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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to a state employment preference for certain individuals |
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who reside with veterans with a disability. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Section 657.002, Government Code, is amended to |
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read as follows: |
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Sec. 657.002. INDIVIDUALS QUALIFIED FOR MILITARY |
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EMPLOYMENT PREFERENCE. The following individuals qualify for a |
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military employment preference: |
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(1) a veteran, including a veteran with a disability; |
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(2) a veteran's surviving spouse who has not |
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remarried; |
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(3) an orphan of a veteran if the veteran was killed |
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while on active duty; |
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(4) the spouse of a member of the United States armed |
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forces or Texas National Guard serving on active duty; [and] |
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(5) the spouse of a veteran if the spouse is the |
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primary source of income for the household and the veteran has a |
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total disability rating based either on having a service-connected |
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disability with a disability rating of at least 70 percent or on |
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individual unemployability; and |
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(6) an individual who resides in a household with a |
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veteran if the individual is the primary source of income for the |
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household and the veteran: |
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(A) has a total disability rating based either on |
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having a service-connected disability with a disability rating of |
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100 percent or on individual unemployability; and |
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(B) is receiving Supplemental Security Income |
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(SSI) benefits under 42 U.S.C. Section 1381 et seq. or Social |
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Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) benefits under 42 U.S.C. |
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Section 401 et seq. |
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SECTION 2. Section 657.003(b), Government Code, is amended |
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to read as follows: |
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(b) A state agency shall provide to an individual entitled |
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to a military employment preference for employment or appointment |
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over other applicants for the same position who do not have a |
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greater qualification a military employment preference, in the |
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following order of priority: |
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(1) a veteran with a disability; |
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(2) a veteran; |
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(3) a spouse described by Section 657.002(4) or (5); |
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(4) a veteran's surviving spouse who has not |
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remarried; [and] |
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(5) an orphan of a veteran if the veteran was killed |
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while on active duty; and |
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(6) an individual who resides with a veteran with a |
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disability as described by Section 657.002(6) if the individual is |
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the primary source of income for the veteran's household. |
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SECTION 3. Section 657.005(b), Government Code, is amended |
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to read as follows: |
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(b) An applicant who is a veteran with a disability, a |
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spouse of a veteran as described by Section 657.002(5), or an |
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individual who resides with a veteran with a disability as |
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described by Section 657.002(6) if the individual is the primary |
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source of income for the veteran's household, shall furnish the |
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official records to the individual whose duty is to fill the |
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position. |
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SECTION 4. The changes in law made by this Act apply only to |
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an open position with a state agency for which the state agency |
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begins accepting applications on or after the effective date of |
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this Act. An open position with a state agency for which the state |
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agency begins accepting applications before the effective date of |
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this Act is governed by the law in effect on the date the state |
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agency began accepting applications, and the former law is |
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continued in effect for that purpose. |
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SECTION 5. This Act takes effect September 1, 2025. |