Legislature, judicial system could implement veterans preference hiring

In nearly every state government agency and throughout many local governments, human resources departments give veterans preference in hiring. That isn’t the case in the Legislature and in the judiciary.

HF1318, sponsored by Rep. John Poston (R-Lake Shore), would add veterans preference in hiring for open and competitive positions within the Legislature and in the state court system.

The House State Government Finance Committee approved the bill Thursday, sending it to the House Public Safety and Security Policy and Finance Committee. Its companion, SF1130, sponsored by Sen. Jerry Newton (DFL-Coon Rapids), awaits action on the Senate Floor.

“Veterans preference in Minnesota has been around since 1887, about the same time that the state of Minnesota developed the first veterans home in Minneapolis,” said Department of Veterans Affairs Legislative Director Ben Johnson. “The goal of veterans preference in hiring, in this particular case, is to help facilitate the transition of veterans from military to civilian life and help compensate veterans for their sacrifices, including sacrifices to health and time in the community.”

A fiscal note for the Senate version of the bill states that the program would cost the Legislature $156,000 in the 2018-19 biennium and $162,000 in 2020-21 because of “significant implementation issues” like hiring surges when the majority party changes. But Dennis Devereaux, the department’s veterans preference officer, said partisan jobs “would not necessarily be covered” under the bill.

Veterans preference hiring doesn’t mean the veteran applying is guaranteed to get the job, but instead, if they meet the basic qualifications of the position, they are awarded points not given to non-veteran applicants.