STATE OF NEW JERSEY
214th LEGISLATURE
PRE-FILED FOR INTRODUCTION IN THE 2010 SESSION
Sponsored by:
Senator JOHN A. GIRGENTI
District 35 (Bergen and Passaic)
Senator CHRISTOPHER J. CONNORS
District 9 (Atlantic, Burlington and Ocean)
Co-Sponsored by:
Senators Van Drew, Vitale, Baroni and Greenstein
SYNOPSIS
Expands eligibility for veterans' civil service preference; creates additional preference benefits.
CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT
Introduced Pending Technical Review by Legislative Counsel
An Act concerning veterans' civil service preference and supplementing chapter 5 of Title 11A of the New Jersey Statutes.
Be It Enacted by the Senate and General Assembly of the State of New Jersey:
1. a. Any individual who does not meet the definition of disabled veteran pursuant to subsection a. of N.J.S.11A:5-1, but does meet the definition of disabled veteran in federal law by 5 U.S.C. s.2108 as may be amended and supplemented and receives a passing score on an open competitive examination shall be entitled to ten additional points above the individual's earned score.
b. Any individual who does not meet the definition of veteran pursuant to subsection b. of N.J.S.11A:5-1 but does meet the definition of veteran in federal law by 5 U.S.C. s.2108 as may be amended and supplemented and receives a passing score on an open competitive examination shall be entitled to five additional points above the individual's earned score.
2. This act shall take effect on July 1 next following enactment, and shall apply to persons taking examinations for appointments after that date.
STATEMENT
This bill expands eligibility for veterans' hiring preference in the civil service so that individuals who are eligible for veterans' preference in the federal civil service but are not eligible for preference in the state civil service would receive additional points above the individual's earned score on state civil service examinations.
To receive the additional points, an individual must meet the eligibility requirements in section 2108 of Title 5, United States Code, as may be amended and supplemented. This means that:
-An honorable or general discharge is necessary.
-National Guard and Reserve active duty for training purposes does not qualify for preference.
Under the bill, five points would be added to the passing examination score of an individual who is not eligible for veterans' hiring preference and served:
-During the period December 7, 1941, to July 1, 1955; or
-For more than 180 consecutive days, any part of which occurred after January 31, 1955, and before October 15, 1976; or
-During the Gulf War from August 2, 1990 through January 2, 1992; or
-In a campaign or expedition for which a campaign medal has been authorized, including El Salvador, Grenada, Haiti, Lebanon, Panama, Somalia, Southwest Asia, Bosnia, and the Global War on Terrorism.
Ten points would be added to the passing examination score of an individual who is not eligible for disabled veterans' hiring preference, served at any time, and who (1) has a present service-connected disability or (2) is receiving compensation, disability retirement benefits, or pension from the military or the Department of Veterans Affairs.
The application of this new benefit to disabled veterans who did not serve in a time of war would apply only if an amendment to the constitution were approved by the voters to permit such disabled veterans to receive the benefit.