Texas House Bill HB241

Texas 2025 - 89th Regular

• Filed: 11/12/24

Caption

Relating to a state employment preference for certain individuals who reside with veterans with a disability.

Impact

By modifying the definition of who qualifies for military employment preference, HB241 notably impacts the Government Code section 657.002 and 657.003 of Texas law. The bill introduces a new category of individuals—those residing with and financially supporting disabled veterans—into the preference scheme for state employment, thereby potentially increasing the number of applicants who may receive priority over other candidates without this qualification. This will particularly affect the hiring practices of state agencies, which will need to adjust their recruitment strategies to incorporate this new regulation.

Summary

House Bill 241 establishes a state employment preference for individuals residing with veterans who have a disability, particularly those who are the primary source of income for the household. This bill aims to expand the criteria for employment preference beyond just veterans and their immediate families to include those supporting disabled veterans financially. With this change, the bill seeks to recognize and support the significant role that these individuals play in the welfare of veterans by providing them with an opportunity for preferential treatment in state employment applications.

Contention

Some points of contention around HB241 may arise from concerns about the implications of defining 'residing with' a veteran and the administrative burden on state agencies to implement these changes. Critics might argue that this could complicate the hiring processes, especially if there are disputes over who qualifies as a primary income provider. Another potential area of debate could involve discussions on whether this bill sufficiently supports veterans themselves or merely extends benefits to a larger pool of associates, which some may see as diluting the focus on veterans' issues directly.

Last_action

The bill was filed on November 12, 2024, and is set to go into effect on September 1, 2025, for applications received after that date. This timeline allows for state agencies to prepare and adjust to the new preferences in their hiring protocols.

Texas Constitutional Statutes Affected

Government Code

• Chapter 657. Military Employment Preferences
  • Section: 002
  • Section: 003
  • Section: 005