By Willis, Naishtat H.B. No. 216
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
1-1 AN ACT
1-2 relating to the appointment or employment of veterans by public
1-3 agencies.
1-4 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
1-5 SECTION 1. Section 1, Chapter 357, Acts of the 49th
1-6 Legislature, Regular Session, 1945 (Article 4413(31), Vernon's
1-7 Texas Civil Statutes), is amended to read as follows:
1-8 Sec. 1. From and after the effective date of this Act, in
1-9 every public department, commission, board, and government agency,
1-10 and upon all public works of this State, all honorably discharged
1-11 soldiers, sailors, marines, members of the air corps and coast
1-12 guard of the United States, nurses in military service of the
1-13 United States, and all women in military service of the United
1-14 States in the different auxiliary services thereof<, in the
1-15 Spanish-American War, Philippine Insurrection, China Relief
1-16 Expedition, World War I and World War II, or in any other military
1-17 conflict in which the United States of America has been a
1-18 participant, or the war in Korea after June 24, 1950, or the Viet
1-19 Nam conflict after July, 1953, and the widows and orphans of such
1-20 personnel of the Armed Forces of the United States,> who are <and
1-21 have been> citizens of Texas <for not less than five (5) years
1-22 preceding the date of application in pursuance of this Act,> and
1-23 are competent and fully qualified, shall be entitled to preference
1-24 in appointment or employment over other applicants for the same
2-1 position having no greater qualification<; provided, that this Act
2-2 shall not apply or benefit any person who was a conscientious
2-3 objector at the time of his or her discharge from any of the
2-4 military services herein mentioned>.
2-5 SECTION 2. Chapter 357, Acts of the 49th Legislature,
2-6 Regular Session, 1945 (Article 4413(31), Vernon's Texas Civil
2-7 Statutes), is amended by adding Section 9 to read as follows:
2-8 Sec. 9. Employing entities subject to this Act shall
2-9 maintain a record of employment by that entity of personnel subject
2-10 to preference under this Act. Based on these records, the Texas
2-11 Veterans Commission shall prepare and file annually with the
2-12 Legislature of the State of Texas a combined report that states:
2-13 (1) the percentage of the total number of employees
2-14 hired by each employing entity during the reporting period who are
2-15 persons entitled to preference under this Act; and
2-16 (2) the percentage of the total number of each
2-17 employing entity's employees who are entitled to preference under
2-18 this Act.
2-19 SECTION 3. To the extent possible from existing records,
2-20 each entity subject to Chapter 357, Acts of the 49th Legislature,
2-21 Regular Session, 1945 (Article 4413(31), Vernon's Texas Civil
2-22 Statutes), shall compile and report to the Texas Veterans
2-23 Commission the information described by Section 9 of that Act, as
2-24 added by Section 2 of this Act, for the fiscal year ending August
2-25 31, 1993. Based on that information, the Texas Veterans Commission
2-26 shall file an initial report under that section not later than
2-27 December 31, 1993.
3-1 SECTION 4. This Act takes effect September 1, 1993.
3-2 SECTION 5. The importance of this legislation and the
3-3 crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an
3-4 emergency and an imperative public necessity that the
3-5 constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several
3-6 days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended.