Hiring Preference for Veterans and Americans With Disabilities Act

Summary

Authorizes state and local election jurisdictions to give hiring preference to veterans and to people with disabilities when hiring election workers. It also allows (and protects) giving preference to certain nonresident military spouses or dependents and bars refusing to hire them solely because they do not have a local residence. The bill defines “individual with a disability” as someone with an impairment that substantially limits a major life activity and cross-references federal law to limit which nonresident military spouses or dependents are included. It does not create new federal funding or mandate that jurisdictions must adopt these preferences—it only permits them to do so.

• Gives state and local election jurisdictions the option to prioritize veterans when hiring election workers.
• Allows jurisdictions to prioritize individuals with disabilities for election worker positions, using a standard disability definition.
• Permits and protects hiring preference for certain nonresident military spouses or dependents and prevents rejecting them solely for lack of local residence.
• The term for nonresident military spouse/dependent is defined by cross-reference to federal voting law, limiting who qualifies.
• The law is permissive, not mandatory: jurisdictions may choose whether to adopt these preferences.
• No federal funding or enforcement provisions are included—implementation is left to jurisdictions' existing hiring processes.
• Applies only to election worker hiring, not to other public employment or election duties.
• Does not change or amend the underlying U.S. Code text; it establishes authorization and definitions for local practice.