CREATE THE PRIVATE EMPLOYER'S
VETERANS' PREFERENCE POLICY ACT
House Bill 5418
Sponsor: Rep. David Knezek
Committee: Military and Veterans Affairs
Complete to 9-30-14
A SUMMARY OF HOUSE BILL 5418 AS INTRODUCED 3-20-14
House Bill 5418 would create the Private Employer's Veterans' Preference Policy Act to allow private employers to adopt and apply a voluntary veterans' preference employment policy and to create a registry of private employers who adopt such a policy.
Under the bill, the preference policy would need to be in writing and be applied uniformly to employment decisions regarding the hiring and, promotion of veterans, or the retention of veterans during a reduction in the workforce.
The Department of Military and Veterans Affairs and the Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs (LARA) would be required to assist a private employer who adopted the policy in determining whether an applicant or employee is a veteran. LARA would be required to maintain a registry of private employers who notified the department they adopted such a policy.
The bill defines a "veterans' preference employment policy" to mean a private employer's voluntary preference for hiring, promoting, or retaining a veteran over another equally qualified applicant or employee.
The term "veteran" would refer to an individual who meets one or more of the following: (1) served on active duty with the armed forces of the United States for a period of more than 180 days and was discharged or released with other than a dishonorable discharge; (2) was discharged or released from active duty because of a service-connected disability; or (3) was discharged or released from duty with other than a dishonorable discharge from service as a member of a reserve component of the armed forces of the U.S. under an order to active duty, excluding active duty for training.
FISCAL IMPACT:
House Bill 5418, as introduced, would have a negative, yet indeterminate, fiscal impact on the Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs (LARA) to the extent that LARA would presumably support costs to develop and maintain a registry of private employers adopting a veterans' preference employment policy, and possibly a corresponding webpage, out of existing revenues. Additionally, both LARA and the Department of Military and Veteran Affairs (MVA) would presumably support the administrative costs to verify the veteran and discharge status of individuals claiming the employment preference recognized by HB 5418; the extent of these costs would be dependent on the degree to which the employment preference is sought by individuals.
Fiscal Analyst: Paul Holland
■ This analysis was prepared by nonpartisan House staff for use by House members in their deliberations, and does not constitute an official statement of legislative intent.