FINAL BILL REPORT

                  HB 1654

                          C 65 L 99

                     Synopsis as Enacted

Brief Description:  Revising definition of veteran.

Sponsors:  Representatives Kessler and Hatfield.

House Committee on State Government

Senate Committee on Ways & Means

Background:

A veteran is defined as having served during a war or in the direct theater of armed conflict.  A war is described as World War I, World War II, the Korean Conflict, the Vietnam Era, the Persian Gulf War, or any future war as determined by the Congress.  A direct theater of armed conflict is described as the crisis in Lebanon, Panama, Somalia, Haiti, Bosnia, and others.

World War II (WWII) merchant marines and U.S. army transport and naval transportation service vessel  veterans are defined as having served during the period of armed conflict from December 7, 1941, to August 15, 1945.

Federal legislation was passed in 1998 that lengthened the official time period of WWII for qualifying merchant marine and U.S. army and naval transport service vessel veterans from August 15, 1945, to December 31, 1946.

Summary:

The definition of a WWII merchant marine veteran and an army and navy transport civil service veteran is altered to delete the requirement that the veteran served during an armed conflict, and to lengthen the dates of service from August 15, 1945, to December 31, 1946 (consistent with the federal definition of a WWII veteran).

Votes on Final Passage:

House950

Senate430

Effective:July 25, 1999