HOUSE BILL REPORT

SSB 6012

This analysis was prepared by non-partisan legislative staff for the use of legislative members in their deliberations. This analysis is not a part of the legislation nor does it constitute a statement of legislative intent.

As Reported by House Committee On:

Transportation

Title: An act relating to requirements for the issuance of a driver's license that includes a veteran designation.

Brief Description: Concerning requirements for the issuance of a driver's license that includes a veteran designation.

Sponsors: Senate Committee on Transportation (originally sponsored by Senators King, Sheldon, Angel, Rolfes, Van De Wege, Keiser, Hunt, Conway, Chase, Short, O'Ban, Saldaña and Mullet).

Brief History:

Committee Activity:

Transportation: 2/21/18, 2/26/18 [DP].

Brief Summary of Substitute Bill

  • Expands the list of acceptable forms a driver's license (DL) or identicard (ID) an applicant may submit to obtain a veteran's designation.

  • Clarifies the eligibility criteria for a DL or ID veteran's designation by referencing a specific definition of "veteran."

  • Permits the Department of Licensing to supplement the list of documents accepted to establish eligibility for a DL or ID veteran's designation by administrative rule.

HOUSE COMMITTEE ON TRANSPORTATION

Majority Report: Do pass. Signed by 25 members: Representatives Clibborn, Chair; Fey, Vice Chair; Wylie, Vice Chair; Orcutt, Ranking Minority Member; Hargrove, Assistant Ranking Minority Member; Harmsworth, Assistant Ranking Minority Member; Chapman, Gregerson, Hayes, Irwin, Kloba, Lovick, McBride, Morris, Ortiz-Self, Pellicciotti, Pike, Riccelli, Rodne, Shea, Stambaugh, Tarleton, Valdez, Van Werven and Young.

Staff: Jennifer Harris (786-7143).

Background:

Driver's License Veteran's Designation.

A person may obtain a veteran's designation on his or her driver's license from the Department of Licensing (DOL) by providing a Department of Defense discharge document, a DD Form 214 (Certificate of Release or Discharge from Active Duty), that shows a discharge status of "honorable" or "general under honorable conditions" and that establishes the person's service in the Armed Forces of the United States.

Definition of Veteran.

For the purposes of receiving certain state benefits, under state law, "veteran" means every person who has received an honorable discharge, a discharge for medical reasons with an honorable record, where applicable, or is in receipt of a United States Department of Defense Discharge Document, DD Form 214, Report of Separation and Military Service for the Army and Air National Guard (NGB Form 22), or their equivalent or successor discharge paperwork, that characterizes his or her service as honorable, 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, if he or she 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, if he or she has been called into federal service by a Presidential Selected Reserve Call-Up for at least 180 cumulative days;

  4. as a civil service crewmember with service aboard a United States Army transport service vessel or United States Navy transport 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. as a United States documented Merchant Mariner with service aboard an oceangoing vessel operated by the Department of Defense, or its agents, from June 25, 1950, through July 27, 1953, in Korean territorial waters; and from August 5, 1964, through May 7, 1975, in Vietnamese territorial waters; and who received a military commendation.

–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––

Summary of Bill:

To be eligible to apply for a veteran's designation, an applicant must have been discharged under "honorable" or "general under honorable conditions," and must have served in at least one of the capacities listed in the definition of "veteran" under state law noted above.

In addition to the option of providing a DD Form 214, a person may also obtain a veteran's designation on his or her driver's license from the DOL by providing one of the following:

The DOL may augment the list of documents that may be accepted to obtain a veteran's designation by administrative rule, provided the document accepted establishes the applicant's service as required by law and a discharge status of "honorable" or "general under honorable conditions."

–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––

Appropriation: None.

Fiscal Note: Available.

Effective Date: The bill takes effect 90 days after adjournment of the session in which the bill is passed.

Staff Summary of Public Testimony:

(In support) None.

(Opposed) None.

Persons Testifying: None.

Persons Signed In To Testify But Not Testifying: None.