(1) The department of veterans affairs, employment security department, and department of commerce shall consult local chambers of commerce, associate development organizations, and businesses to initiate a demonstration campaign to increase veteran employment. This campaign may include partnerships with chambers of commerce that result in business owners sharing, with the local chamber of commerce, information on the number of veterans employed and the local chambers of commerce providing this information to the department of veterans affairs.

(2) Participants in the campaign are encouraged to work with the Washington state military transition council and county veterans' advisory boards as defined in RCW 73.08.035.

(3) Funding for the campaign shall be established from existing resources.

(4) For the purposes of this section, "veteran" has the definition given in RCW 41.04.007.

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

Findings—Intent—2015 c 57: "The legislature finds that veterans are national heroes who have made great sacrifices in their lives for the protection of our nation. The legislature recognizes that many of these veterans reside in Washington where there are a high number of military installations.

Over six hundred thousand veterans reside in Washington. The legislature finds that the unemployment rate among these veterans is of great concern, particularly among young veterans. In 2014, the unemployment rate for veterans between the ages of eighteen and twenty-five was approximately twenty-one percent, despite having such diverse and valued skill sets, including expertise in fields such as health care or technology, and strong discipline and leadership abilities.

The legislature recognizes the importance of facilitating and focusing on the hiring of our veterans.

For these reasons, the legislature intends to create a statewide campaign to increase veteran employment in Washington by engaging state agencies, local governments, and businesses." [ 2015 c 57 s 1.]