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SB 5420

Ensuring access to state benefits and opportunities for veterans, uniformed service members, and military spouses.

2025-2026 Regular Session Introduced by Mike Chapman and 4 co-sponsors

Expands Washington state benefits and hiring priorities to veterans, active uniformed service members, dependents, and spouses, adding federal commissioned corps and airmen.

Effective date 6/11/2026.
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Bill Summary · SB 5420

Summary — SB 5420 (2025): Ensuring access to state benefits and opportunities for veterans, uniformed service members, and military spouses

Overview / Purpose

SB 5420 expands and clarifies eligibility for a range of Washington state benefits and opportunities tied to military and uniformed service. The bill adds federal commissioned corps to state definitions of "uniformed services," broadens the types of military service that qualify veterans, dependents, and spouses for retirement/pension credit, license moratoria, and hiring preferences, and updates several statutory definitions to reflect those changes. The bill includes a legislative finding supporting parity for uniformed service members and hiring preference for veterans and military spouses.

Key provisions (substantive changes)

  • Adds federal commissioned corps (explicitly the U.S. Public Health Service commissioned corps and the NOAA commissioned officer corps) to the statutory definition of "uniformed services" and to the definition of "service member."
  • Updates RCW 38.04.010 to expand terminology (e.g., “member” now refers to a soldier, airman, or guardian).
  • Revises RCW 38.42.010 (definitions used in the Washington Service Members’ Civil Relief Act and related chapters) to clarify who qualifies as a “service member,” define “military service” (calls to active service > 30 consecutive days by federal or state authority), and related terms (dependent, business loan, etc.).
  • Amends RCW 41.18.150 (firefighters): ensures time served in the armed forces or uniformed services (including commissioned corps) can be added to firefighter employment credit, subject to a five‑year cap.
  • Amends RCW 41.20.050 (city police retirement provisions) to expand the types of military service that may be credited toward police retirement eligibility and pensions.
  • Makes conforming amendments across additional statutes listed in the bill (RCW 41.40.170; 43.24.130; 41.04.010; 41.44.120; 73.16.031; 73.16.010; 73.16.051; 73.16.110) and reenacts/amends RCW 41.44.030.
  • Amendment (H-1991.1/H-258) explicitly adds “airmen” in the language on preferential public and permissive private employment, clarifying inclusion of Air Force/air service members.

Who is affected

  • Veterans (including those who served at any time, with a qualifying discharge) — greater clarity/eligibility for state employment preferences and certain retirement/pension credits.
  • Active uniformed service members — including Reserve, National Guard, U.S. Public Health Service commissioned corps, NOAA Corps.
  • Military spouses and dependents — expanded eligibility for license moratoria, certain pension/retirement credit rights, and employment preference in some instances.
  • Public employers and retirement systems (state and local): potential administrative changes to credit calculations and hiring practices.
  • Licensing boards (Department of Licensing and other professional boards): moratorium/inactive status rules may apply to more service categories.

Procedural status & timeline

  • Introduced: 01/22/2025 (Senate). Sponsors: Sens. Lovick, Wagoner, Chapman, Dozier, Nobles.
  • Passed Senate (3/6/2025) — 3rd reading; yeas 48, nays 1. Referred to House committees (TEDV, Appropriations), amended in House, passed House committee(s).
  • 04/27/2025: By resolution, returned to Senate Rules Committee for third reading. Current status: awaiting further Senate action on third reading.

Potential fiscal/administrative impacts

  • The bill may increase pension/retirement costs where additional service credit is granted (notably up to five years in some provisions). Exact fiscal impact would depend on implementation and actuarial calculations by retirement systems; no statewide fiscal note is included here.
  • Administrative changes required for hiring preference implementation, license status processes, and recordkeeping.

Notes

  • The bill broadly seeks parity and expanded recognition of uniformed service in state law, particularly recognizing commissioned federal corps and clarifying statutory language to include air service.
  • Reviewers should consult the specific amended RCW sections cited in the bill for detailed statutory text and any limits (e.g., five‑year service credit cap).

Compiled from official sources — confirm details with the bill’s official record.

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