The bill aims to enhance support and services for veterans in Washington by expanding the veterans service officer program, which assists veterans in identifying and applying for federal benefits. The legislation recognizes that many veterans are unaware of the benefits available to them, despite significant federal funding allocated for veterans' services. The program, initiated in 2019, has already shown success in increasing the number of veterans applying for benefits, and the bill proposes to further expand this program by adding one to two veterans service officers per biennium, particularly in counties with lower benefit uptake. The estimated cost for this expansion is $160,000 per year for each additional county.

Additionally, the bill mandates the Department of Veterans Affairs to provide timely information to veterans about available services and to report biennially on the status of veterans services across the state. The report will include data on the number of veterans in each county, the services available, and the claims filed by veterans service organizations. The bill also amends existing law to redefine "eligible counties" for the veterans service officer program, focusing on those with a lower percentage of veterans receiving federal disability or pension compensation. This comprehensive approach aims to ensure that all counties in Washington are equipped to support their veteran populations effectively.

Statutes affected:
Original Bill: 43.60A.230, 43.60A.235
Substitute Bill: 43.60A.230
Second Substitute: 43.60A.230, 73.08.080, 84.52.043, 84.52.010
Engrossed Second Substitute: 43.60A.230