House Bill 2203 — Pilot Project to Assist Incarcerated Veterans (Washington, 2024 Regular Session)

Summary

House Bill 2203 of the State of Washington, 68th Legislature, 2024 Regular Session, by Representatives Ryu, Walen, Paul, Reeves, Ormsby, Hackney, Fey, Reed, Taylor, Doglio, Donaghy, Goodman, Leavitt, and Davis. It was read first time 01/09/24 and referred to the Committee on Innovation, Community & Economic Development, & Veterans. The act relates to creating a pilot project to assist incarcerated veterans, adds a new section to chapter 43.60A RCW and provides an expiration date. The text provides for a reentry navigator and a housing subsidy not to exceed $200 per month for up to a 12-month period after release. It requires the department to report to the legislature every year thereafter until the expiration of the pilot project, and states that the section expires June 30, 2030.

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Full text

     H-2463.1

                                HOUSE BILL 2203


     State of Washington       68th Legislature       2024 Regular Session

     By Representatives Ryu, Walen, Paul, Reeves, Ormsby, Hackney, Fey,
     Reed, Taylor, Doglio, Donaghy, Goodman, Leavitt, and Davis

     Read first time 01/09/24.      Referred to Committee   on   Innovation,
     Community & Economic Development, & Veterans.




 1       AN ACT Relating to creating a pilot project to assist
 2   incarcerated veterans; adding a new section to chapter 43.60A RCW;
 3   and providing an expiration date.


 4   BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON:


 5       NEW SECTION. Sec. 1. A new section is added to chapter 43.60A
 6   RCW to read as follows:
 7       (1) Subject to the availability of amounts appropriated for this
 8   specific purpose, the department shall initiate the reintegration
 9   support for incarcerated veterans pilot project. The purpose of the
10   project is to assist incarcerated veterans with reintegration into
11   civilian   life   through   education   and   employment,  decreasing
12   homelessness following release from incarceration.
13       (2) Subject to available appropriations, the state board for
14   community and technical colleges will select a pilot project site
15   located west of the Cascade mountains, with consideration given to
16   Edmonds College. If a second pilot project site is selected, it must
17   be located east of the Cascade mountains.
18       (3) The department of veterans affairs shall coordinate with the
19   department of corrections at least annually to identify all veterans
20   incarcerated within the last 12 months. The department of corrections
21   shall coordinate with the department of veterans affairs to assist
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 1   veterans who are in receipt of federal department of veterans affairs
 2   disability compensation or pension benefits with notification to the
 3   federal department of veterans affairs of their incarceration for
 4   more than 60 days in an attempt to prevent overpayment of veterans
 5   benefits.
 6       (4) The pilot project must support veterans through:
 7       (a) Appointment of a reentry navigator.
 8       (i) The reentry navigator shall coordinate with the department of
 9   corrections at least annually to identify all incarcerated veterans
10   with release dates within 24 months.
11       (ii) The reentry navigator shall contact each incarcerated
12   veteran at least 12 months prior to the veteran's release date and
13   provide the veteran with information on educational opportunities,
14   services, and resources available to the veteran following release
15   from incarceration.
16       (iii) For each incarcerated veteran with a release date within
17   three months who requests to participate in the pilot project, the
18   reentry navigator shall develop a reentry plan. The reentry plan must
19   include an assessment of anticipated living expenses; educational
20   opportunities to train for employment; eligibility for programs such
21   as basic food employment and training, educational benefits through
22   the federal department of veterans affairs, or the incarcerated
23   veterans transition program; and contact information for veterans
24   services, social security, and the department of social and health
25   services in the veteran's county of residence following release.
26       (b) Provision of a housing subsidy.
27       (i) The reentry navigator shall coordinate with the department to
28   develop criteria to determine eligibility for housing assistance.
29       (ii) Each eligible veteran must receive a housing subsidy not to
30   exceed $200 per month for up to a 12-month period after release from
31   incarceration.
32       (iii) Priority shall be given to veterans who apply for
33   enrollment or enroll in an educational institution within three
34   months of release from incarceration.
35       (c) Provision of a reentry subsidy.
36       (i) Each veteran shall receive a reentry subsidy not to exceed
37   $2,000 during the 12-month period after release from incarceration.
38       (ii) The reentry navigator shall coordinate with the department
39   to identify appropriate expenses, including clothing, car insurance,
40   cellular phone, home furnishings, or food.
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 1       (iii) The department shall develop a system to timely pay an
 2   eligible expense.
 3       (5) The pilot project may provide additional support to veterans
 4   through:
 5       (a) Identification of housing opportunities in the veteran's
 6   county of residence following release from incarceration;
 7       (b) Identification of training that may assist a veteran in
 8   effectively transitioning to the community following release from
 9   incarceration; or
10       (c) Provision of support and mentoring, life skills training, and
11   assistance with access to local veterans' services.
12       (6) The department shall coordinate this pilot project with the
13   services offered to veterans by the department of social and health
14   services,   local   mental   health   organizations,   veteran-focused
15   nonprofit organizations, and the federal department of veterans
16   affairs to minimize duplication and assist those veterans most in
17   need of support to avoid homelessness.
18       (7) The department shall report to the legislature by November 1,
19   2025, and every year thereafter until the expiration of the pilot
20   project, on the number of veterans assisted by the project, the
21   number of veterans eligible for the project but unable to
22   participate, and the number of housing subsidies and reentry
23   subsidies provided.
24       (8) For the purposes of this section, "veteran" has the same
25   meaning as in RCW 41.04.007 regardless of discharge status.
26       (9) This section expires June 30, 2030.

                                  --- END ---




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