BILL ANALYSIS

S.B. 389

By: Rodríguez

Defense & Veterans' Affairs

Committee Report (Unamended)

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE

Interested parties note that, in an effort to increase employment opportunities for veterans of the armed forces among others, the Texas Workforce Commission serves as the central processing agency for certain job vacancies and placements with the state. It is further noted that in 2014 only a small percentage of state employees were veterans, and it is suggested that including in state job postings information about military experience applicable to the posted job might increase the number of veterans hired. S.B. 389 seeks to improve the opportunity to obtain a state job for veterans.

CRIMINAL JUSTICE IMPACT

It is the committee's opinion that this bill does not expressly create a criminal offense, increase the punishment for an existing criminal offense or category of offenses, or change the eligibility of a person for community supervision, parole, or mandatory supervision.

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

S.B. 389 amends the Government Code to require the classification officer in the office of the state auditor, each state fiscal biennium, to research and identify the military occupational specialty code for each branch of the United States armed forces that corresponds to each position contained in the state's position classification plan and to report the officer's findings in the same manner as provided by the Position Classification Act for the officer's biennial report of certain salary rate study findings. The bill authorizes the classification officer to request the assistance of the Texas Veterans Commission in performing a duty required by the bill's provisions and requires the commission to provide the requested assistance. The bill requires a state agency to include on all forms and notices related to a state agency employment opening the military occupational specialty code for each branch of the United States armed forces identified by the classification officer that corresponds to the employment opening if the duties of the available position correlate with a military occupational specialty and requires a form prescribed by the Texas Workforce Commission (TWC) for information from state agencies necessary for the TWC to serve as a central processing agency for state agency job opportunities in Travis County to include a space for a state agency to list a military occupational specialty code.

EFFECTIVE DATE

September 1, 2015.