H-0573.7  _______________________________________________

                          HOUSE BILL 1957

          _______________________________________________

State of Washington      55th Legislature     1997 Regular Session

By Representatives Sullivan, O'Brien, Conway and Dyer

Read first time 02/14/97.  Referred to Committee on Government Administration.

Providing a scoring preference on civil service examinations to certain persons who served in the reserves.

    AN ACT Relating to providing a scoring preference on civil service examinations to certain persons who served in the reserves; and amending RCW 41.04.010.

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

    Sec. 1.  RCW 41.04.010 and 1974 ex.s. c 170 s 1 are each amended to read as follows:

(1) 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,)) or members of the United States military reserves by adding the following 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))) (a) Ten percent shall be awarded in each examination to a veteran or member of the United States military reserves 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)) these examinations results in ((said)) the veteran's or member's first appointment((:  PROVIDED, That said)), but this percentage shall not be ((utilized)) awarded in any promotional examination;

    (((2))) (b) Five percent shall be awarded in each examination to a veteran or member of the United States military reserves 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)) these examinations results in ((said)) the veteran's or member's first appointment((:  PROVIDED, That said)), but this percentage shall not be ((utilized)) awarded in any promotional examination;

    (((3))) (c) Five percent shall be awarded to a veteran or member of the United States military reserves, 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 or her first promotional examination only after returning from this active military service, upon compliance with RCW 73.16.035 ((as it now exists or may hereafter be amended));

    (((4))) (d) There shall be no examination preferences other than those which have been specifically provided ((for above and)) under this section.  All preferences ((above)) specified in (((1), (2) and (3))) this section must be claimed by a veteran within eight years of the date of ((his release)) being released from active service.

(2) As used in this section:

(a) "Veteran" means a person who meets the definition of a "veteran" under RCW 41.04.005.

(b) "Member of the United States military reserves" means a person who has served as an active member in good standing in the national guard of any state or territory of the United States or in the air force, army, coast guard, navy, or marine corps reserve of the United States, for a total of at least six good retirement years and is either:  (i) Still serving in such a capacity; or (ii) received an honorable discharge on or after the effective date of this act.

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