88R7556 LRM-D
	By: Guillen, et al.	H.B. No. 1773

	A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
	AN ACT
	relating to a state employment preference for certain individuals
	who reside with veterans with a disability.
	BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
	SECTION 1.  Section 657.002, Government Code, is amended to
	read as follows:
	Sec. 657.002.  INDIVIDUALS QUALIFIED FOR VETERAN'S
	EMPLOYMENT PREFERENCE. The following individuals qualify for a
	veteran's employment preference:
	(1)  a veteran, including a veteran with a disability;
	(2)  a veteran's surviving spouse who has not
	remarried; [and]
	(3)  an orphan of a veteran if the veteran was killed
	while on active duty; and
	(4)  an individual who resides in a household with a
	veteran if the individual is the primary source of income for the
	household and the veteran:
	(A)  has a total disability rating based either on
	having a service-connected disability with a disability rating of
	100 percent or on individual unemployability; and
	(B)  is receiving Supplemental Security Income
	(SSI) benefits under 42 U.S.C. Section 1381 et seq. or Social
	Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) benefits under 42 U.S.C.
	Section 401 et seq.
	SECTION 2.  Section 657.003(b), Government Code, is amended
	to read as follows:
	(b)  A state agency shall provide to an individual entitled
	to a veteran's employment preference for employment or appointment
	over other applicants for the same position who do not have a
	greater qualification a veteran's employment preference, in the
	following order of priority:
	(1)  a veteran with a disability;
	(2)  a veteran;
	(3)  a veteran's surviving spouse who has not
	remarried; [and]
	(4)  an orphan of a veteran if the veteran was killed
	while on active duty; and
	(5)  an individual who resides with a veteran with a
	disability as described by Section 657.002(4) if the individual is
	the primary source of income for the veteran's household.
	SECTION 3.  Section 657.005(b), Government Code, is amended
	to read as follows:
	(b)  An applicant who is either a veteran with a disability
	as described by Section 657.002(4) or an individual who resides
	with a veteran with a disability as described by Section 657.002(4)
	if the individual is the primary source of income for the veteran's
	household shall furnish the official records to the individual
	whose duty is to fill the position.
	SECTION 4.  The changes in law made by this Act apply only to
	an open position with a state agency for which the state agency
	begins accepting applications on or after the effective date of
	this Act. An open position with a state agency for which the state
	agency begins accepting applications before the effective date of
	this Act is governed by the law in effect on the date the state
	agency began accepting applications, and the former law is
	continued in effect for that purpose.
	SECTION 5.  This Act takes effect September 1, 2023.

Statutes affected:
Introduced: Government Code 657.002, Government Code 657.003, Government Code 657.005 (Government Code 657)
House Committee Report: Government Code 657.002, Government Code 657.003, Government Code 657.005 (Government Code 657)
Engrossed: Government Code 657.002, Government Code 657.003, Government Code 657.005 (Government Code 657)