SENATE BILL REPORT
E2SHB 1102
As of March 19, 2025
Title: An act relating to increasing support and services for veterans.
Brief Description: Increasing support and services for veterans.
Sponsors: House Committee on Appropriations (originally sponsored by Representatives Shavers, Ryu, Leavitt, Callan, Simmons, Goodman, Wylie, Nance, Fosse and Reeves).
Brief History: Passed House: 3/5/25, 96-1.
Committee Activity: State Government, Tribal Affairs & Elections: 3/21/25.
Brief Summary of Bill
  • Requires the Washington Department of Veterans Affairs (WDVA) to provide information to recently discharged veterans about veterans benefits and services.
  • Changes the definition of an eligible county under the Veterans Service Officer Program (Program) from a county with a population of 100,000 or less to a county where the percentage of the veteran population receiving federal disability or pension compensation is below the national average. 
  • Prioritizes counties with the lowest percentage of veterans receiving benefits for the Program.
  • Requires WDVA to provide reports every two years including county-specific information about the number of resident veterans and services available.
SENATE COMMITTEE ON STATE GOVERNMENT, TRIBAL AFFAIRS & ELECTIONS
Staff: William Bridges (786-7312)
Background:

Veterans Service Officers. Veterans Service Officers (VSOs) assist veterans and their families in applying for a wide range of veterans’ benefits, such as health care, service-connected disability compensation, employment benefits, and survivors’ benefits provided by the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs. 


In 2019, the Legislature created the Veterans Service Officer Program (Program), within the Washington Department of Veterans Affairs (WDVA), to provide funding for underserved counties to establish and maintain a VSO. Underserved counties are those with populations of 100,000 or less, which was 25 counties as of 2023. Because the Program is subject to appropriation, it is funding one VSO in each of the following six counties: Asotin, Clallam, Island, Skamania, Stevens, and Walla Walla.


There are 17 other counties that have county VSOs primarily funded by local property taxes. These counties maintain agreements with WDVA, allowing WDVA to provide in-kind support services, such as accreditation and training. Eight federally recognized Indian tribes have similar agreements with WDVA: the Cowlitz Indian Tribe, the Makah Tribe, the Nooksack Indian Tribe, the Port Gamble S'Klallam Tribe, the Suquamish Tribe, the Snoqualmie Indian Tribe, the Tulalip Tribes, and the Yakama Nation.


Average Number of Veterans Receiving Compensation. The national average for veterans receiving federal disability or pension compensation is 32 percent. The state average is 31 percent, with 25 counties below the national average.
Summary of Bill:

Requiring the Provision of Information to Veterans.  WDVA must contact discharged veterans within 90 days after receiving a discharge notice from the Department of Defense and provide information about benefits and services available to veterans.

 

Expanding the Veterans Service Officer Program. The definition of an eligible county to participate in the Program is changed from a county with a population of 100,000 or less to a county where the percentage of the veteran population receiving federal disability or pension compensation is below the national average. WDVA is required to prioritize VSOs for counties where the percentage of the veteran population receiving federal disability or pension compensation is lowest, and then to eligible counties without a VSO. The Legislature intends to expand the Program by one or two VSOs per biennium.

 

WDVA may adopt rules and must require that any county participating in the Program allow veterans residing in an adjacent county access to a VSO funded by the Program.

 

Requiring Reports. Beginning in December 2026, and every two years thereafter, WDVA is required to report on services available to veterans to the Governor and the Legislature and provide, among other things, information on the number of veterans residing in each county, the available services in each county, and each county where the veteran population receiving services is below the national average. 

 

Legislative Findings. Various legislative findings are made, including the number of underserved veterans and the critical role VSOs have in assisting veterans.
Appropriation: None.
Fiscal Note: Available.
Creates Committee/Commission/Task Force that includes Legislative members: No.
Effective Date: Ninety days after adjournment of session in which bill is passed.