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An Act To Reform the Veteran Preference in State Hiring and Retention
Be it enacted by the People of the State of Maine as follows:
Sec. 1. 5 MRSA §7054, as amended by PL 2003, c. 20, Pt. OO, §2 and affected by §4, is repealed.
Sec. 2.  5 MRSA §7054-B  is enacted to read:
§ 7054-B. Veteran preference
 
1.  Definition.     As used in this section, unless the context otherwise indicates, "veteran" means a person who has served on active duty in the United States Armed Forces including the Reserves of the United States Armed Forces and the National Guard and received a discharge other than dishonorable.
 
2.  Interview.     In filling any position in the classified service, the employing agency shall offer an interview to any veteran who meets the minimum qualifications established for the position.
 
3.  Retention preference.     In any reduction in personnel in the state service, employees who are veterans must be retained in preference to all other competing employees in the same classification with equal seniority, status and performance reviews.
Sec. 3. 5 MRSA §7055, as enacted by PL 1985, c. 785, Pt. B, §38, is repealed.
 
SUMMARY
Current law provides that, in making appointments to positions in the classified service, preference in the form of points added to test scores must be given to honorably separated veterans of the Armed Forces of the United States and to the spouse of a disabled veteran, the widow or widower of a veteran and the parents of a deceased veteran who lost his or her life under honorable conditions while serving on active duty. This bill repeals that language and provides preference in the form of an interview to any person who has served on active duty in the United States Armed Forces including the Reserves of the United States Armed Forces and the National Guard and received a discharge other than dishonorable and who meets the minimum qualifications established for a position.
The bill also repeals the provision that authorizes certain veterans and certain family members of disabled or deceased veterans to file an application for and reopen an open competitive examination during the life of an eligible register resulting from a published announcement.