WASHINGTON STATE

Washington State House Democrats

HOUSE DEMOCRATS

Statement by Rep. Kilduff: Governor’s signature on new law means hope for veterans

There’s exciting news for veterans: Gov. Jay Inslee has signed a law protecting your G.I. Bill benefits here in Washington.

A glitch in federal laws meant up to 20,000 vets and their families could have lost their funding to get a college degree unless Washington state changed how we legally define “resident student.”

It’s wrong that a technicality could have stopped brave men and women from using a benefit they earned through hard work and sacrifice while serving our country.

I’m proud to have sponsored this law in the House of Representatives, where lawmakers from both parties and every corner of the state supported it. They voted House Bill 1825 out of the House four times this year: 98-0, 95-0, 89-0 and 97-0.

 Rep. Christine Kilduff speaking on the floor of the House on National Guard Day

Now that the companion bill finally got out of the senate, Gov. Inslee quickly signed it into law.

With so many veterans at JBLM, Bremerton and elsewhere, this is great news for those heroes and their families, and great news for the economy of our state, because we need more highly skilled, highly motivated workers – which is exactly who our veterans are.

Rep. Christine Kilduff (D-University Place)