2012 -- H 7189

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LC00616

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STATE OF RHODE ISLAND

IN GENERAL ASSEMBLY

JANUARY SESSION, A.D. 2012

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A N A C T

RELATING TO PUBLIC OFFICERS AND EMPLOYEES - MERIT SYSTEM

     Introduced By: Representatives Gallison, Messier, Azzinaro, Fellela, and Martin

     Date Introduced: January 18, 2012

     Referred To: House Veterans` Affairs

It is enacted by the General Assembly as follows:

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     SECTION 1. Section 36-4-19 of the General Laws in Chapter 36-4 entitled "Merit

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System" is hereby amended to read as follows:

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     36-4-19. Placement of names on employment lists -- Listing of veterans. -- (a) The

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names of all persons attaining the minimum final earned rating established by the personnel

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administrator shall be placed upon the employment list in the order of their ratings; provided,

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however, that there shall be added to the final earned ratings of examinees who are veterans in

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competitive tests for entrance into the classified service, but not for promotion in the service, who

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receive at least the minimum required final earned rating as stated in the public notice, service

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credits amounting to five (5) points for veterans or service credits amounting to ten (10) points for

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disabled veterans. On all employment lists, the letter "V" shall be placed opposite the name of

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each veteran as defined in chapter 3 of this title, who, by reason of his or her final earned rating,

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is entitled to have his or her name placed on an employment list, and the letters "DV" shall be

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placed opposite the name of each disabled veteran, as defined in chapter 3 of this title, who, by

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reason of his or her final earned rating is entitled to have his or her name placed on the list.

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      (b) For purposes of this section, a "veteran" shall be defined as any person who served in

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the military or naval service of the United States in World War I or who served in the military or

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naval service of the United States in World II at any time during the period beginning December

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7, 1941, and ending on December 31, 1946, or who served in the military or naval service of the

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United States in the Korean conflict at any time during the period beginning June 27, 1950, and

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ending January 31, 1955, or in the Vietnam conflict at any time during the period beginning

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August 5, 1964 and ending May 7, 1975, in the Taiwan Straits Expeditionary Force at any time

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from August 23, 1958, to January 1, 1959, or the Persian Gulf beginning August 2, 1990, to

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present, in the Panama Operations beginning December 20, 1989, to January 31, 1990, in the

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Grenada Operations beginning October 23, 1983 to November 21, 1983 in the Lebanon

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Operations beginning:

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      (1) July 1, 1958 to November 1, 1958

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      (2) August 20, 1982 to May 31, 1983

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      (3) June 1, 1983 to December 1987.

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     (b)(1) For the purposes of this section, "veteran" means any member of the military

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services who served in any conflict, undeclared war or contingency operation who has earned a

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campaign ribbon or expeditionary medal for service in either a declared or undeclared war as

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noted on the war veteran's DD-214.

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     (2) The term "veteran" means members of the National Guard and Reserves called to

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active service authorized by the President or the Secretary of Defense for a period of time of more

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than thirty (30) days under 32 U.S.C. section 502(f) for the purpose of responding to any conflict,

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undeclared war or contingency operation.

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      (c) The "veteran" described in subdivision (b)(1) and (b)(2) means a person must have

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been honorably discharged from the armed forces of this nation in order to receive the benefits

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pursuant to this section; and, for purposes of this section, a medical discharge or a general

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discharge shall be deemed an honorable discharge.

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     SECTION 2. This act shall take effect upon passage.

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LC00616

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EXPLANATION

BY THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL

OF

A N A C T

RELATING TO PUBLIC OFFICERS AND EMPLOYEES - MERIT SYSTEM

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     This act would define a veteran as any honorably discharged veteran of any conflict or

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undeclared war who has earned a campaign or expeditionary medal for such service as evidenced

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by his or her DD-214. It would also include certain National Guard or Reserve members. A

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veteran who received a medical or general discharge would be considered to be honorably

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discharged.

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     This act would take effect upon passage.

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LC00616

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