H.B. 222

             1     

VETERAN'S PREFERENCE AMENDMENTS

             2     
2014 GENERAL SESSION

             3     
STATE OF UTAH

             4     
Chief Sponsor: Val L. Peterson

             5     
Senate Sponsor: Peter C. Knudson

             6     
             7      LONG TITLE
             8      General Description:
             9          This bill makes all ranks of military officers eligible for veteran's preference points and
             10      changes Utah's percentage-based preference process.
             11      Highlighted Provisions:
             12          This bill:
             13          .    modifies a definition of "preference eligible" to include all ranks of officers; and
             14          .    converts Utah's percentage-based scoring process to match the federal government's
             15      points-based preference process.
             16      Money Appropriated in this Bill:
             17          None
             18      Other Special Clauses:
             19          None
             20      Utah Code Sections Affected:
             21      AMENDS:
             22           71-10-1 , as last amended by Laws of Utah 2011, Chapter 366
             23           71-10-2 , as last amended by Laws of Utah 2011, Chapter 366
             24     
             25      Be it enacted by the Legislature of the state of Utah:
             26          Section 1. Section 71-10-1 is amended to read:
             27           71-10-1. Definitions.


             28          As used in this chapter:
             29          (1) "Active duty" means active military duty and does not include active duty for
             30      training, initial active duty for training, or inactive duty for training.
             31          (2) "Government entity" means the state, any county, municipality, local district,
             32      special service district, or any other political subdivision or administrative unit of the state,
             33      including state institutions of education.
             34          (3) "Preference eligible" means:
             35          (a) any individual who has served on active duty in the armed forces for more than 180
             36      consecutive days, or was a member of a reserve component who served in a campaign or
             37      expedition for which a campaign medal has been authorized and who has been separated under
             38      honorable conditions;
             39          (b) a veteran with a disability, regardless of the percentage of disability;
             40          (c) the spouse or unmarried widow or widower of a veteran;
             41          (d) a purple heart recipient; or
             42          (e) a retired member of the armed forces [who retired below the rank of major or its
             43      equivalent].
             44          (4) "Veteran" means:
             45          (a) an individual who has served on active duty in the armed forces for more than 180
             46      consecutive days, or was a member of a reserve component who served in a campaign or
             47      expedition for which a campaign medal has been authorized and who has been separated or
             48      retired under honorable conditions; or
             49          (b) any individual incurring an actual service-related injury or disability in the line of
             50      duty whether or not that person completed 180 consecutive days of active duty.
             51          (5) "Veteran with a disability" means an individual who has:
             52          (a) been separated or retired from the armed forces under honorable conditions; and
             53          (b) established the existence of a service-connected disability or is receiving
             54      compensation, disability retirement benefits, or pension because of a public statute
             55      administered by the federal Department of Veterans Affairs or a military department.
             56          Section 2. Section 71-10-2 is amended to read:
             57           71-10-2. Veteran's preference.
             58          (1) Each government entity shall grant a veteran's preference upon initial hiring to each


             59      preference eligible veteran or preference eligible spouse according to the procedures and
             60      requirements of this chapter.
             61          (2) The personnel officer of any government entity shall add to the score of a
             62      preference eligible who receives a passing score on an examination, or any rating or ranking
             63      mechanism used in selecting an individual for any career service position with the government
             64      entity:
             65          (a) [5% of the total possible score] five points, if the preference eligible is a veteran;
             66          (b) [10% of the total possible score] 10 points, if the preference eligible is a veteran
             67      with a disability or a purple heart recipient; or
             68          (c) in the case of a preference eligible spouse, widow, or widower, the same
             69      [percentage] points the qualifying veteran is, or would have been, entitled to.
             70          (3) A preference eligible who applies for a position that does not require an
             71      examination, or where examination results are other than a numeric score, shall be given
             72      preference in interviewing and hiring for the position.




Legislative Review Note
    as of 1-29-14 5:45 PM


Office of Legislative Research and General Counsel


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