H-1567.1

HOUSE BILL 2040


State of Washington	64th Legislature	2015 Regular Session

By Representatives McCabe, Caldier, Senn, Harris, McBride, Dent, Johnson, Sells, Kagi, Kilduff, and Wilson

Read first time 02/09/15. Referred to Committee on Community Development, Housing & Tribal Affairs.

AN ACT Relating to increasing employment for veterans; adding new sections to chapter 73.16 RCW; and creating a new section.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 1. The legislature finds that veterans are national heroes who sacrifice their lives for the protection of our nation. The legislature recognizes that many of these veterans reside in Washington where there are a high number of military installations.

Over six hundred thousand veterans reside in Washington. The legislature finds that the unemployment rate among these veterans is of great concern, particularly among young veterans. In 2014, the unemployment rate for veterans between the ages of eighteen and twenty-five was approximately twenty-one percent, despite having such diverse and valued skill sets, including expertise in fields such as health care or technology, and strong discipline and leadership abilities.

The legislature recognizes the importance of facilitating and focusing on the hiring of our veterans.

For these reasons, the legislature intends to create a statewide campaign to increase veteran employment in Washington by engaging state agencies, local governments, and businesses.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 2. (1) The department of veterans affairs, employment security department, and department of commerce shall consult local chambers of commerce, associate development organizations, and businesses to initiate a campaign to increase veteran employment.

(2) Participants in the campaign are encouraged to work with county veterans' advisory boards as defined in RCW 73.08.035.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 3. The Washington department of veterans affairs must maintain a database of state agencies, local governments, local chambers of commerce, associate development organizations, and businesses that have chosen to participate in the campaign to hire veterans.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 4. The definition in this section applies throughout sections 2 and 3 of this act unless the context clearly requires otherwise.

"Veteran" has the same meanings as defined in RCW 41.04.005 and 41.04.007 and includes a current member of the national guard or armed forces reserves who has been deployed to serve in armed conflict.