H-1779              _______________________________________________

                                                   HOUSE BILL NO. 1120

                        _______________________________________________

State of Washington                              50th Legislature                              1987 Regular Session

By Representatives Vekich, Schoon, Walk, Meyers, Cantwell, Baugher, Day, Heavey, B. Williams, Zellinsky, Cooper, Spanel, Prince, K. Wilson, Bristow, Jesernig, Basich, Holm, Winsley and Sanders

Read first time 2/27/87 and referred to Committee on State Government.

AN ACT Relating to veterans affairs; amending RCW 43.60A.080; and making an appropriation.

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

        Sec. 1.  Section 14, chapter 115, Laws of 1975-'76 2nd ex. sess. as last amended by section 1, chapter 63, Laws of 1985 and RCW 43.60A.080 are each amended to read as follows:

          (1) There is hereby created a state veterans affairs advisory committee which shall serve in an advisory capacity to the governor and the director of the department of veterans affairs.  The committee shall be composed of ((fourteen)) fifteen members to be appointed by the governor, and shall consist of two veterans at large, one of whom shall be a Viet Nam era veteran; one representative of the Washington soldiers' home and colony at Orting; one representative of the Washington veterans' home at Retsil; and one representative of each of the following congressionally chartered veterans organizations:  American Legion, Veterans of Foreign Wars, American Veterans of World War II, Korea and Vietnam, Disabled American Veterans, Military Order of the Purple Heart, Marine Corps League, Paralyzed Veterans of America, Incorporated, American Ex-prisoners of War, Veterans of World War I, ((and)) Gold Star Mothers, and the Vietnam Veterans of America, Incorporated.  The ((ten)) eleven members representing each of the foregoing organizations shall each be chosen from three names submitted to the governor by each of the named organizations.  The first members of the committee shall hold office as follows:  Three members to serve two years; three members to serve three years; and three members to serve four years.  The first members appointed to represent the soldiers' home and colony at Orting and the veterans' home at Retsil shall hold office for four years.   Upon expiration of said original terms, subsequent appointments shall be for four years except in the case of a vacancy, in which event appointment shall be only for the remainder of the unexpired term for which the vacancy occurs.  No member shall serve more than two consecutive terms.

          (2) The state advisory committee shall have the following powers and duties:

          (a) To serve in an advisory capacity to the governor and the director on all matters pertaining to the department of veterans affairs;

          (b) To acquaint themselves fully with the operations of the department and recommend such changes to the governor and the director as they deem advisable.

          (3) Members of the state advisory committee shall receive no compensation for the performance of their duties but shall receive a per diem allowance and mileage expense according to the provisions of chapter 43.03 RCW.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 2.     There is appropriated from the general fund to the department of veterans affairs for the biennium ending June 30, 1989, the sum of fifty thousand dollars, or so much thereof as may be necessary, for the purposes of contracting with the Vietnam Veterans of America, Incorporated, to provide services to veterans pursuant to RCW 43.61.030.