Regional News

Maycumber bill to help veterans access services receives public hearing

Jan 31, 2019

Legislation designed to help veterans access the services and programs they have earned, and are entitled to, received a public hearing in Olympia.

“It is vitally important to connect our veterans to the many services available to them,” said Rep. Jacquelin Maycumber, R-Republic and sponsor of the bill. “These are services and programs that our veterans have earned through their own service and sacrifice. Our region has a particular need as we see more and more veterans settling in our area once they leave the military.”

Maycumber's bill, House Bill 1448, creates the Veterans Service Officer Program along with a funding mechanism to establish a veterans service officer within underserved counties. Along with some public money, donations and other private monies would be deposited into an account to fund the program.

“This gets to the heart of so many issues our veterans and our communities face,” said Maycumber. “Mental health, homelessness, attainable housing, health care – these are all areas where veterans can receive a helping hand. We just need to do our utmost to ensure that not one veteran gets left behind.”

Maycumber's bill received a public hearing in the House Committee on Housing, Community Development and Veterans Wednesday. It is scheduled for possible executive action on Friday, Feb. 1.

The 105-day 2019 legislative session is scheduled to end April 28.