Proposes constitutional amendment authorizing Legislature to extend civil service hiring preference to veterans who did not serve in time of war.

SCR95

SENATE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION No. 95

STATE OF NEW JERSEY

222nd LEGISLATURE

�

INTRODUCED FEBRUARY 9, 2026

Sponsored by:

Senator� MICHAEL L. TESTA, JR.

District 1 (Atlantic, Cape May and Cumberland)

Senator� RAJ MUKHERJI

District 32 (Hudson)

Co-Sponsored by:

Senators Space and Amato

SYNOPSIS

���� Proposes constitutional amendment authorizing
Legislature to extend civil service hiring preference to veterans who did not
serve in time of war.

CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT

���� As introduced.

��

A
Concurrent Resolution

proposing to
amend Article VII, Section I, paragraph 2 of the New Jersey Constitution.

����
Be It
Resolved
by the Senate of the State of New
Jersey (the General Assembly concurring):

���� 1.��� The following proposed
amendment to the Constitution of the State of New Jersey is hereby agreed to:

PROPOSED
AMENDMENT

���� Amend Article VII, Section I,
paragraph 2 to read as follows:

���� 2.��� Appointments and
promotions in the civil service of the State, and of such political
subdivisions as may be provided by law, shall be made according to merit and
fitness to be ascertained, as far as practicable, by examination, which, as far
as practicable, shall be competitive; except that preference in appointments by
reason of active service in any branch of the military or naval forces of the
United States
[
in
time of war
]

may be provided by law.

(cf: Art. VII, Sec. I, par. 2)

���� 2.��� When this proposed
amendment to the Constitution is finally agreed to pursuant to Article IX,
paragraph 1 of the Constitution, it shall be submitted to the people at the
next general election occurring more than three months after the final
agreement and shall be published at least once in at least one newspaper of
each county designated by the President of the Senate, the Speaker of the
General Assembly and the Secretary of State, not less than three months prior
to the general election.

���� 3.��� This proposed amendment
to the Constitution shall be submitted to the people at that election in the
following manner and form:

���� There shall be printed on each
official ballot to be used at the general election, the following:

���� a.� In every municipality in
which voting machines are not used, a legend which shall immediately precede
the question as follows:

���� If you favor the proposition
printed below make a cross (X), plus (+), or check (
a
) in the square opposite the word "Yes." If you are
opposed thereto make a cross (X), plus (+) or check (
a
) in the square opposite the
word "No."

���� b.� In
every municipality the following question:

CONSTITUTIONAL
AMENDMENT TO BROADEN THE CIVIL SERVICE HIRING PREFERENCE TO VETERANS WHO DID
NOT SERVE IN WAR

YES

���� Do you approve amending the
Constitution to broaden the hiring preference that is given to veterans who
apply for civil service positions?� The Legislature could vote to broaden the
preference to include veterans who did not serve in time of war.� Presently,
only veterans who did serve in time of war are given the hiring preference.�

INTERPRETIVE
STATEMENT

NO

���� This amendment would allow
the Legislature to grant a veteran who did not serve in time of war a hiring
preference for a civil service position.

���� Presently, the hiring
preference for a civil service position is given by law only to a veteran who
served in time of war.� The preference is also given by law to a spouse or
parent of an eligible veteran in certain cases.� The amendment would allow
the Legislature to pass a law granting a civil service hiring preference to a
veteran who did not serve in time of war.�

STATEMENT

���� This concurrent resolution
proposes an amendment to the New Jersey Constitution to allow the Legislature
to enact a law to extend the preference given to veterans for hiring for civil
service positions.� The law would determine the eligibility of veterans for the
purpose of hiring preferences for civil service positions.

���� Currently, only veterans who
served in time of war receive a hiring preference when applying for civil
service positions.� This amendment would allow veterans who did not serve in
time of war also to receive a hiring preference for civil service positions.