HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                      Olympia, Washington

Bill Analysis      Bill No. HCR 4402

Establishing Veterans/Military Affairs Task Force         Public Hrg:  3/13/97

Brief Title

Reps. D. Schmidt/D. Sommers/Conway                   Staff Contact: S Lundin

Sponsor                                    Comm. on Govt. Admin.

                                           Phone: 786-7127

BACKGROUND:

A number of federal military bases are located in the state.  The state Military Department includes the Washington National Guard.  The state and counties provide various benefits and programs for veterans.

SUMMARY:

The Veterans and Military Affairs Task Force is created to report to the Legislature before the 1998 legislative session on the current status of veterans and military affairs in the state.  The task force shall establish an advisory group of all interested parties and have access to and the assistance of legislative staff and employees of state agencies, as necessary to perform the study and develop recommendations.

The task force is composed of seven members as follows: (1) Two members of the Senate, one from each caucuses, appointed by the President of the Senate; (2) two members of the House of Representatives, one from each of the caucuses, appointed by the Speaker; (3) one member appointed by the Washington National Guard; (4) one member appointed by the Department of Veterans Affairs; and (5) one member to represent the federal military installations in the state appointed by joint action of the President of the Senate and Speaker of the House of Representatives.