2001 Legislation
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HOUSE BILL NO. 322 – Employment/public/veterans points

HOUSE BILL NO. 322

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Daily Data Tracking History



H0322......................................................by STATE AFFAIRS
VETERANS POINTS - Amends existing law to provide that veterans preference
points shall be used by all disabled veterans and widows or widowers of
disabled veterans; to define "initial appointment" and "disabled veteran";
and to delete a definition of a "disabled war veteran."
                                                                        
02/23    House intro - 1st rdg - to printing
02/26    Rpt prt - to St Aff
03/01    Rpt out - rec d/p - to 2nd rdg
03/02    2nd rdg - to 3rd rdg
03/05    3rd rdg - PASSED - 66-0-4
      AYES -- Barraclough, Barrett, Bedke, Bell, Bieter, Black, Boe, Bolz,
      Bradford, Bruneel, Callister, Campbell, Chase, Clark, Collins, Crow,
      Cuddy, Deal, Denney, Ellis, Ellsworth, Eskridge, Field(13),
      Field(20), Gould, Hadley, Hammond, Harwood, Henbest, Hornbeck,
      Jaquet, Jones, Kellogg, Kendell, Kunz, Lake, Langford, Loertscher,
      Mader, Marley, McKague, Meyer, Montgomery, Mortensen, Moss, Moyle,
      Pearce, Pischner, Pomeroy, Ridinger, Roberts, Robison, Sali,
      Schaefer, Sellman, Shepherd, Smith, Smylie, Stevenson, Stone, Swan,
      Tilman, Trail, Wood, Young, Mr. Speaker
      NAYS -- None
      Absent and excused -- Gagner, Higgins, Raybould, Wheeler
    Floor Sponsor -- Eskridge
    Title apvd - to Senate
03/06    Senate intro - 1st rdg - to St Aff
03/13    Rpt out - rec d/p - to 2nd rdg
03/14    2nd rdg - to 3rd rdg
03/20    3rd rdg - PASSED - 35-0-0
      AYES -- Andreason, Boatright, Branch, Brandt, Bunderson, Burtenshaw,
      Cameron, Danielson, Darrington, Davis, Deide, Dunklin, Frasure,
      Geddes, Goedde, Hawkins, Ingram, Ipsen, Keough, King-Barrutia, Lee,
      Lodge, Noh, Richardson, Risch, Sandy, Schroeder, Sims, Sorensen,
      Stegner, Stennett, Thorne, Wheeler, Whitworth, Williams,
      NAYS -- None
      Absent and excused -- None
    Floor Sponsor -- Richardson
    Title apvd - to House
03/21    To enrol
03/22    Rpt enrol - Sp signed - Pres signed - to Gov
03/28    Governor signed
         Session Law Chapter 214
         Effective: 07/01/01

Bill Text


                                                                        
                                                                        
  ||||              LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF IDAHO             ||||
 Fifty-sixth Legislature                  First Regular Session - 2001
                                                                        
                                                                        
                              IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
                                                                        
                                     HOUSE BILL NO. 322
                                                                        
                                 BY STATE AFFAIRS COMMITTEE
                                                                        
  1                                        AN ACT
  2    RELATING TO THE ADDITION OF POINTS TO COMPETITIVE EXAMINATION RATINGS FOR DIS-
  3        ABLED VETERANS; AMENDING SECTION 65-506, IDAHO CODE, TO PROVIDE THAT  VET-
  4        ERANS  PREFERENCE POINTS SHALL BE USED BY ALL DISABLED VETERANS AND WIDOWS
  5        OR WIDOWERS OF DISABLED VETERANS AND TO DEFINE INITIAL APPOINTMENT; AMEND-
  6        ING SECTION 65-507, IDAHO CODE, TO PROVIDE A DEFINITION FOR DISABLED  VET-
  7        ERAN,  TO  DELETE  THE  DEFINITION  FOR DISABLED WAR VETERAN AND TO MAKE A
  8        TECHNICAL CORRECTION; AND AMENDING SECTION 67-5309, IDAHO CODE, TO PROVIDE
  9        THAT VETERANS PREFERENCE POINTS SHALL BE USED BY ALL DISABLED VETERANS AND
 10        WIDOWS OR WIDOWERS OF DISABLED VETERANS AND TO MAKE  A  TECHNICAL  CORREC-
 11        TION.
                                                                        
 12    Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Idaho:
                                                                        
 13        SECTION  1.  That  Section  65-506, Idaho Code, be, and the same is hereby
 14    amended to read as follows:
                                                                        
 15        65-506.  ADDITION OF POINTS TO COMPETITIVE EXAMINATION RATINGS.  (1)  Five
 16    (5)  points  shall  be  added  to the earned rating of any war veteran and the
 17    widow or widower of any war veteran as long as he or  she  remains  unmarried,
 18    when  required  to  take competitive examination for any position in any state
 19    department, county or municipal government, which may now or which may hereaf-
 20    ter require competitive examination under merit system or civil  service  plan
 21    of  selecting  employees: The names of all five (5) point preference eligibles
 22    resulting from any merit system or civil service examination shall  be  placed
 23    on the register in accordance with their augmented rating.
 24        (2)  Ten  (10)  points shall be added to the earned rating of any disabled
 25    war veteran, veterans discharged under honorable  conditions  who  qualify  as
 26    disabled  veterans because they have served on active duty in the armed forces
 27    at any time and have a present service connected  disability  of  ten  percent
 28    (10%) or more. Ten (10) points shall also be added to the earned rating of the
 29    widow  or  widower  of  any  disabled war veteran as long as he or she remains
 30    unmarried, the wife spouse of any eligible disabled  veteran  who  himself  is
 31    physically unable to perform the work in the position to which the wife spouse
 32    seeks  to  apply the preference, when required to take competitive examination
 33    for any position in any state  department,  county  or  municipal  government,
 34    which  may  now  or which may hereafter require competitive examinations under
 35    merit  system or civil service plan of selecting employees: The names  of  all
 36    ten  (10)  point preference eligibles resulting from any merit system or civil
 37    service examination shall be placed at the top of the register above the names
 38    of all nonpreference eligibles in accordance with their augmented rating.
 39        The additional points added by reason of veteran's  preference   shall  be
 40    used  only  for  the purpose of initial appointment and not for the purpose of
 41    promotions.
 42        (3)  For the purpose of this section, an initial  appointment  shall  meet
 43    the following criteria:
                                                                        
                                           2
                                                                        
  1        (a)  The  appointment shall be the first time a qualified veteran is hired
  2        by a county, municipal government or state agency and  subsequent  separa-
  3        tion  from  the  county,  municipal  government  or state agency shall not
  4        result in the award of new preference points with such employer.
  5        (b)  Preference points shall only be applied if the county, municipal gov-
  6        ernment or state agency is using a point system to rank candidates for the
  7        particular opening.
                                                                        
  8        SECTION 2.  That Section 65-507, Idaho Code, be, and the  same  is  hereby
  9    amended to read as follows:
                                                                        
 10        65-507.  DISABLED VETERAN DEFINED. The term "disabled war veteran" as used
 11    in  this  act  chapter means any individual who has served on military duty in
 12    the armed forces of the United States during any period of war  recognized  by
 13    the  United States department of veterans affairs for the purposes of awarding
 14    federal veterans benefits as may be defined in title 38, U.S. code, chapter 1,
 15    section 101(11); and has been separated therefrom discharged  under  honorable
 16    conditions;  and  who  has  established the served on active duty in the armed
 17    forces at any time and has a present existence of a service-connected  service
 18    connected  disability;  and  is  receiving compensation, disability retirement
 19    benefits, or pension under public statute as administered by the department of
 20    veterans affairs or a military department of ten percent (10%) or more.
                                                                        
 21        SECTION 3.  That Section 67-5309, Idaho Code, be, and the same  is  hereby
 22    amended to read as follows:
                                                                        
 23        67-5309.  RULES  OF THE DIVISION OF HUMAN RESOURCES AND THE PERSONNEL COM-
 24    MISSION. The administrator of the division of human resources shall  have  the
 25    power and authority to adopt, amend, or rescind such rules as may be necessary
 26    for proper administration of this chapter. Such rules shall include:
 27        (a)  A  rule  requiring  the  administrator,  after  consulting  with each
 28    department to develop, adopt, and make effective, a job classification  system
 29    for  positions  covered  by this chapter, based upon an analysis of the duties
 30    and responsibilities of the positions. The job classification shall include an
 31    appropriate title for each class, and a description of duties and responsibil-
 32    ities of positions in the classes and the requirements  of  minimum  training,
 33    experience and other qualifications, suitable for the performance of duties of
 34    the position.
 35        (b)  A  rule describing the relevant labor markets and benchmark job clas-
 36    sifications used in the administrator's salary surveys.
 37        (c)  A rule requiring that all classes of positions which  are  common  to
 38    the departments concerned shall have the same titles, minimum requirements and
 39    compensation ranges.
 40        (d)  A  rule  providing  for  review by the administrator of the personnel
 41    system including classifications and compensation policies and procedures.
 42        (e)  A rule that, notwithstanding the procedure for examination and  rank-
 43    ing  of eligibles on a register provided in subsection (f) of this section, an
 44    agency may appoint an individual directly into an entrance or promotional pro-
 45    bation if the division of vocational rehabilitation, Idaho commission for  the
 46    blind  and  visually impaired or the industrial commission certifies, with the
 47    concurrence of division of human resources staff, that the individual (1)  has
 48    a  disability or handicap as defined under state or federal law; (2) is quali-
 49    fied to perform the essential functions of a  particular  classified  position
 50    with or without reasonable accommodation; and (3) lacks competitiveness in the
 51    examination process due to the disability or handicap. The probationary period
                                                                        
                                           3
                                                                        
  1    as  provided  in  subsection (j) of this section shall be the sole examination
  2    for such individuals.
  3        (f)  A rule requiring fair and impartial selection of  appointees  to  all
  4    positions  other  than  those defined as nonclassified in this chapter, on the
  5    basis of open competitive merit examinations or  evaluations.  An  application
  6    for an examination will be accepted  after the closing date of the examination
  7    from  a person who was serving in the armed forces, or undergoing hospitaliza-
  8    tion of no more than one (1) year following discharge, during  any  period  in
  9    which  the  examination was open; the application must be submitted within one
 10    hundred twenty (120) days of separation from the armed forces or  hospitaliza-
 11    tion  and  prior  to the expiration of the register established as a result of
 12    the examination. A disabled veteran may file an application at  any  time  for
 13    any position for which the division maintains a register or for which a regis-
 14    ter  is about to be established, provided he or she has not already been exam-
 15    ined twice for the same position and grade for which application is made, does
 16    not have current eligibility on that register, or is not serving in a competi-
 17    tive position in the same grade for which application  is  made.  Examinations
 18    may  be  assembled or unassembled and may include various examining techniques
 19    such as rating of training and experience,  written  tests,  oral  interviews,
 20    recognition  of  professional licensing, performance tests, investigations and
 21    any other measure of ability to perform the duties of the  position.  Examina-
 22    tions  shall  be  scored  objectively.  Five  (5) points shall be added to the
 23    earned rating of any war veteran and the widow or widower of any  war  veteran
 24    as  long  as  he  or  she remains unmarried. Pursuant to section 65-506, Idaho
 25    Code, tTen (10) points shall be added to the earned rating of any disabled war
 26    veteran, the widow or widower of any disabled war veteran as long as he or she
 27    remains unmarried or the spouse of any  disabled  veteran  who  is  physically
 28    unable  to perform the work in the position to which the spouse seeks to apply
 29    the preference. Employment registers shall be established in  order  of  final
 30    score except that the names of all five (5) point preference eligibles result-
 31    ing  from any merit system or civil service examination shall be placed on the
 32    register in accordance with their augmented rating, and the names of  all  ten
 33    (10)  point  preference  eligibles  shall be placed at the top of the register
 34    above the names of all nonpreference eligibles. Certification  of  eligibility
 35    for  appointment to vacancies shall be in accordance with a formula which lim-
 36    its selection by the hiring department from among the  ten  (10)  top  ranking
 37    available eligibles plus the names of all individuals with scores identical to
 38    the  tenth ranking eligible on the register. A register with at least five (5)
 39    eligibles shall be adequate. Selective certification shall be  permitted  when
 40    justified  by  the  hiring  department, under rules to be made by the division
 41    defining adequate justification based on the duties and  requirements  of  the
 42    positions.  Such examinations need not be held until after the rules have been
 43    adopted, the service classified and a pay plan established, but shall be  held
 44    not  later  than  one (1) year after departments commence participation in the
 45    personnel system.
 46        (g)  A rule that, whenever practicable, a vacancy in a classified position
 47    shall be filled by the promotion of a  qualified  permanent  employee  of  the
 48    agency  in  which  the  vacancy  occurs. An inter-agency interagency promotion
 49    shall be made through competitive examination and all qualified state  employ-
 50    ees  shall  have  the  opportunity  to  compete  for  such  promotions.  If an
 51    employee's name appears within certifiable range on a current register  for  a
 52    higher class of position, he shall be eligible for a transfer and promotion.
 53        (h)  A rule for development and maintenance of a system of service ratings
 54    and  the use of such ratings by all departments in connection with promotions,
 55    demotions, retentions, separations and reassignments. The rule  shall  require
                                                                        
                                           4
                                                                        
  1    that  an  evaluation  of each classified employee shall be made after each two
  2    thousand eighty (2,080) hour period of credited state service, and that a copy
  3    of the evaluation shall be filed with the division.
  4        (i)  A rule prohibiting disqualification of  any  person  from  taking  an
  5    examination, from appointment to a position, from promotion, or from holding a
  6    position  because  of  race  or national origin, color, sex, age, political or
  7    religious opinions or affiliations, and providing for right of appeal.
  8        (j)  A rule establishing a probation period not  to  exceed  one  thousand
  9    forty  (1,040) hours of credited state service for all appointments and promo-
 10    tions, except that peace officers as defined in section 19-5101,  Idaho  Code,
 11    shall be subject to a probation period of two thousand eighty (2,080) hours of
 12    credited  state  service,  and  for  the  appointing  authority to provide the
 13    employee and the administrator a performance evaluation  indicating  satisfac-
 14    tory  or  unsatisfactory performance not later than thirty (30) days after the
 15    expiration of the probationary period. The rule  shall  provide  that  if  the
 16    appointing  authority  fails to provide a performance evaluation within thirty
 17    (30) days after the expiration of the probationary period, the employee  shall
 18    be deemed to have satisfactorily completed the probation unless the appointing
 19    authority  receives approval from the administrator to extend the probationary
 20    period for good cause for an additional specified period  not  to  exceed  one
 21    thousand forty (1,040) hours of credited state service. If an employee is per-
 22    forming  in  an unsatisfactory manner during the entrance probationary period,
 23    the appointing authority shall ask the employee to resign, and if no  resigna-
 24    tion is submitted, shall terminate the employment of such employee without the
 25    right of grievance or appeal.
 26        (k)  A rule concerning provisional appointments.
 27        (l)  A rule concerning temporary appointments.
 28        (m)  A  rule  governing the employment of consultants and persons retained
 29    under independent contract.
 30        (n)  A rule for the disciplinary dismissal, demotion, suspension or  other
 31    discipline  of  employees  only  for cause with reasons given in writing. Such
 32    rule shall provide that any of the following reasons shall be proper cause for
 33    the disciplinary dismissal, demotion or suspension  of  any  employee  in  the
 34    state classified service:
 35        1.  Failure to perform the duties and carry out the obligations imposed by
 36        the state constitution, state statutes and rules of the employee's depart-
 37        ment, or rules of the administrator or the division.
 38        2.  Inefficiency,  incompetency,  or  negligence  in  the  performance  of
 39        duties.
 40        3.  Physical or mental incapability for performing assigned duties.
 41        4.  Refusal  to  accept  a reasonable and proper assignment from an autho-
 42        rized supervisor.
 43        5.  Insubordination or conduct unbecoming a state employee or conduct det-
 44        rimental to good order and discipline in the employee's department.
 45        6.  Intoxication on duty.
 46        7.  Careless, negligent, or improper use or unlawful conversion  of  state
 47        property, equipment or funds.
 48        8.  Use of any influence which violates the principles of the merit system
 49        in  an  attempt  to secure a promotion or privileges for individual advan-
 50        tage.
 51        9.  Conviction of official misconduct in office, or conviction of any fel-
 52        ony, or conviction of any other crime involving moral turpitude.
 53        10. Acceptance of gifts in exchange for influence or favors given  in  the
 54        employee's official capacity.
 55        11. Habitual  pattern  of failure to report for duty at the assigned place
                                                                        
                                           5
                                                                        
  1        and time.
  2        12. Habitual improper use of sick leave privileges.
  3        13. Unauthorized disclosure  of  confidential  information  from  official
  4        records.
  5        14. Absence without leave.
  6        15. Misstatement or deception in the application for the position.
  7        16. Failure  to  obtain  or maintain a current license or certificate law-
  8        fully required as a condition for performing the duties of the job.
  9        17. Prohibited participation in political activities.
 10        (o)  A rule to establish procedures for maintenance of  a  record  of  the
 11    employment  history and appropriate information relating to performance of all
 12    employees under the personnel system. For the purposes of this rule, the state
 13    shall be considered one (1) employer.
 14        (p)  Rules to provide for recruitment programs in cooperation with depart-
 15    ment heads and the employment security agency in keeping with current  employ-
 16    ment conditions and labor market trends.
 17        (q)  Rules  to  establish procedures for examinations as necessary for the
 18    purpose of maintaining current registers from which to fill employment  vacan-
 19    cies.
 20        (r)  Other  rules  not  inconsistent with the foregoing provisions of this
 21    section as may be necessary and proper for the administration and  enforcement
 22    of this chapter.
 23        (s)  A rule concerning "project exempt" appointments.
 24        (t)  Rules  relating  to  leave  for  state employees from official duties
 25    including, but not limited to, sick leave, military leave, jury  duty,  leaves
 26    of  absence  without compensation and such other forms of absence from perfor-
 27    mance of duties in the course of state employment as may be necessary.
 28        (u)  A rule providing for five percent (5%) shift differential pay.

Statement of Purpose / Fiscal Impact



                       STATEMENT OF PURPOSE
                            RS 11044
The purpose of this legislation is to provide that the 10 point 
veteran's preference shall be used by veterans discharged under 
honorable conditions who qualify as disabled veterans because 
they have served on active duty in the armed forces at any time 
and have a present service connected disability of ten percent 
or more.  Five points shall be added to the earned rating of any war
veteran .  This legislation also provides a definition for 
"Disabled Veteran".

                          FISCAL IMPACT

No fiscal impact is expected from this legislation

Contact
Name: Rep. Eskridge 
Phone: 208/332-1000




STATEMENT OF PURPOSE/FISCAL NOTE         H 322