BILL REQ. #:  H-1286.1 

Read first time 02/11/13.   Referred to Committee on Community Development, Housing & Tribal Affairs.

     AN ACT Relating to the definition of veteran for purposes of veterans' assistance programs; and amending RCW 41.04.007 and 73.08.005.

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

Sec. 1   RCW 41.04.007 and 2010 c 161 s 1105 are each amended to read as follows:
     "Veteran" includes every person, who at the time he or she seeks the benefits of RCW 46.18.212, 46.18.235, 72.36.030, 41.04.010, 73.04.090, ((73.08.010, 73.08.070, 73.08.080,)) or 43.180.250 has received an honorable discharge or received a discharge for medical reasons with an honorable record, where applicable, and who has served in at least one of the following capacities:
     (1) As a member in any branch of the armed forces of the United States, including the national guard and armed forces reserves, and has fulfilled his or her initial military service obligation;
     (2) As a member of the women's air forces service pilots;
     (3) As a member of the armed forces reserves, national guard, or coast guard, and has been called into federal service by a presidential select reserve call up for at least one hundred eighty cumulative days;
     (4) As a civil service crewmember with service aboard a U.S. army transport service or U.S. naval transportation service vessel in oceangoing service from December 7, 1941, through December 31, 1946;
     (5) As a member of the Philippine armed forces/scouts during the period of armed conflict from December 7, 1941, through August 15, 1945; or
     (6) A United States documented merchant mariner with service aboard an oceangoing vessel operated by the department of defense, or its agents, from both June 25, 1950, through July 27, 1953, in Korean territorial waters and from August 5, 1964, through May 7, 1975, in Vietnam territorial waters, and who received a military commendation.

Sec. 2   RCW 73.08.005 and 2011 1st sp.s. c 36 s 17 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, aged, blind, or disabled assistance benefits, pregnant women assistance benefits, poverty-related veterans' benefits, food stamps or food stamp benefits transferred electronically, refugee resettlement benefits, medicaid, medical care services, 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)) in addition may include, at the discretion of the county legislative authority and in consultation with the veterans' advisory board, any other person who at the time he or she seeks the benefits of RCW 73.08.010, 73.08.070, and 73.08.080:
     (a) Is a current member of the national guard or armed forces reserves who has been deployed to serve in an armed conflict;
     (b) Has served for a minimum of at least one hundred eighty consecutive days on active duty and who has received a general discharge under honorable conditions; or
     (c) Has served less than one hundred eighty days and has received a medical or physical discharge under honorable conditions.
     (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.