BILL REQ. #:  H-4794.2 

READ FIRST TIME 02/06/04.   

     AN ACT Relating to veterans' relief; amending RCW 73.08.010; creating new sections; providing expiration dates; and declaring an emergency.

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

NEW SECTION.  Sec. 1   (1) It is the intent of the legislature that each county develop programs or procedures that are consistent with the welfare of indigent and suffering veterans and eligible family members of those veterans. These programs and procedures must adequately include the veterans' community at large and provide for the public good. The legislature recognizes:
     (a) The benefits of the veteran's assistance fund and seeks to ensure that future generations of indigent and suffering veterans and their eligible family members have access to the fund and the programs and services that have been established by the individual counties;
     (b) That all thirty-nine counties in Washington state have varying methods of implementing the veteran's assistance fund;
     (c) That each of the counties has administered the fund based on the needs of the veterans in each county;
     (d) That interpretation of the statute governing the fund varies widely from county to county; and
     (e) That chapter 73.08 RCW requires further study and potential future revision to ensure that counties are able to provide assistance according to the best interests of indigent and suffering veterans and their eligible family members.
     (2) The legislature recognizes that counties have continued to modify services to meet the evolving needs of indigent veterans and their families. Nothing in this act is intended to interfere with the veterans' relief programs or procedures of the counties until a full study of those programs and procedures has been conducted.
     (3) The legislature encourages counties to review their programs to provide aid to indigent veterans and to ensure that the amount of aid provided is sufficient to account for inflation in the cost-of-living.

NEW SECTION.  Sec. 2   (1) The legislature recognizes that the current practices of the counties in providing relief to indigent veterans and their families must not be disrupted. Counties, with or without veterans' advisory boards, may continue practices and programs that:
     (a) Provide services to veterans other than financial assistance and aid;
     (b) Allow the use of nonprofit organizations and coalitions to provide indigent veterans' services;
     (c) Allow funding from collections made under RCW 73.08.080 to support current programs providing life changing services; and
     (d) Allow funding from collections made under RCW 73.08.080 to reimburse the county for reasonable administrative costs of providing veterans' services.
     (2) This section expires July 1, 2005.

NEW SECTION.  Sec. 3   (1) The joint committee on veterans' and military affairs, created in RCW 73.04.150, shall conduct a study of matters affecting the administration of the veteran's assistance fund and shall inform the governor and the legislature on its findings. The joint committee on veterans' and military affairs shall meet in the interim preceding the 2005 legislative session to study, investigate, and weigh the options available with regard to providing relief to indigent veterans and their families. The study must include:
     (a) An analysis of the various methods of implementing the fund amongst the counties of Washington state. In conducting this analysis, the committee may consider which of these methods best addresses the needs of present day and future veterans; and
     (b) An examination of whether chapter 73.08 RCW should be amended to better address the needs of indigent veterans and their families.
     (2) Counties, local legislative authorities, veterans' service programs, and other public or private entities that provide services under chapter 73.08 RCW shall provide to the joint committee in a timely manner information concerning the selection, design, implementation, management, costs, performance, and outcomes of possible changes to chapter 73.08 RCW.
     (3) Any recommendations made by the joint committee must be reported to the legislature in the form of suggested legislation prior to the start of the 2005 legislative session.
     (4) This section expires July 1, 2005.

Sec. 4   RCW 73.08.010 and 2002 c 292 s 7 are each amended to read as follows:
     For the relief of indigent and suffering veterans as defined in RCW 41.04.007 and their families or the families of those deceased, who need assistance in any city, town or precinct in this state, the legislative authority of the county in which the city, town or precinct is situated may provide programs and services which advertise the availability of aid under this chapter, and shall provide such sum or sums of money as may be necessary, to be drawn upon by the commander and quartermaster, or commander and adjutant or commander and service officer of any post, camp or chapter of any national organization of veterans now, or which may hereafter be, chartered by an act of congress in the city or town upon recommendation of the relief committee of said post, camp or chapter: PROVIDED, Said veteran or the families of those deceased are and have been residents of the state for at least twelve months, and the orders of said commander and quartermaster, or commander and adjutant or commander and service officer shall be the proper voucher for the expenditure of said sum or sums of money.

NEW SECTION.  Sec. 5   This act is necessary for the immediate preservation of the public peace, health, or safety, or support of the state government and its existing public institutions, and takes effect immediately.