Discrimination against vets won’t be tolerated in Washington

OLYMPIA – When our family members, friends and coworkers are called to war, we wish them a safe return. But for too many veterans, re-entry into society poses its own challenges. Ignorance about post-traumatic stress disorder and displaced anger about Iraq have caused veterans to fight a different enemy: discrimination. But that’s about to change in Washington.

The House today passed Senate Bill 5123, which would extend the state’s discrimination protections to all honorably discharged veterans and active or reserve service personnel. The law currently prohibits discrimination based on race, creed, color, national origin, families with children, sex, marital status, sexual orientation, age, or presence of any sensory, mental, or physical disability. Sen. Steve Hobbs, D-Lake Stevens, a veteran who saw action in Kosovo and Iraq, introduced the measure after observing discrimination firsthand.

“I understand the anger over the Iraq war, but that anger doesn’t justify inappropriate questions about a person’s mental stability,” Hobbs said. “Veterans simply want to return to the society they were willing to fight for.”

The bill was previously approved unanimously by the Senate. It now goes to the governor for signature.

Return to Sen. Hobbs' home page