S-3272               _______________________________________________

                                                   SENATE BILL NO. 4444

                        _______________________________________________

State of Washington                              49th Legislature                              1986 Regular Session

By Senator Benitz

Prefiled with Secretary of the Senate 12/18/85.  Read first time 1/13/86 and referred to Committee on Governmental Operations.

AN ACT Relating to public employment; amending RCW 41.04.010; and declaring an emergency.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON:

        Sec. 1.  Section 1, chapter 189, Laws of 1945 as last amended by section 1, chapter 170, Laws of 1974 ex. sess. and RCW 41.04.010 are each amended to read as follows:

          In all competitive examinations, unless otherwise provided herein, to determine the qualifications of applicants for public offices, positions or employment, the state, and all of its political subdivisions and all municipal corporations, shall give a preference status to all veterans as defined in RCW 41.04.005, by adding to the passing mark, grade or rating only, based upon a possible rating of one hundred points as perfect a percentage in accordance with the following:

          (1) Ten percent to a veteran who is not receiving any veterans retirement payments and said percentage shall be utilized in said veteran's competitive examination and not in any promotional examination until one of such examinations results in said veteran's first appointment:  PROVIDED, That said percentage shall not be utilized in any promotional examination;

          (2) Five percent to a veteran who is receiving any veterans retirement payments and said percentage shall be utilized in said veteran's competitive examination only and not in any promotional examination until one of such examinations results in said veteran's first appointment:  PROVIDED, That said percentage shall not be utilized in any promotional examination;

          (3) Five percent to a veteran who, after having previously received employment with the state or any of its political subdivisions or municipal corporations, shall be called, or recalled, to active military service for a period of one year, or more, during any period of war, for his first promotional examination only, upon compliance with RCW 73.16.035 as it now exists or may hereafter be amended;

          (4) There shall be no examination preferences other than those which have been specifically provided for above and all preferences above specified in (1), (2) and (3) must be claimed by a veteran within eight years of the date of his release from active service.  However, a veteran of the Vietnam conflict who was on active federal service as a member of the armed military or naval forces of the United States between August 5, 1964, and May 7, 1975, is entitled to the examination preference provided in subsection (1) of this section until July 1, 1990.  The eight-year limitation established by this subsection does not apply to a veteran with a service-connected disability.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 2.     This act is necessary for the immediate preservation of the public peace, health, and safety, the support of the state government and its existing public institutions, and shall take effect immediately.