S-3415               _______________________________________________

                                                   SENATE BILL NO. 6421

                        _______________________________________________

State of Washington                               51st Legislature                              1990 Regular Session

By Senators Rinehart, Bender, Thorsness, Rasmussen, McCaslin, DeJarnatt, Moore, Smitherman and Bauer

Read first time 1/12/90 and referred to Committee on  Governmental Operations.

AN ACT Relating to the veterans affairs advisory committee; and amending RCW 43.60A.080.

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 59, Laws of 1987 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 ((fifteen)) sixteen  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, Gold Star Mothers, Submarine Veterans of World War II, and the Vietnam Veterans of America, Incorporated.  The ((eleven)) twelve 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.