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Committee expands public-employer veteran hiring preference to National Guard members and spouses; bill moved favorably
Summary
House Bill 26-26 was amended to remove a unit-commander signature requirement and passed out of committee favorably. Testimony described the change as an expansion of existing public-employer veteran hiring preference to include National Guard members, reservists and eligible spouses.
The Committee on Veterans and Military voted to pass House Bill 26-26 favorably after adopting an amendment that removes a unit-commander signature requirement for verification.
Carly, committee staff, summarized HB 26-26 as a bill that "expands government employment preference to include members of the National Guard and such members' eligible spouses." The amendment (language provided by Michelle Richard) struck the subsection requiring a certificate signed by a unit commander.
Lieutenant Colonel Keith Marshall testified that the bill extends the existing statutory hiring preference for veterans to National Guard members, reservists and military spouses for public employers (state, city and county). He emphasized the change is an expansion of an existing framework and described the amendment as clarifying verification procedures.
Representative Sherman moved the committee to adopt the amendment; Representative Johnson seconded. The amendment was adopted by voice vote and the committee later voted to move HB 26-26 to the House floor favorably as amended.
The committee's action advances the public-employer preference to explicitly include Guard and reserve members and their eligible spouses; members asked staff to clarify implementation details but the vote carried and the bill will proceed to the floor.
