VETERANS: HIRING PREFERENCE - H.J.R. G: COMMITTEE SUMMARY


House Joint Resolution G (Substitute H-1 as passed by the House)

Sponsor: Representative John Garfield

House Committee: Veterans Affairs and Homeland Security

Senate Committee: Senior Citizens and Veterans Affairs


Date Completed: 10-14-03


CONTENT


The joint resolution proposes to amend Article XI, Section 5 of the State Constitution, which establishes the classified State civil service and the duties and responsibilities of the Civil Service Commission, to require a hiring preference in the classified service for honorably discharged veterans of the United States armed forces. The proposed amendment would have to be submitted to the people of the State at the next general election.


Under Article XI, Section 5, no person may be appointed or promoted in the classified service if he or she is not certified by the Commission as qualified for the appointment or promotion. The joint resolution provides that the Commission would have to require appointing authorities to give qualified applicants who were honorably discharged veterans of the armed forces a preference in consideration for appointments in the classified service.


Article XI, Section 5 also requires the Commission to determine the qualifications of all candidates for classified service positions by competitive examination and performance

exclusively on the basis of merit, efficiency, and fitness. The bill would add to those considerations a person’s status as an honorably discharged veteran of the U.S. armed forces.


BACKGROUND


Rule 2-14 of the Michigan Civil Service Commission’s rules and regulations requires that preference credits be added for veterans as follows:

 

--    Within five years after a veteran’s release from active duty, five preference credit points must be added, upon request, to the final passing score in any eligible examination taken by the veteran.

--    Without regard to time limitations, five preference credit points must be added, upon request, to the final passing score in any eligible examination taken by a veteran’s surviving spouse.

--    Without regard to time limitations, 10 preference credit points must be added, upon request, to the final passing score in any eligible examination taken by disabled veterans, spouses of disabled veterans having greater than 50% disability, surviving spouses of veterans having children under 18 years of age, or surviving spouses of veterans with continued parental care of a disabled child.


A person, other than a disabled veteran, who has retired from any branch of the armed forces is ineligible for the veteran’s preference.Under the rule, “veteran” means a person with 90 or more calendar days of active service in the United States armed forces during any period covered by a selective service law, who has received an honorable discharge or other suitable evidence of honorable active service. A “disabled veteran” is one whom the Veterans Administration or a branch of the military service has determined to be eligible for disability compensation.


 - Legislative Analyst: Patrick Affholter


FISCAL IMPACT


The joint resolution would have no fiscal impact on State or local government.


 - Fiscal Analyst: Bill BowermanS0304\shjrgsa

This analysis was prepared by nonpartisan Senate staff for use by the Senate in its deliberations and does not constitute an official statement of legislative intent.