(1) The director may place a claim against the estate of an incapacitated or deceased veteran who is a veteran estate management program client. The claim shall not exceed the amount allowed by rule of the United States department of veterans affairs and charges for reasonable expenses incurred in the execution or administration of the estate. The director shall waive all or any portion of the claim if the payment or a portion thereof would pose a hardship to the veteran.

(2) The veteran estate management account is hereby created in the custody of the state treasurer. Fees, reimbursements, and grants collected from estates of incapacitated veterans or incapacitated veterans' dependents shall be deposited into the account. Funds in the account shall be expended solely for the purpose of providing financial operating and maintenance support to the veteran estate management program and shall be the sole source of funding for the program. Only the director or the director's designee may authorize expenditures from the account. The account is subject to the allotment procedures under chapter 43.88 RCW, but an appropriation is not required for expenditures.

Severability—2006 c 372: "If any provision of this 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." [ 2006 c 372 s 908.]

Effective date—2006 c 372: "This act is necessary for the immediate preservation of the public peace, health, or safety, or support of the state government and its existing public institutions, and takes effect immediately [March 31, 2006]." [ 2006 c 372 s 909.]