WSR 26-14-066
PROPOSED RULES
OFFICE OF
FINANCIAL MANAGEMENT
[Filed June 26, 2026, 11:05 a.m.]
Original Notice.
Title of Rule and Other Identifying Information: WAC 357-16-110 Do veterans and members of the uniformed services receive any preference in the hiring process?
Hearing Location(s): On August 13, 2026, at 8:30 a.m., via Zoom meeting (with call-in option) https://ofm-wa-gov.zoom.us/j/81638721176?pwd=fZiSV1cxiwljSEPvpDaghZNKBmEhVW.1, ID 816 3872 1176; or phone 253-215-8782, Passcode 497654.
Date of Intended Adoption: August 20, 2026.
Submit Written Comments to: Brandy Chinn, Office of Financial Management (OFM), 1500 Jefferson Street S.E., P.O. Box 47500, Olympia, WA 98504, email brandy.chinn@ofm.wa.gov, by 11:59 p.m., August 6, 2026.
Assistance for Persons with Disabilities: Contact OFM, TTY 711 or 1-800-833-6384, by 11:59 p.m., August 6, 2026.
Purpose of the Proposal and Its Anticipated Effects, Including Any Changes in Existing Rules: The proposed amendments to WAC 357-16-110 are to align with SB 5420. The proposed amendment to WAC 357-16-110(1) is to add that if an employer is administering an examination prior to certification, then the employer must grant preference to members of the uniformed services. The proposed amendment to WAC 357-16-110 (2)(c) is to add that if no examination is administered prior to certification, the employer must also refer to the employing official spouses or registered domestic partners of active duty service members.
Reasons Supporting Proposal: SB 5420, chapter 207, Laws of 2026, passed during the 2026 legislative session with an effective date of June 11, 2026. Section 8 amends RCW
41.04.010 Veterans' scoring criteria status in examinations, to expand preference in competitive examinations to include members of the uniformed services. Section 11 amends RCW
73.16.031 Definitions, to amend the definition of "Uniformed services" for the purpose of chapter
73.16 RCW, to include members of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Commissioned Officer Corps. Section 12 amends RCW
73.16.010 Preference in public employment, to include airmen and remove the reference to veterans of any war of the United States, or of any military campaign for which a campaign ribbon shall have been awarded; and to also include spouses of active duty service members in this category. Additionally, RCW
73.16.010 is amended to add subsection (2) to define "veteran" as "has the same meaning as defined in RCW
41.04.005 and
41.04.007, and includes current members of the national guard or armed forces reserves who have been deployed to serve in armed conflict."
Statutory Authority for Adoption: RCW
41.06.133.
Rule is not necessitated by federal law, federal or state court decision.
Name of Proponent: OFM, governmental.
Name of Agency Personnel Responsible for Drafting, Implementation, and Enforcement: Brandy Chinn, 1500 Jefferson Street S.E., Olympia, WA 98504, 360-878-2901.
A school district fiscal impact statement is not required under RCW
28A.305.135.
A cost-benefit analysis is not required under RCW
34.05.328. Rules are related to internal government operations and are not subject to violation by a nongovernmental party. See RCW
34.05.328 (5)(b)(ii) for exemption.
This rule proposal, or portions of the proposal, is exempt from requirements of the Regulatory Fairness Act because the proposal:
Is exempt under RCW
19.85.025(3) as the rules relate only to internal governmental operations that are not subject to violation by a nongovernment party.
Scope of exemption for rule proposal:
Is fully exempt.
June 26, 2026
Nathan Sherrard
Legal Affairs Counsel
RDS-7172.2
AMENDATORY SECTION(Amending WSR 24-18-068, filed 8/29/24, effective 10/1/24)
WAC 357-16-110Do veterans and members of the uniformed services receive any preference in the hiring process?
(1) If an employer is administering an examination prior to certification, the employer must grant preference to veterans
and members of the uniformed services in accordance with the veterans scoring criteria provisions of RCW
41.04.010. Veterans' scoring criteria is only added to passing scores.
(2) If no examination is administered prior to certification, the employer must refer the following individuals to the employing official under the provisions of RCW
73.16.010 as long as the individual meets the competencies and other position requirements:
(a) Eligible veterans with a qualifying discharge;
(b) Surviving spouses or registered domestic partners of eligible veterans with a qualifying discharge; or
(c) Spouses or registered domestic partners of active duty service members and veterans with a qualifying discharge who have a service-connected permanent and total disability.