BILL REQ. #:  H-0768.1 

Read first time 01/22/13.   Referred to Committee on Appropriations Subcommittee on Health & Human Services.

     AN ACT Relating to the veterans innovations program; amending RCW 43.60A.185; repealing RCW 43.131.405 and 43.131.406; and making appropriations.

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

Sec. 1   RCW 43.60A.185 and 2010 1st sp.s. c 37 s 924 are each amended to read as follows:
     (1) The veterans innovations program account is created in the state treasury. Moneys in the account may be spent only after appropriation. Expenditures from the account may be used only for purposes of the veterans innovations program. ((During the 2009-2011 fiscal biennium, the funds may be used for contracting for veterans' claims assistance services.))
     (2)(a) If the legislature increases future appropriations for the veterans innovations program above the amounts provided in the 2011-2013 omnibus appropriations act, the additional amounts may be used to provide program grants to any veteran, as defined in RCW 73.08.005. Applicants for such grants, other than members of the Washington national guard and reservists eligible under RCW 43.60A.165, must show evidence of local matching resources before the grant may be awarded.
     (b) If the legislature does not increase future appropriations for the veterans innovations program above the amounts provided in the 2011-2013 omnibus appropriations act, the department shall continue to provide program grants exclusively to members of the Washington national guard and reservists eligible under RCW 43.60A.165.

NEW SECTION.  Sec. 2   The following acts or parts of acts are each repealed:
     (1) RCW 43.131.405 (Veterans innovations program -- Termination) and 2006 c 343 s 10; and
     (2) RCW 43.131.406 (Veterans innovations program -- Repeal) and 2010 1st sp.s. c 37 s 925, 2010 1st sp.s. c 7 s 116, & 2006 c 343 s 11.

NEW SECTION.  Sec. 3   (1) The sum of eight hundred sixty thousand dollars, or as much thereof as may be necessary, is appropriated for the biennium ending June 30, 2015, from the veterans innovations program account-state to the department of veterans affairs for the purposes of the veterans innovations program.
     (2) Fifty thousand dollars of the veterans innovations program appropriation in this section is for the purposes of section 1(2)(a) of this act.