BILL ANALYSIS SENATE PUBLIC EMPLOYMENT & RETIREMENT BILL NO: AB 1729 Lou Correa, Chair Hearing date: June 14, 2010 AB 1729 (Yamada) as amended 3/18/10 FISCAL: YES CIVIL SERVICE EXAMINATIONS: VETERANS' PREFERENCE POINTS HISTORY : Sponsor: Author Prior legislation: AB 2550 (Blakeslee) Chapter 494, Statutes 2006 ASSEMBLY VOTES : PER & SS 5-0 4/07/10 Veteran Affairs 9-0 4/13/10 Appropriations 15-0 4/28/10 Assembly Floor 74-0 5/06/10 SUMMARY : Extends from 6 months to 12 months the amount of time a veteran may receive preference points on employment lists resulting from open nonpromotional civil service examinations. BACKGROUND AND ANALYSIS : 1) Existing law: a) creates the state civil service, a merit system, in which individuals compete, via an examination process, for jobs and promotions. Applicants who successfully compete in open nonpromotional exams are ranked and placed on lists of individuals who are then eligible to be hired. b) allows veterans who have been honorably discharged from military service, national guard members who have served in active duty for at least at least 90 days, widows and widowers of deceased veterans, and spouses of 100% disabled veterans to receive additional points Pamela Schneider Date: 6/7/10 Page 1 (i.e., preference points) added to their exam scores. c) requires veterans and national guard members to submit proof to departments that they are eligible for preference points. d) allows an active member of the armed forces who has passed a civil service exam and been placed on a hiring list-for up to 6 months following the establishment of that list-to qualify for veteran's preference points, have those points added to his or her score, and have the list re-ordered to reflect those additional points as if that individual had those points from the time the list was first established. 2) This bill would allow an active member of the armed forces to qualify for preference points and have those points added to his or her score for up to 12 months after passing a civil service exam and being placed on an employment list. FISCAL IMPACT : According to the Assembly Appropriations Committee analysis, this bill creates minor and absorbable costs to the State Personnel Board (SPB) to modify examination scoring procedures for open nonpromotional examinations. COMMENTS : 1) Argument in support According to the author: A new veteran may not learn within 6 months of being honorably discharged of the availability of preference points. Additionally, if a veteran misplaces pertinent documentation proving his or her service and honorable discharge, it may take more than 6 months to obtain replacement forms from the federal government. Such forms are needed to prove eligibility for preference points. This bill will assist new veterans in re-entering the job Pamela Schneider Date: 6/7/10 Page 2 market by extending their access to preference points for state hiring. 2) SUPPORT : American Legion, Department of California AMVETS, Department of California California Association of County Veterans Service Officers California Peace Officers' Association California Police Chiefs Association Vietnam Veterans of America, California State Council 3) OPPOSITION : None to date ##### Pamela Schneider Date: 6/7/10 Page 3