BILL REQ. #:  Z-0554.1 

Prefiled 12/20/13. Read first time 01/13/14.   Referred to Committee on Community Development, Housing & Tribal Affairs.

     AN ACT Relating to the veterans innovations program; amending RCW 43.60A.160, 43.60A.175, and 43.60A.185; and repealing RCW 43.60A.165 and 43.60A.170.

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

Sec. 1   RCW 43.60A.160 and 2006 c 343 s 3 are each amended to read as follows:
     (1) There is created in the department a veterans innovations program((, which consists of the defenders' fund and the competitive grant program)). The purpose of the veterans innovations program is to provide crisis and emergency relief and education, training, and employment assistance to veterans and their families in their communities.
     (2) Subject to the availability of amounts appropriated for the specific purposes provided in this section, the department must:
     (a) Establish a process to make veterans and those still serving in the national guard or armed forces reserve aware of the veterans innovations program;
     (b) Develop partnerships to assist veterans, national guard, or reservists in completing the veterans innovations program application; and
     (c) Provide funding to support eligible veterans, national guard members, or armed forces reserves for:
     (i) Crisis and emergency relief; and
     (ii) Education, training, and employment assistance.

Sec. 2   RCW 43.60A.175 and 2011 c 60 s 37 are each amended to read as follows:
     (1) The department may receive gifts, grants, or endowments from public or private sources that are made from time to time, in trust or otherwise, for the use and benefit of the purposes of the ((defenders' fund and the competitive grant)) veterans innovations program and spend gifts, grants, or endowments or income from the public or private sources according to their terms, unless the receipt of the gifts, grants, or endowments violates RCW 42.17A.560.
     (2) The department may adopt rules under chapter 34.05 RCW as necessary to carry out the purposes of RCW 43.60A.160 through 43.60A.185.
     (3) The department may perform all acts and functions as necessary or convenient to carry out the powers expressly granted or implied under chapter 343, Laws of 2006.

Sec. 3   RCW 43.60A.185 and 2010 1st sp.s. c 37 s 924 are each amended to read as follows:
     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.))

NEW SECTION.  Sec. 4   The following acts or parts of acts are each repealed:
     (1) RCW 43.60A.165 (Defenders' fund -- Eligibility for assistance) and 2007 c 522 s 952 & 2006 c 343 s 4; and
     (2) RCW 43.60A.170 (Competitive grant program) and 2010 1st sp.s. c 7 s 115 & 2006 c 343 s 5.