C.S.H.B. 76 78(R) BILL ANALYSIS C.S.H.B. 76 By: Wise Defense Affairs and State-Federal Relations Committee Report (Substituted) BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE Veterans represent an important part of the overall demographics population of Texas, including the workforce area. About 1.6 million veterans reside in Texas, making it the second largest veteran population among the fifty states. Many times, employers are somewhat reluctant to hire newlydischarged veterans because they have been away from "formal employment" for so many years. C.S.H.B. 76 would encourage state agencies to give preference to military veterans in their employment by asking them to prepare and make available for public inspection a statement of measures taken to ensure employment preferences to veterans and remedies entitled to the veteran if the individual is not hired or appointed for a position with the entity. RULEMAKING AUTHORITY It is the committee's opinion that this bill does not expressly grant any additional rulemaking authority to a state officer, department, agency, or institution. ANALYSIS SECTION 1. C.S.H.B. 76 requires public entities to prepare and make available for public inspection a statement of: (1) any measures taken by the entity to ensure that veterans receive the employment preference required by this chapter; and (2) any remedies available through the entity for an individual entitled to a hiring preference under this chapter if the individual is not hired or appointed for a position with the entity. SECTION 2. Effective Date - This Act takes effect September 1, 2003, unless is receives the votes necessary for immediate effect. COMPARISON OF ORIGINAL TO SUBSTITUTE The Substitute modifies the original version of the bill only in that it is a Legislative Council draft. No differences exist between versions.