HOUSE BILL REPORT
HB 1849
As Reported by House Committee On:
State Government & Tribal Relations
Title: An act relating to creation of a work group to study and make recommendations on a monument to honor residents who died in the global war on terror.
Brief Description: Creating a work group to study and make recommendations on a monument to honor residents who died in the global war on terror.
Sponsors: Representatives Orwall, Boehnke, Dufault, Klippert, Shewmake and Paul; by request of Secretary of State.
Brief History:
Committee Activity:
State Government & Tribal Relations: 1/17/22, 1/20/22 [DP].
Brief Summary of Bill
  • Establishes a legislative work group to study and make recommendations on a monument to honor service members who died in the Global War on Terror.
HOUSE COMMITTEE ON STATE GOVERNMENT & TRIBAL RELATIONS
Majority Report: Do pass.Signed by 6 members:Representatives Valdez, Chair; Lekanoff, Vice Chair; Volz, Ranking Minority Member; Dolan, Graham and Gregerson.
Minority Report: Without recommendation.Signed by 1 member:Representative Walsh, Assistant Ranking Minority Member.
Staff: Desiree Omli (786-7105) and Jessica Cable (786-7290).
Background:

State Veteran Memorials.
State law establishes two veteran memorials on the capitol campus, one for state residents who died or are missing-in-action in Southeast Asia, and one honoring state residents who died or are missing-in-action in the Korean conflict.  For the Southeast Asia memorial, the Secretary of State was to coordinate the design, construction, and placement of the memorial.  For the Korean memorial, the director of the Department of Veterans Affairs (DVA) was to coordinate the design, construction, and placement of the memorial.

 

The Legislature also previously authorized the establishment of a World War I and World War II memorial on the capitol campus.  For the World War II memorial, the DVA convened an 11-member advisory committee in 1995 to make recommendations on the type, size, and cost of the memorial and recommend a site on the capitol campus, subject to approval of the State Capitol Committee.

 

The four veteran memorials are erected on the capitol campus.

 

Global War on Terror.
The Global War on Terror is an ongoing international counterterrorism campaign, targeting extremist groups, launched by the United States government after the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks.
Summary of Bill:

A legislative work group (work group) of 13 members is established to study and make recommendations to the Legislature on a monument to honor service members who died in the Global War on Terror.  The work group is chaired by two co-chairs selected by the work group from among its legislative membership and staffed by Senate Committee Services, the Office of Program Research, and staff of the Office of the Secretary of State.  The initial meeting of the work group must be held before July 15, 2022.

 

The work group's membership consists of:

  • the Secretary of State or his or her designee;
  • one member from each of the four major caucuses;
  • the directors of the Department of Veterans Affairs, the Washington State Parks and Recreation Commission, the Department of Enterprise Services, and the Washington State Military Department, or their designee;
  • the State Archivist or his or her designee;
  • one representative of the Capitol Campus Design Advisory Committee that is not the Secretary of State or a legislative member already designated to be part of the work group; and
  • two representatives from veterans organizations, appointed by the Secretary of State.

 

The work group must:

  • recommend individuals to be honored;
  • recommend locations on the capitol campus to construct the memorial;
  • provide potential draft designs;
  • provide information about anticipated funding needs; and
  • recommend an agency, committee, or commission to coordinate the design and construction.

 

The work group must submit a report to the Legislature detailing its recommendations by November 1, 2023.  The work group expires November 1, 2024.
Appropriation: None.
Fiscal Note: Preliminary fiscal note available.
Effective Date: The bill takes effect 90 days after adjournment of the session in which the bill is passed.
Staff Summary of Public Testimony:

(In support) Memorials are part of our collective remembrance and help honor those who have made the ultimate sacrifice.  A treasury account for private donations would help raise money needed to build the monument.

 

(Opposed) None.

 

(Other) Previous memorials on campus were championed by veterans being honored and this one should be the same because it is important that the survivors of the Global War on Terror have a clear voice in how to honor the sacrifices of those service members.  The next steps for this task force include identifying an executive sponsor from the veteran community and acquiring additional funds.
Persons Testifying: (In support) Representative Tina Orwall, prime sponsor; and Steve Hobbs, Office of the Secretary of State.
(Other) Alfie Alvarado, Washington State Department of Veterans Affairs; and Bill Frare, Department of Enterprise Services.
Persons Signed In To Testify But Not Testifying: None.