(1) There is hereby created a joint committee on veterans' and military affairs. The committee shall consist of: (a) Eight members of the senate appointed by the president of the senate, four of whom shall be members of the majority party and four of whom shall be members of the minority party; and (b) eight members of the house of representatives appointed by the speaker, four of whom shall be members of the majority party and four of whom shall be members of the minority party. Members of the committee shall be appointed before the close of the 2005 legislative session, and before the close of each regular session during an odd-numbered year thereafter.

(2) Each member's term of office shall run from the close of the session in which he or she was appointed until the close of the next regular session held in an odd-numbered year. If a successor is not appointed during a session, the member's term shall continue until the member is reappointed or a successor is appointed. The term of office for a committee member who does not continue as a member of the senate or house of representatives shall cease upon the convening of the next session of the legislature during an odd-numbered year after the member's appointment, or upon the member's resignation, whichever is earlier. Vacancies on the committee shall be filled by appointment in the same manner as described in subsection (1) of this section. All such vacancies shall be filled from the same political party and from the same house as the member whose seat was vacated.

(3) The committee shall establish an executive committee of four members, two of whom are members of the senate and two of whom are members of the house of representatives. The executive committee shall appoint one cochair from the two executive committee members who are senators and one cochair from the two executive committee members who are representatives. The two cochairs shall be from different political parties and their terms of office shall run from the close of the session in which they are appointed until the close of the next regular session in an odd-numbered year. The executive committee is responsible for performing all general administrative and personnel duties assigned to it in the rules and procedures adopted by the joint committee, as well as other duties delegated to it by the joint committee.

(4) The joint committee on veterans' and military affairs has the following powers and duties:

(a) To study veterans' issues, active military forces issues, and national guard and reserve component issues, and make recommendations to the legislature; and

(b) To study structure and administration of the department of veterans affairs and the military department, and make recommendations to the legislature.

(5) The joint committee shall adopt rules and procedures for its orderly operation. The joint committee may create subcommittees to perform duties under this section.

(6) The regulating authorities for the department of licensing, the department of health, and the professional educator standards board shall file reports to the legislature annually beginning January 1, 2024, and appear annually before the joint committee on veterans' and military affairs, to provide updates on progress in their efforts to implement the requirements of chapter 18.340 RCW, chapter 32, Laws of 2011, chapter 351, Laws of 2011, and RCW 18.340.040.

Short title—Finding—Intent—2023 c 165: See notes following RCW 18.340.020.