Revision: Dec. 23, 2024, 2:42 p.m.
HB 64 - AS INTRODUCED
2025 SESSION
25-0044
06/08
HOUSE BILL 64
SPONSORS: Rep. Roy, Rock. 31; Rep. Creighton, Hills. 30; Rep. Edwards, Rock. 31; Rep. Moffett, Merr. 4; Rep. Rhodes, Ches. 17; Sen. Gannon, Dist 23
COMMITTEE: State-Federal Relations and Veterans Affairs
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ANALYSIS
This bill expands the definition of veteran for purposes of veteran hiring and employment preferences to include a veteran's spouse and any active duty service member regardless of length of service. This bill also extends employment preferences for veterans or their spouse to include veteran owned suppliers of goods and services in dealings with the state.
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Explanation: Matter added to current law appears in bold italics.
Matter removed from current law appears [in brackets and struckthrough.]
Matter which is either (a) all new or (b) repealed and reenacted appears in regular type.
25-0044
06/08
STATE OF NEW HAMPSHIRE
In the Year of Our Lord Two Thousand Twenty Five
AN ACT relative to extending hiring preferences for military members and their spouses to the state and private businesses, and establishing purchase preferences for veterans and their spouses regarding state supply purchases.
Be it Enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court convened:
1 New Paragraph; Adding Definition. Amend RSA 21:50 by inserting after paragraph IV the following new paragraph:
V. "Military spouse" means an individual who is legally married to an active duty member of the armed forces and is a cardholder in the defense enrollment eligibility reporting system (DEERS).
2 New Section; Products and Services of Veterans and Military Spouses. Amend RSA 21-I by inserting after section 19-j the following new section:
21-I:19-k Products and Services of Disabled Veterans and Military Spouses. Notwithstanding any other provision of law to the contrary, whenever products or services of veterans with service-connected disabilities or military spouses are available, the director of procurement and support services may purchase the same at their fair market value in accordance with the following:
I. The director shall determine the fair market price on all suitable products manufactured or services rendered by service-connected disabled veteran-owned businesses or military-spouse owned businesses and offered for sale to the state or any of its agencies. The director shall revise such prices from time to time, in accordance with changing market conditions, and shall adopt such rules regarding specifications, time of delivery, and other relevant matters as are necessary to carry out the provisions of this section. At the request of the director of procurement and support services, the adjutant general shall assist the director in distributing requests for goods and services of service-connected disabled veterans or military-spouses among approved agencies for veterans and military families.
II. If products or services are available for procurement from any department or agency of the state, and procurement therefrom is required by the provisions of any other section of this chapter or any other law, procurement of such products shall be made in accordance with such other provisions of law.
III. In this section:
(a) "Military spouse-owned business" means a business that is at least 51 percent owned by one or more military spouses, or in the case of a corporation, partnership, or limited liability company or other entity, at least 51 percent of the equity ownership interest is owned by one or more military spouses, and both the management and daily business operations are controlled by one or more military spouses, which is incorporated under the laws of this state, and which manufactures merchandise and provides services within the state and which is approved for such purpose by the director of the division of procurement and support services.
(b) "Service-connected disabled veteran" means a veteran who has an injury, illness or disability incurred or aggravated while in the line of duty in the armed forces of the United States and is entitled to disability compensation for those injuries, illnesses, or disabilities under the laws administered by the United States Department of Veterans Affairs.
(c) "Service-connected disabled veteran-owned business" means a business that is at least 51 percent owned by one or more service-connected disabled veterans or, in the case of a corporation, partnership, or limited liability company or other entity, at least 51 percent of the equity ownership interest in the corporation, partnership, or limited liability company or other entity is owned by one or more individuals who are service-connected disabled veterans and both the management and daily business operations are controlled by one or more individuals who are service disabled veterans, which is incorporated under the laws of this state, and which manufactures merchandise and provides services within the state and which is approved for such purpose by the director of the division of procurement and support services.
3 Veterans' Preference Employment Policy Definitions. Amend RSA 275-G:1, III to read as follows:
III. "Veterans' preference employment policy" means a private employer's policy for hiring or promoting a veteran, an eligible service member, or a military spouse over another qualified applicant or employee.
4 New Paragraphs; New Definitions. Amend RSA 275-G:1 by inserting after paragraph III the following new paragraphs:
IV. "Eligible service member" means a service member on active duty.
V. "Active duty" shall have the same meaning as RSA 21:50, III.
VI. "Military spouse" shall have the same meaning as RSA 21:50, IV.
5 Adding Military Spouses to Public Employment Preferences. Amend chapter 99-F title to read as follows:
CHAPTER 99-F
VETERANS', [AND] DISABLED VETERANS', AND MILITARY SPOUSES' PREFERENCE IN PUBLIC EMPLOYMENT
6 Veterans' Preference in Public Employment. Amend RSA 99-F:1 to read as follows:
99-F:1 Veterans' and Military Spouses' Preference in Public Employment. The state of New Hampshire shall grant a preference in hiring to veterans, [and] disabled veterans, and military spouses.
7 New Paragraphs; Definitions. Amend RSA 99-F:2 by inserting after paragraph III the following new paragraphs:
IV. "Eligible service member" means a service member on active duty.
V. "Veteran or disabled veteran" shall include an eligible service member's military spouse.
8 Verification of Eligibility. Amend RSA 275-G:3 to read as follows:
275-G:3 Verification of Eligibility. A private employer may require that a veteran submit [a Department of Defense DD Form 214, report of separation,] any qualifying document under RSA 21:50 in order to be eligible to receive the preference under RSA 275-G:2.
9 Effective Date. This act shall take effect 60 days after its passage.