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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to the entitlement of spouses of certain veterans with |
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disabilities to a veteran's employment preference. |
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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 VETERAN'S |
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EMPLOYMENT PREFERENCE. The following individuals qualify for a |
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veteran's 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; [and] |
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(3) an orphan of a veteran if the veteran was killed |
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while on active duty; and |
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(4) the spouse of a veteran with a disability who 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 100 percent or on individual |
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unemployability and who 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., if the spouse was married to the veteran at the |
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time the veteran separated from the armed services. |
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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 veteran's 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 veteran's 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 of a veteran with a disability as |
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described by Section 657.002(4); |
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(4) a veteran's surviving spouse who has not |
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remarried; and |
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(5) [(4)] an orphan of a veteran if the veteran was |
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killed while on active duty. |
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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 either a veteran with a disability |
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or a spouse of a veteran with a disability as described by Section |
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657.002(4) shall furnish the official records to the individual |
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whose duty is to fill the 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, 2017. |