BySenate Ways & Means (originally sponsored by Senators Randall, Wilson, C., Takko, Saldaña, Van De Wege, Salomon, Liias, Das, Pedersen, and Nguyen)

AN ACT Relating to promoting access to earned benefits and services for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer veterans; adding a new section to chapter 43.60A RCW; and creating a new section.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 1. The legislature declares that veterans must be able to access and receive the benefits and services they have earned in service to our country without regard to sexual orientation or gender identity. The legislature further declares that connecting lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer veterans to their earned and related benefits and services, and to programs, resources, and information about such benefits and services, promotes the economic security and financial stability of veterans, and their spouses and dependents.

(1) The position of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer coordinator is created within the department.

(2) The duties of the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer coordinator include, but are not limited to:

(a) Conducting outreach to, and providing assistance designed for the unique needs of, veterans who are lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer, and to the spouses and dependents of such veterans;

(b) Providing assistance to veterans who are lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer in applying for an upgrade to the character of a discharge from service or a change in the narrative reason for a discharge from service;

(c) Providing assistance in applying for and obtaining veterans' benefits and benefits available through other programs that provide services and resources to veterans who are lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer, and to the spouses and dependents of such veterans;

(d) Providing assistance to veterans who are lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer in applying for, and in appealing any denial of, federal and state veterans' benefits and aid that such veterans, and the spouses and dependents of such veterans, may be entitled to; and

(e) Developing and distributing informational materials to veterans who are lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer, and to the spouses and dependents of such veterans, regarding veterans' benefits and other benefit programs that provide services and resources to veterans who are lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer, and to the spouses and dependents of such veterans.

(3) No later than December 15, 2021, the department must prepare and submit a report to the governor, the joint committee on veterans' and military affairs, and the appropriate standing committees of the legislature regarding the implementation and status of the position of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer coordinator created under subsection (1) of this section. The report must include, at a minimum, information regarding the following: