SECOND REGULAR SESSION

HOUSE BILL NO. 1264

97TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

INTRODUCED BY REPRESENTATIVES CORNEJO (Sponsor), SCHIEFFER, DAVIS AND SOLON (Co-sponsors).

5042L.01I                                                                                                                                                  D. ADAM CRUMBLISS, Chief Clerk

AN ACT

To repeal section 36.220, RSMo, and to enact in lieu thereof one new section relating to state employment of veterans.

Be it enacted by the General Assembly of the state of Missouri, as follows:

            Section A. Section 36.220, RSMo, is repealed and one new section enacted in lieu thereof, to be known as section 36.220, to read as follows:

            36.220. 1. Notwithstanding any provision of law to the contrary, except for elective offices and those provisions for which the Constitution of Missouri specifically provides the method of selection, every department, agency and position of the state government shall comply with the provisions of this section to ensure the state adopts a uniform hiring preference for the initial employment, subsequent employment, promotions, reassignments, horizontal transfers and reduction-in-force situations of veterans, disabled veterans and surviving spouses, as defined in section 36.020.

            2. In any competitive examination given for the purpose of establishing a register of eligibles, veterans, disabled veterans, surviving spouses and spouses of disabled veterans shall be given preference in [appointment and examination] initial employment, subsequent employment, promotions, reassignments, horizontal transfers and reduction-in-force situations in the following manner:

            (1) A veteran, or the surviving spouse of any veteran whose name appears on a register of eligibles who made a passing grade, shall have five points added to his or her final grade, and his or her rank on the register shall be determined on the basis of this augmented grade[.] ;

            (2) The spouse of a disabled veteran, whose name appears on a register of eligibles and who made a passing grade, shall have five points added to his or her final grade, and his or her rank on the register shall be determined on the basis of this augmented grade. This preference shall be given only if the veteran is not employed in the state service and the disability renders him or her unqualified for entrance into the state service[.] ;

            (3) A disabled veteran, whose name appears on a register of eligibles and who made a passing grade, shall have ten points added to his or her final grade, and his or her rank on the register shall be determined on the basis of this augmented grade[.] ;

            (4) Any veteran or disabled veteran who has deployed as a member of the National Guard or Reserve Forces of the United States shall have two and one-half additional points per deployment added to his or her final grade, up to a maximum of five additional points, and his or her rank on the register shall be determined on the basis of such augmented grade;

            (5) If no examination is administered prior to initial employment, subsequent employment, promotions, reassignments, horizontal transfers and reduction-in-force situations, the employer shall give preference to eligible veterans;

            (6) The following offices and positions are not subject to the provisions of this section:

            (a) Notwithstanding any other provision of law, members of boards and commissions;

            (b) Departmental directors;

            (c) Principal assistants designated by the departmental directors;

            (d) Division directors;

            (e) Principal assistants designated by the division directors;

            (f) Principal assistants for boards and commissions appointed by the governor or director of the department;

            (g) Chaplains;

            (h) Persons employed in an internship capacity in a state department or institution as a part of their formal training at a college, university, or business, trade or other technical school;

            (i) Administrative heads of each state medical, penal, and correctional institution;

            (j) Deputies or other policy-making assistants; and

            (k) Special assistants as designated by an appointing authority; and

            (7) An employee of a state agency, in addition to being a veteran, spouse or disabled veteran, shall receive preference when applying for a different job within the same state agency or other state agencies.

            [2.] 3. Any person who has been honorably discharged from the Armed Forces of the United States shall receive appropriate credit for any training or experience gained therein in any examination if the training or experience is related to the duties of the class of positions for which the examination is given.

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