BILL ANALYSIS                                                                                                                                                                                                    






          
          SENATE PUBLIC EMPLOYMENT & RETIREMENT     BILL NO: SB 644
          Lou Correa, Chair            Hearing date: April 27, 2009
          SB 644 (Denham)    as amended  4/13/09      FISCAL:   YES

           STATE EMPLOYEES:  INCREASE VETERANS' PREFERENCE POINTS OF  
          STATE CIVIL SERVICE EXAMS FOR VETERANS WITHOUT PRIOR STATE  
          SERVICE
           
           HISTORY  :

              Sponsor:  author

              Prior legislation:  none


           SUMMARY  :
          
          Would increase veterans' points on state service examinations  
          for veterans without prior state service.


           BACKGROUND AND ANALYSIS  :

          1)   Why do we have veterans' points on state civil service  
          exams  ?

          The committee is advised that  existing law  allows a certain  
          number of points to be given to veterans so that, all other  
          things being equal, state government positions can be offered  
          to veterans.

          2)   What are the existing preference points  ?

          Existing law provides that any veteran who is not already in  
          state service and takes a civil service examination receives  
          an extra  5 points  , unless the veteran is disabled, in which  
          case  10 points  are given.
           
           Veterans already in state service are awarded  10 points  on a  
          civil service exam and  15 points  if disabled.

          3)   This bill  

          David Felderstein
          Date:  4/17/09             Page 1 









           This bill  provides that any veteran who is not already in  
          state service and takes a civil service examination would  
          receive an extra  10 points  , unless the veteran is disabled,  
          in which case  15 points  would be given.







































          David Felderstein
          Date:  4/17/09             Page 2 









           COMMENTS:
           
          1)   Arguments in support  

          According to the author, we need to do all that we can to  
          reintegrate returning veterans into civilian life.   
          Employment is a major stepping stone to fully reintegrating  
          returning veterans into society.

           This bill  would give veterans without any state service the  
          same veterans' points as those in state service.

          2)   SUPPORT  :

               American Legion, Department of California
               Vietnam Veterans of America, California State Council
               Veterans of Foreign Wars, Department of California
               AMVETS, Department of California

          3)   OPPOSITION  :

               None to date






















          David Felderstein
          Date:  4/17/09             Page 3 










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          David Felderstein
          Date:  4/17/09             Page 4