Vets

1189  Providing relief for indigent veterans and their families.

2005-2006 Session

Summary

Veterans’ relief provisions are modified or repealed and new provisions are specified. A

summary of the new, amended, and repealed provisions is as follows:

  • Veterans’ Relief – General Provisions
  • Each county legislative authority (legislative authority) must establish a veterans’ assistance
  • program to address the relief needs of qualifying local indigent veterans and their families.
  • The legislative authority must consult with and solicit recommendations from the applicable
  • veterans’ advisory board to determine the appropriate services needed for local indigent
  • veterans. Veterans’ assistance programs must at least partially be funded by the veterans’
  • assistance fund established in the county.
  • Legislative authorities may authorize other entities to administer veterans’ assistance programs
  • through grants, contracts, or interlocal agreements. If this authorization is exercised, the terms
  • of the grant, contract, or interlocal agreement must specify certain provisions, including the
  • details of the program, the costs and sources of funding, insurance or bond requirements, and
  • the format and frequency of reports. Counties exercising this authorization should, to the
  • extent feasible and consistent with specified relief provisions, ensure that a local branch of a
  • nationally recognized veterans’ service organization is the initial point of contact for a veteran
  • or family member seeking assistance.
  • Counties may authorize the continued operation of veterans’ relief or assistance programs
  • existing on January 1, 2005, if the county solicits advice from the applicable veterans’ advisory
  • board and satisfies specified grant, contractual, or interlocal agreement requirements.

Veterans’ Advisory Board

The legislative authority of each county must establish a veterans’ advisory board to advise the authority on the needs of local indigent veterans, the resources available to such veterans, and programs that could benefit the needs of these veterans and their families. Legislative authorities must solicit representatives for the board from either local branches of nationally recognized veterans’ service organizations or the veterans’ community at large, or both. A majority of the board members must be members from nationally recognized veterans’ service

House Bill Report – 2 – SHB 1189 organizations. Only veterans may serve as board members. Service on the board is voluntary, but the county may provide reimbursements for expenses incurred.

Burial and Cremation Provisions

Each legislative authority must designate a proper authority to be responsible, at the expense of the county, for the burial or cremation of any qualifying deceased indigent veteran or family member who died without leaving sufficient means to defray funeral expenses. The burial or cremation may not exceed the limit established by the county nor be less than $300. Relatives or friends of the deceased may be recipients of the defrayal funds from the county auditor or qualifying chief financial officer if specified requirements are met. Expenses incurred for the burial or cremation of a qualifying deceased veteran or family member must be paid from the veterans’ assistance fund.

Financial Provisions and Direct and Indirect Costs

Expenditures from the veterans’ assistance fund and interest earned on balances from the fund may only be used for:

  • authorized veterans’ assistance programs;
  • the burial or cremation of a qualifying veteran or family member; and
  • qualifying direct and indirect costs incurred in the administration of the fund.

The direct and indirect fund administration costs must be computed by the county auditor or qualifying chief financial officer not less than annually. Following this computation, an amount equal to these costs may then be transferred from the assistance fund to the county current expense fund. The Department of Social and Health Services must exempt payments provided from veterans’ assistance programs when determining eligibility for public assistance.

Definitions

Definitions of terms pertaining to veterans’ relief are specified or modified. Examples include:

“Veteran” is defined by referencing existing definitions specifying, in part, that the term

  • includes every person who, at the time he or she seeks certain benefits, has received an
  • honorable discharge or a discharge for physical or medical reasons with an honorable
  • record, and who has served in specified capacities.

Family” is defined as the spouse, widow, widower, and dependent children of a living or deceased veteran.

“Indigent” is defined, in part, as a person who is defined as such by the county legislative authority in accordance with specified criteria.