlow, Ahern, Morrell, Hailey, Seaquist, Schindler, Appleton, Skinner, Williams, McDonald, Hurst, Campbell, Haler, Wood, Moeller, VanDeWege, McCune, Conway and Kenney; by request of Department of Veterans Affairs.

House Committee on State Government & Tribal Affairs
House Committee on Appropriations
Senate Committee on Government Operations & Elections

Background:

According to the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) statistics, there are 140,000 veterans living in Eastern Washington; 37 percent of these veterans live in Spokane County. Washington has one national veterans cemetery, the Tahoma National Cemetery in Kent. This cemetery is 280 miles from Spokane. In order to serve this population, the Washington State Department of Veterans Affairs (WDVA) has developed plans for a state veterans cemetery in Spokane County.

The VA provides grants to build veterans cemeteries within 100 miles of major metropolitan areas. These grants pay 100 percent of design, construction, and equipment costs. The state must provide the land and is responsible for operation and maintenance. The state also fronts the design costs, which are reimbursed once the application is approved by the VA.

Summary:

The WDVA is authorized to establish a State Veterans' Cemetery in Eastern Washington. All honorably discharged veterans and their spouses are eligible for internment in the Eastern Washington State Veterans' Cemetery. The WDVA is granted rule making authority related to operations of this cemetary.

Votes on Final Passage:

House   96   0
Senate   45   0

Effective: July 22, 2007