All of the following persons who have been actual bona fide residents of this state at the time of their application may be admitted to a state veterans' home under rules as may be adopted by the director of the department, unless sufficient facilities and resources are not available to accommodate these people:

(1)(a) All veterans of the uniformed services of the United States or merchant marines who meet the discharge requirements under RCW 41.04.007 or are eligible for medical care provided by the United States department of veterans affairs; (b) members of the state militia disabled while in the line of duty; (c) Filipino World War II veterans who swore an oath to American authority and who participated in military engagements with American soldiers; (d) the spouses or the domestic partners of these veterans, merchant marines, and members of the state militia; and (e) parents any of whose children died while serving in the armed forces. However, it is required that the spouse was married to and living with the veteran, or that the domestic partner was in a domestic partnership and living with the veteran, three years prior to the date of application for admittance, or, if married to or in a domestic partnership with him or her since that date, was also a resident of a state veterans' home in this state or entitled to admission thereto;

(2) The spouses or domestic partners of: (a) All veterans of the United States uniformed services with a qualifying discharge as defined in RCW 73.04.005; (b) merchant marines; and (c) members of the state militia who were disabled while in the line of duty and who were residents of a state veterans' home in this state or were entitled to admission to one of this state's state veteran homes at the time of death. However, the included spouse or included domestic partner shall not have been married since the death of his or her spouse or domestic partner to a person who is not a resident of one of this state's state veterans' homes or entitled to admission to one of this state's state veterans' homes; and

(3) All applicants for admission to a state veterans' home shall apply for all federal and state benefits for which they may be eligible, including medical assistance under chapter 74.09 RCW.

Intent—2024 c 146: See note following RCW 73.04.005.

Part headings not law—Severability—2008 c 6: See RCW 26.60.900 and 26.60.901.

Effective date—1993 sp.s. c 3: See note following RCW 72.36.140.

Findings—1993 sp.s. c 3: See RCW 72.36.1601.

Severability—1977 ex.s. c 186: "If any provision of this 1977 amendatory act, or its application to any person or circumstance is held invalid, the remainder of the act, or the application of the provision to other persons or circumstances is not affected." [ 1977 ex.s. c 186 s 12.]