BILL ANALYSIS                                                                                                                                                                                                    



                                                                  SB 644
                                                                  Page  1

          Date of Hearing:   August 19, 2009

                        ASSEMBLY COMMITTEE ON APPROPRIATIONS
                                Kevin De Leon, Chair

                     SB 644 (Denham) - As Amended:  May 4, 2009 

          Policy Committee:                              Veterans  
          AffairsVote: 9-0
                         P.E.,R.&S.S.                         6-0

          Urgency:     No                   State Mandated Local Program:  
          No     Reimbursable:               

           SUMMARY  

          This bill increases the veterans' preference points provided on  
          open, nonpromotional state civil service entrance examinations  
          as follows:

          1)From 10 to 15 points for disabled veterans.

          2)From 5 to 10 points for all other veterans.

           FISCAL EFFECT  

          Minor absorbable costs for the State Personnel Board (SPB) to  
          modify examination scoring procedures for open, nonpromotional  
          examinations.

           COMMENTS  

           1)Background  .  An open examination is one in which any applicant  
            inside or outside state service, who meets the minimum  
            qualifications, may apply and participate.  For open  
            examinations, current law allows veteran's preference points  
            for disabled veterans of 15 points and 10 points for all other  
            veterans, widows or widowers of veterans, and spouses of  
            disabled veterans.  According to the State Personnel Board,  
            "The purpose of Veterans' Preference Points is to assist  
            returning veterans in their quest to obtain employment with  
            the State of California."

            An open, nonpromotional examination is one in which state  
            employees and other applicants who are successful in the  








                                                                  SB 644
                                                                  Page  2

            examination are placed on one eligible list.  For open,  
            nonpromotional entrance examinations, current law allows 10  
            preference points for disabled veterans and 5 points for all  
            other veterans.

           2)Purpose  .  This bill increases the veterans' preference points  
            provided in open, nonpromotional examinations to match the  
            points provided in open examinations.  According to the  
            author, "Employment is a major stepping stone for veterans to  
            fully reintegrate into society?SB 644 would ensure that  
            returning veterans are given a real opportunity to be  
            incorporated into the workforce and help alleviate the problem  
            of veteran homelessness and unemployment."
           
          Analysis Prepared by  :    Chuck Nicol / APPR. / (916) 319-2081