Bill Text: TX SB221 | 2019-2020 | 86th Legislature | Introduced

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Bill Title: Relating to the entitlement of spouses of certain veterans with disabilities to a veteran's employment preference.

Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 1-0)

Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2019-02-01 - Referred to Vet Affairs & Border Security [SB221 Detail]

Download: Texas-2019-SB221-Introduced.html

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86R3291 JCG-D
By: Menéndez S.B. No. 221

A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT
relating to the entitlement of spouses of certain veterans with
disabilities to a veteran's employment preference.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
SECTION 1. Section 657.002, Government Code, is amended to
read as follows:
Sec. 657.002. INDIVIDUALS QUALIFIED FOR VETERAN'S
EMPLOYMENT PREFERENCE. The following individuals qualify for a
veteran's employment preference:
(1) a veteran, including a veteran with a disability;
(2) a veteran's surviving spouse who has not
remarried; [and]
(3) an orphan of a veteran if the veteran was killed
while on active duty; and
(4) the spouse of a veteran with a disability if:
(A) the veteran has a total disability rating
based either on having a service-connected disability with a
disability rating of 100 percent or on individual unemployability;
(B) the veteran is receiving Supplemental
Security Income (SSI) benefits under 42 U.S.C. Section 1381 et seq.
or Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) benefits under 42
U.S.C. Section 401 et seq.; and
(C) the spouse was married to the veteran at the
time the veteran separated from the armed services.
SECTION 2. Section 657.003(b), Government Code, is amended
to read as follows:
(b) A state agency shall provide to an individual entitled
to a veteran's employment preference for employment or appointment
over other applicants for the same position who do not have a
greater qualification a veteran's employment preference, in the
following order of priority:
(1) a veteran with a disability;
(2) a veteran;
(3) a spouse of a veteran with a disability as
described by Section 657.002(4);
(4) a veteran's surviving spouse who has not
remarried; and
(5) [(4)] an orphan of a veteran if the veteran was
killed while on active duty.
SECTION 3. Section 657.005(b), Government Code, is amended
to read as follows:
(b) An applicant who is either a veteran with a disability
or a spouse of a veteran with a disability as described by Section
657.002(4) shall furnish the official records to the individual
whose duty is to fill the position.
SECTION 4. The changes in law made by this Act apply only to
an open position with a state agency for which the state agency
begins accepting applications on or after the effective date of
this Act. An open position with a state agency for which the state
agency begins accepting applications before the effective date of
this Act is governed by the law in effect on the date the state
agency began accepting applications, and the former law is
continued in effect for that purpose.
SECTION 5. This Act takes effect September 1, 2019.