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7 LONG TITLE
8 General Description:
9 This bill conforms existing statutes to the new definition of a veteran.
10 Highlighted Provisions:
11 This bill:
12 ▸ amends documentation requirements for verification for honorable or general
13 discharges as related to public and private sector employment;
14 ▸ defines discharge documents;
15 ▸ modifies the definition of a veteran for veterans' preference; and
16 ▸ specifies the definition of a veteran for specific areas and positions.
17 Money Appropriated in this Bill:
18 None
19 Other Special Clauses:
20 None
21 Utah Code Sections Affected:
22 AMENDS:
23 34-50-102, as enacted by Laws of Utah 2015, Chapter 263
24 34-50-103, as enacted by Laws of Utah 2015, Chapter 263
25 53B-8-107, as last amended by Laws of Utah 2013, Chapter 214
26 67-19-15, as last amended by Laws of Utah 2015, Chapter 401
27 71-8-2, as last amended by Laws of Utah 2013, Chapter 214
28 71-8-4, as last amended by Laws of Utah 2014, Chapter 91
29 71-8-5, as enacted by Laws of Utah 2013, Chapter 308
30 71-10-1, as last amended by Laws of Utah 2014, Chapter 137
31 71-11-2, as last amended by Laws of Utah 2013, Chapter 214
32 71-11-6, as last amended by Laws of Utah 2005, First Special Session, Chapter 7
33
34 Be it enacted by the Legislature of the state of Utah:
35 Section 1. Section 34-50-102 is amended to read:
36 34-50-102. Definitions.
37 As used in this chapter:
38 [
39
40 [
41 (2) "Discharge document" means a document received by a servicemember upon
42 separation from military service, including:
43 (a) a DD 214, United States Department of Defense Certificate of Release or Discharge
44 from Active Duty;
45 (b) a DD 256, United States Department of Defense Honorable Discharge Certificate;
46 (c) a DD 257, United States General Discharge Certificate; or
47 (d) an NGB 22, Utah National Guard Certificate of Release or Discharge.
48 (3) "Preference eligible" means the same as that term is defined in Section 71-10-1.
49 (4) "Private employer" means the same as that term is defined in Section 63G-12-102.
50 (5) "Veteran" means the same as that term is defined in Section [
51 Section 2. Section 34-50-103 is amended to read:
52 34-50-103. Voluntary veterans preference employment policy -- Private
53 employment -- Antidiscrimination requirements.
54 (1) A private sector employer may create a veterans employment preference policy.
55 (2) The veterans employment preference policy shall be:
56 (a) in writing; and
57 (b) applied uniformly to employment decisions regarding hiring, promotion, or
58 retention including during a reduction in force.
59 (3) A private employer may require a veteran to submit a [
60 document form to be eligible for the preference.
61 (4) A private employer's veterans employment preference policy shall be publicly
62 posted by the employer at the place of employment or on the Internet if the employer has a
63 website or uses the Internet to advertise employment opportunities.
64 Section 3. Section 53B-8-107 is amended to read:
65 53B-8-107. Military member surviving dependents -- Tuition waiver.
66 (1) As used in this section[
67
68 (a) "Federal active duty" means serving under orders in accordance with United States
69 Code, Title 10 or Title 32, at any time on or after September 11, 2001.
70 (b) "Qualifying deceased military member" means a person who:
71 (i) [
72 competent authority and not as a result of the member's own misconduct; or
73 (ii) dies of wounds or injuries received while serving on state or federal active duty,
74 under orders of competent authority and not as a result of the member's own misconduct; and
75 [
76 resident;
77 [
78 September 11, 2001, and a Utah resident; or
79 [
80 (c) "State active duty" means serving in the Utah National Guard in any duty status
81 authorized by the governor under Title 39, Militias and Armories.
82 (2) This section shall be known as the Scott B. Lundell Military Survivors' tuition
83 waiver.
84 (3) A state institution of higher education shall waive undergraduate tuition for a
85 dependent of a qualifying deceased military member under the following conditions:
86 (a) the dependent has been accepted by the institution in accordance with the
87 institution's admissions guidelines;
88 (b) except as provided in Subsection (4), the dependent is a resident student as
89 determined under Section 53B-8-102;
90 (c) the dependent may not have already completed a course of studies leading to an
91 undergraduate degree;
92 (d) the dependent may only utilize the waiver for courses that are applicable toward the
93 degree or certificate requirements of the program in which the dependent is enrolled; and
94 (e) the dependent may not be excluded from the waiver if the dependent has previously
95 taken courses at or has been awarded credit by a state institution of higher education.
96 (4) Notwithstanding Subsection (3)(b), a dependent of a qualifying deceased military
97 member that was a member of the Utah National Guard is not required to be a resident student
98 as determined under Section 53B-8-102.
99 (5) The tuition waiver in this section is applicable for undergraduate study only.
100 (6) The Department of Veterans' and Military Affairs, after consultation with the
101 adjutant general if necessary, shall certify to the institution that the dependent is a surviving
102 dependent eligible for the tuition waiver in accordance with this section.
103 (7) The waiver in this section does not apply to fees, books, or housing expenses.
104 (8) The State Board of Regents may request reimbursement from the Legislature for
105 costs incurred in providing the tuition waiver under this section.
106 Section 4. Section 67-19-15 is amended to read:
107 67-19-15. Career service -- Exempt positions -- Schedules for civil service
108 positions -- Coverage of career service provisions.
109 (1) Except as otherwise provided by law or by rules and regulations established for
110 federally aided programs, the following positions are exempt from the career service provisions
111 of this chapter and are designated under the following schedules:
112 (a) schedule AA includes the governor, members of the Legislature, and all other
113 elected state officers;
114 (b) schedule AB includes appointed executives and board or commission executives
115 enumerated in Section 67-22-2;
116 (c) schedule AC includes all employees and officers in:
117 (i) the office and at the residence of the governor;
118 (ii) the Utah Science Technology and Research Initiative (USTAR);
119 (iii) the Public Lands Policy Coordinating Council;
120 (iv) the Office of the State Auditor; and
121 (v) the Office of the State Treasurer;
122 (d) schedule AD includes employees who:
123 (i) are in a confidential relationship to an agency head or commissioner; and
124 (ii) report directly to, and are supervised by, a department head, commissioner, or
125 deputy director of an agency or its equivalent;
126 (e) schedule AG includes employees in the Office of the Attorney General who are
127 under their own career service pay plan under Sections 67-5-7 through 67-5-13;
128 (f) schedule AH includes:
129 (i) teaching staff of all state institutions; and
130 (ii) employees of the Utah Schools for the Deaf and the Blind who are:
131 (A) educational interpreters as classified by the department; or
132 (B) educators as defined by Section 53A-25b-102;
133 (g) schedule AN includes employees of the Legislature;
134 (h) schedule AO includes employees of the judiciary;
135 (i) schedule AP includes all judges in the judiciary;
136 (j) schedule AQ includes:
137 (i) members of state and local boards and councils appointed by the governor and
138 governing bodies of agencies;
139 (ii) a water commissioner appointed under Section 73-5-1;
140 (iii) other local officials serving in an ex officio capacity; and
141 (iv) officers, faculty, and other employees of state universities and other state
142 institutions of higher education;
143 (k) schedule AR includes employees in positions that involve responsibility:
144 (i) for determining policy;
145 (ii) for determining the way in which a policy is carried out; or
146 (iii) of a type not appropriate for career service, as determined by the agency head with
147 the concurrence of the executive director;
148 (l) schedule AS includes any other employee:
149 (i) whose appointment is required by statute to be career service exempt;
150 (ii) whose agency is not subject to this chapter; or
151 (iii) whose agency has authority to make rules regarding the performance,
152 compensation, and bonuses for its employees;
153 (m) schedule AT includes employees of the Department of Technology Services,
154 designated as executive/professional positions by the executive director of the Department of
155 Technology Services with the concurrence of the executive director;
156 (n) schedule AU includes patients and inmates employed in state institutions;
157 (o) employees of the Department of Workforce Services, designated as schedule AW:
158 (i) who are temporary employees that are federally funded and are required to work
159 under federally qualified merit principles as certified by the director; or
160 (ii) for whom substantially all of their work is repetitive, measurable, or transaction
161 based, and who voluntarily apply for and are accepted by the Department of Workforce
162 Services to work in a pay for performance program designed by the Department of Workforce
163 Services with the concurrence of the executive director; and
164 (p) for employees in positions that are temporary, seasonal, time limited, funding
165 limited, or variable hour in nature, under schedule codes and parameters established by the
166 department by administrative rule.
167 (2) The civil service shall consist of two schedules as follows:
168 (a) (i) Schedule A is the schedule consisting of positions under Subsection (1).
169 (ii) Removal from any appointive position under schedule A, unless otherwise
170 regulated by statute, is at the pleasure of the appointing officers without regard to tenure.
171 (b) Schedule B is the competitive career service schedule, consisting of:
172 (i) all positions filled through competitive selection procedures as defined by the
173 executive director; or
174 (ii) positions filled through a department approved on-the-job examination intended to
175 appoint a qualified person with a disability, or a veteran [
176 accordance with Title 71, Chapter 10, Veteran's Preference.
177 (3) (a) The executive director, after consultation with the heads of concerned executive
178 branch departments and agencies and with the approval of the governor, shall allocate positions
179 to the appropriate schedules under this section.
180 (b) Agency heads shall make requests and obtain approval from the executive director
181 before changing the schedule assignment and tenure rights of any position.
182 (c) Unless the executive director's decision is reversed by the governor, when the
183 executive director denies an agency's request, the executive director's decision is final.
184 (4) (a) Compensation for employees of the Legislature shall be established by the
185 directors of the legislative offices in accordance with Section 36-12-7.
186 (b) Compensation for employees of the judiciary shall be established by the state court
187 administrator in accordance with Section 78A-2-107.
188 (c) Compensation for officers, faculty, and other employees of state universities and
189 institutions of higher education shall be established as provided in Title 53B, Chapter 1,
190 Governance, Powers, Rights, and Responsibilities, and Title 53B, Chapter 2, Institutions of
191 Higher Education.
192 (d) Unless otherwise provided by law, compensation for all other schedule A
193 employees shall be established by their appointing authorities, within ranges approved by, and
194 after consultation with the executive director of the Department of Human Resource
195 Management.
196 (5) An employee who is in a position designated schedule AC and who holds career
197 service status on June 30, 2010, shall retain the career service status if the employee:
198 (a) remains in the position that the employee is in on June 30, 2010; and
199 (b) does not elect to convert to career service exempt status in accordance with a rule
200 made by the department.
201 Section 5. Section 71-8-2 is amended to read:
202 71-8-2. Department of Veterans' and Military Affairs created -- Appointment of
203 executive director -- Department responsibilities.
204 (1) There is created the Department of Veterans' and Military Affairs.
205 (2) The governor shall appoint an executive director for the department, after
206 consultation with the Veterans' Advisory Council, who is subject to Senate confirmation.
207 (a) The executive director shall be [
208 (i) has served on active duty in the armed forces for more than 180 consecutive days;
209 (ii) was a member of a reserve component who served in a campaign or expedition for
210 which a campaign medal has been authorized; or
211 (iii) incurred an actual service-related injury or disability in the line of duty, whether or
212 not that person completed 180 consecutive days of active duty; and
213 (iv) was separated or retired under honorable conditions.
214 (b) Any veteran or veteran's group may submit names to the council for consideration.
215 (3) The department shall:
216 (a) conduct and supervise all veteran activities as provided in this title; and
217 (b) adopt rules in accordance with Title 63G, Chapter 3, Utah Administrative
218 Rulemaking Act, to carry out the provisions of this title.
219 Section 6. Section 71-8-4 is amended to read:
220 71-8-4. Veterans' Advisory Council -- Membership -- Duties and responsibilities
221 -- Per diem and travel expenses.
222 (1) There is created a Veterans' Advisory Council whose purpose is to advise the
223 executive director of the Department of Veterans' and Military Affairs on issues relating to
224 veterans.
225 (2) The council shall consist of the following 14 members:
226 (a) 11 voting members to serve four-year terms:
227 (i) seven veterans at large appointed by the governor;
228 (ii) the commander or the commander's designee, whose terms shall last for as long as
229 they hold that office, from each of the following organizations:
230 (A) Veterans of Foreign Wars;
231 (B) American Legion; and
232 (C) Disabled American Veterans; and
233 (iii) a representative from the Office of the Governor; and
234 (b) three nonvoting members:
235 (i) the executive director of the Department of Veterans' and Military Affairs;
236 (ii) the director of the VA Health Care System or his designee; and
237 (iii) the director of the VA Benefits Administration Regional Office in Salt Lake City,
238 or his designee.
239 (3) (a) Except as required by Subsection (3)(b), as terms of current council members
240 expire, the governor shall appoint each new or reappointed member to a four-year term
241 commencing on July 1.
242 (b) Notwithstanding the requirements of Subsection (3)(a), the governor shall, at the
243 time of appointment or reappointment, adjust the length of terms to ensure that the terms of
244 council members are staggered so that approximately half of the members appointed by the
245 governor are appointed every two years.
246 (4) When a vacancy occurs in the membership for any reason, the governor shall
247 appoint a replacement for the unexpired term within 60 days of receiving notice.
248 (5) Members appointed by the governor may not serve more than three consecutive
249 terms.
250 (6) (a) Any veterans' group or veteran may provide the executive director with a list of
251 recommendations for members on the council.
252 (b) The executive director shall provide the governor with the list of recommendations
253 for members to be appointed to the council.
254 (c) The governor shall make final appointments to the council by June 30 of any year in
255 which appointments are to be made under this chapter.
256 (7) The council shall elect a chair and vice chair from among the council members
257 every two years. The chair and vice chair shall each be [
258 (a) has served on active duty in the armed forces for more than 180 consecutive days;
259 (b) was a member of a reserve component who served in a campaign or expedition for
260 which a campaign medal has been authorized; or
261 (c) incurred an actual service-related injury or disability in the line of duty, whether or
262 not that person completed 180 consecutive days of active duty; and
263 (d) was separated or retired under honorable conditions.
264 (8) (a) The council shall meet at least once every quarter.
265 (b) The executive director of the Department of Veterans' and Military Affairs may
266 convene additional meetings, as necessary.
267 (9) The department shall provide staff to the council.
268 (10) Six voting members are a quorum for the transaction of business.
269 (11) The council shall:
270 (a) solicit input concerning veterans issues from veterans' groups throughout the state;
271 (b) report issues received to the executive director of the Department of Veterans' and
272 Military Affairs and make recommendations concerning them;
273 (c) keep abreast of federal developments that affect veterans locally and advise the
274 executive director of them;
275 (d) approve, by a majority vote, the use of money generated from veterans' license
276 plates under Section 41-1a-422 for veterans' programs; and
277 (e) assist the director in developing guidelines and qualifications for:
278 (i) participation by donors and recipients in the Veterans' Assistance Registry created
279 in Section 71-12-101; and
280 (ii) developing a process for providing contact information between qualified donors
281 and recipients.
282 (12) A member may not receive compensation or benefits for the member's service, but
283 may receive per diem and travel expenses in accordance with:
284 (a) Section 63A-3-106;
285 (b) Section 63A-3-107; and
286 (c) rules made by the Division of Finance pursuant to Sections 63A-3-106 and
287 63A-3-107.
288 Section 7. Section 71-8-5 is amended to read:
289 71-8-5. Veterans' services coordinator qualifications -- Duties.
290 (1) The veterans' services coordinator shall:
291 (a) be [
292 (i) has served on active duty in the armed forces for more than 180 consecutive days;
293 (ii) was a member of a reserve component who served in a campaign or expedition for
294 which a campaign medal has been authorized; or
295 (iii) incurred an actual service-related injury or disability in the line of duty, whether or
296 not that person completed 180 consecutive days of active duty; and
297 (iv) was separated or retired under honorable conditions;
298 (b) have the education and experience in the use of computer technology, including
299 databases, to collect, manage, and store information; and
300 (c) have some education and experience in public relations.
301 (2) The veterans' services coordinator shall be responsible to:
302 (a) identify all government entities that provide services for veterans;
303 (b) develop a process for coordination of veterans' services across all government
304 entities; and
305 (c) develop and provide training for veterans' affairs specialists on the coordination of
306 veterans' services with the department.
307 Section 8. Section 71-10-1 is amended to read:
308 71-10-1. Definitions.
309 As used in this chapter:
310 (1) "Active duty" means active military duty and does not include active duty for
311 training, initial active duty for training, or inactive duty for training.
312 (2) "Government entity" means the state, any county, municipality, local district,
313 special service district, or any other political subdivision or administrative unit of the state,
314 including state institutions of education.
315 (3) "Preference eligible" means:
316 (a) any individual who has served on active duty in the armed forces for more than 180
317 consecutive days, or was a member of a reserve component who served in a campaign or
318 expedition for which a campaign medal has been authorized and who has been separated under
319 honorable conditions;
320 (b) a veteran with a disability, regardless of the percentage of disability;
321 (c) the spouse or unmarried widow or widower of a veteran;
322 (d) a purple heart recipient; or
323 (e) a retired member of the armed forces.
324 (4) "Veteran" means[
325
326
327
328
329
330 68-3-12.5.
331 (5) "Veteran with a disability" means an individual who has:
332 (a) been separated or retired from the armed forces under honorable conditions; and
333 (b) established the existence of a service-connected disability or is receiving
334 compensation, disability retirement benefits, or pension because of a public statute
335 administered by the federal Department of Veterans Affairs or a military department.
336 Section 9. Section 71-11-2 is amended to read:
337 71-11-2. Definitions.
338 As used in this chapter:
339 (1) "Administrator" means a Veterans' Nursing Home Administrator selected in
340 accordance with Section 71-11-5.
341 (2) "Board" means any Veterans' Nursing Home Advisory Board.
342 (3) "Department" means the Department of Veterans' and Military Affairs created in
343 Section 71-8-2.
344 (4) "Executive director" means the executive director of the Department of Veterans'
345 and Military Affairs.
346 (5) "Home" means any Utah Veterans' Nursing Home.
347 (6) "Veteran" [
348 defined in Section 68-3-12.5.
349 Section 10. Section 71-11-6 is amended to read:
350 71-11-6. Eligibility -- Admission requirements.
351 (1) Application for admission shall be made separately to each nursing home
352 administrator.
353 (2) Veterans and their spouses or surviving spouses who are residents of Utah, meet
354 federal eligibility requirements, and are in need of nursing home care may be admitted to any
355 home.
356 (3) Preference shall be given to veterans who are without adequate means of support
357 and unable, due to wounds, disease, old age, or infirmity, to properly maintain themselves.