Permits certain non-US citizen military service members to take civil service examinations and be eligible for civil service veterans preference.
Summary
Assembly Bill 3790 would change New Jersey civil service eligibility rules for a narrow group of military service members. Under current law, a person generally must be a U.S. citizen to take a civil service examination and to qualify for veterans preference. This bill would allow an individual serving in the active military or naval service of the United States who is not a U.S. citizen during that service, but who has not renounced or lost U.S. citizenship, to sit for a civil service exam.
The bill also extends civil service veterans preference to those same individuals if they otherwise meet the statutory requirements for veteran or disabled veteran status. To remain eligible for inclusion on an employment list and receive preference, the individual must provide proof of U.S. citizenship no later than 10 business days before the employment list is issued. The Civil Service Commission would be required to adopt rules and administrative procedures to implement the new eligibility rules, and the act would take effect six months after enactment.
Impact
The bill would amend and supplement Title 11A of the New Jersey Statutes, which governs civil service, by creating an exception to the citizenship requirement for certain active-duty military personnel and by allowing them to qualify for veterans preference under specified conditions. It would also require the Civil Service Commission to establish regulations and administrative processes to carry out the change, and it would involve the Department of Military and Veterans Affairs through the Adjutant General’s determination of veteran or disabled veteran status. The practical effect is to broaden access to civil service testing and preference for a limited class of service members while still requiring citizenship before final placement on an employment list.
Sentiment
The bill appears generally favorable toward military service members and veterans, especially those who served while not yet U.S. citizens. The stated purpose is to recognize service and avoid excluding otherwise qualified individuals from civil service opportunities and veterans preference. No committee transcript or vote record is provided, so there is no documented opposition or recorded debate in the supplied materials.
Contention
The main policy issue is the bill’s departure from the existing citizenship requirement for civil service examinations and veterans preference. Supporters would likely view the measure as a fairness and recognition issue for non-citizen service members who later obtain or retain U.S. citizenship, while any concern would center on whether citizenship should remain a threshold requirement for public employment eligibility. The bill addresses that concern by requiring proof of citizenship before an employment list is issued, limiting the exception to a defined military population and preserving the final citizenship requirement for appointment.
Carry Over
Permits certain non-US citizen military service members to take civil service examinations and be eligible for civil service veterans preference.