(1) Subject to the availability of amounts appropriated for this specific purpose, there is hereby created an office of military and veteran legal assistance within the office of the attorney general for the purpose of promoting and facilitating civil legal assistance programs, pro bono services, and self-help services for military service members, veterans, and their family members domiciled or stationed in Washington state.

(2) For the purposes of this section and RCW 43.10.292 and 43.10.294, the following definitions apply:

(a) The term "service member" means an active or reserve member in any branch of the armed forces of the United States, including the national guard, coast guard, and armed forces reserves.

(b) The term "veteran" has the same meaning as defined in RCW 41.04.005 and 41.04.007.

(c) The term "family member" means the spouse or domestic partner, surviving spouse, surviving domestic partner, and dependent minor children under twenty-one years of age of a living or deceased service member or veteran for whom the service member or veteran provided at least one-half of that person's support in the previous one hundred eighty days before seeking assistance of the programs and services authorized by this chapter.

(3) The attorney general may not directly provide legal assistance, advice, or representation in any context, unless otherwise authorized by law, and the attorney general may not provide legal assistance programs, pro bono services, or self-help services to a service member, veteran, or family member being criminally prosecuted.