Under current law, service members whose active duty orders are signed by the governor have fewer protections than those whose orders are signed by the President. This is an injustice to the men and women who put their lives at risk in defense of our nation and our freedom.
This session, 35 House members from both sides of the aisle teamed up with Governor Inslee and Attorney General Ferguson to pass a measure that will ensure our troops carry out their jobs without having to worry about their cars being repossessed, their homes foreclosed on, or their families evicted while they are making great personal sacrifices for our nation.
The legislation, prime sponsored by Rep. Tina Orwall, who serves on the Joint Legislative Committee on Veterans and Military Affairs, strengthens Washington’s Service Members’ Civil Relief Act (SCRA) by:
- Ensuring all military personnel can enforce their rights under the SCRA.
- Making SCRA protections equal to those provided in federal law.
- Authorizing the Attorney General to investigate SCRA violations.
- Ensuring employment and reemployment protections are in place.
With approximately 640,000 veteran residents, Washington state has the 12th largest veteran population in the United States. When combined with the over 62,000 active duty military personnel and members of the National Guard and Reserve, veterans and military personnel account for more than 10 percent of Washington’s total population.
HB 2171 was passed unanimously by the Judiciary committee and will receive a public hearing in the House Appropriations Subcommittee on General Government & Information Technology on February 6.