Prefiled 12/29/08. Read first time 01/12/09.   Referred to Committee on State Government & Tribal Affairs.

     AN ACT Relating to veterans' relief; and amending RCW 73.08.005.

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

Sec. 1   RCW 73.08.005 and 2008 c 6 s 502 are each amended to read as follows:
     The definitions in this section apply throughout this chapter unless the context clearly requires otherwise.
     (1) "Direct costs" includes those allowable costs that can be readily assigned to the statutory objectives of this chapter, consistent with the cost principles promulgated by the federal office of management and budget in circular No. A-87, dated May 10, 2004.
     (2) "Family" means the spouse or domestic partner, surviving spouse, surviving domestic partner, and dependent children of a living or deceased veteran.
     (3) "Indigent" means a person who is defined as such by the county legislative authority using one or more of the following definitions:
     (a) Receiving one of the following types of public assistance: Temporary assistance for needy families, general assistance, poverty-related veterans' benefits, food stamps or food stamp benefits transferred electronically, refugee resettlement benefits, medicaid, or supplemental security income;
     (b) Receiving an annual income, after taxes, of up to one hundred fifty percent or less of the current federally established poverty level, or receiving an annual income not exceeding a higher qualifying income established by the county legislative authority; or
     (c) Unable to pay reasonable costs for shelter, food, utilities, and transportation because his or her available funds are insufficient.
     (4) "Indirect costs" includes those allowable costs that are generally associated with carrying out the statutory objectives of this chapter, but the identification and tracking of those costs cannot be readily assigned to a specific statutory objective without an accounting effort that is disproportionate to the benefit received. A county legislative authority may allocate allowable indirect costs to its veterans' assistance fund if it is accomplished in a manner consistent with the cost principles promulgated by the federal office of management and budget in circular No. A-87, dated May 10, 2004.
     (5) "Veteran" has the same meaning as defined in RCW 41.04.005 and 41.04.007, and includes a current member of the national guard or armed forces reserves who has been deployed to serve in an armed conflict.
     (6) "Veterans' advisory board" means a board established by a county legislative authority under the authority of RCW 73.08.035.
     (7) "Veterans' assistance fund" means an account in the custody of the county auditor, or the chief financial officer in a county operating under a charter, that is funded by taxes levied under the authority of RCW 73.08.080.
     (8) "Veterans' assistance program" means a program approved by the county legislative authority under the authority of RCW 73.08.010 that is fully or partially funded by the veterans' assistance fund authorized by RCW 73.08.080.