Senate committee hears bill to expand which uniformed services qualify veterans for state benefits

Senate staff and witnesses told the Technology, Economic Development and Veterans Committee on March 18 that Senate Bill 5420 would update Washington law to recognize newer and nontraditional uniformed services when calculating state retirement and other benefits.

Martha Whaling, staff to the committee, said the bill would expand the type of military service counted for firefighter, police, Public Employees' Retirement System (PERS 1) and city employee retirement benefits and would add other state benefits that use military service in their eligibility rules. "The bill before you today, Senate Bill 5,420, expands eligibility for pension and retirement benefits and veterans benefits based on military service and adds additional types of military service to the definitions," Whaling said.

The measure would explicitly include the U.S. Space Force (established 2019) and two federal uniformed services—the U.S. Public Health Service Commissioned Corps and the NOAA Commissioned Officer Corps—in the definitions used by several state programs. Tammy Perot, who identified herself as representing the Department of Defense, told the committee the additions would extend protections such as eligibility under the state's service members' civil relief law, retirement crediting, license extensions and hiring preferences to those service members and to military spouses.

Whaling summarized additional provisions in the bill analysis, including removing the requirement that a veteran have received a campaign ribbon for certain benefits and expanding who qualifies for spouse preference in public and permissive private employment. She also noted statutory definition changes so that "member of the militia in military affairs" and "service member" definitions expressly include guardians (Space Force members) and the two uniformed services respectively.

Sen. John Lubbock, speaking as a sponsor and proponent, credited work with national partners and urged the committee to advance the bill. Perot called it a "common-sense policy proposal that modernizes our state statute to support all of those who serve in uniform" and said it would help address military spouse unemployment by enabling preferential hiring practices.

Committee discussion noted one committee amendment to the House companion bill that would define a qualifying discharge for preferential public and private employment so that discharges characterized as honorable, general under honorable, or any characterization when the discharge was based on sexual orientation or gender identity would qualify. Whaling confirmed that difference between the Senate and House versions.

The hearing closed after two invited witnesses testified in support. No committee vote was taken during the March 18 hearing.

The bill and accompanying analysis include several cross-references to retirement systems and state licensing processes; staff told the committee these details are spelled out in the bill analysis rather than in oral testimony. The committee indicated it intends to consider the committee-level amendment that was attached to the House version.

Senate Bill 5420 was considered in a public hearing; the committee did not record a final vote on the bill during this session's hearing.