1.1 	A bill for an act
1.2 	relating to veterans affairs; permitting a preference for private employers to hire 
1.3 	and promote veterans; permitting a preference for private employers to hire and 
1.4 	promote the spouse of a disabled or deceased veteran; proposing coding for new 
1.5 	law in Minnesota Statutes, chapter 197.
1.6 	BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA:

1.7 	Section 1. [197.4551] PERMISSIVE PREFERENCE FOR VETERANS IN 
1.8 	PRIVATE EMPLOYMENT.
1.9 		Subdivision 1.Preference permitted. A private, nonpublic employer may grant 
1.10 	preference to a veteran in hiring and promotion. 
1.11 		Subd. 2.Preference for spouse of disabled or deceased veteran; definition. A 
1.12 	private, nonpublic employer may grant preference in hiring and promotion to a spouse 
1.13 	of a disabled veteran who has a service-connected permanent and total disability and to 
1.14 	a surviving spouse of a deceased veteran. "Disabled veteran" in this subdivision means 
1.15 	a person who has had a compensable service-connected disability as adjudicated by the 
1.16 	United States Veterans Administration, or by the retirement board of one of the several 
1.17 	branches of the armed forces.
1.18 		Subd. 3.Equal employment opportunity law. Granting preference under 
1.19 	subdivision 1 or 2 does not violate any local or state equal employment opportunity law, 
1.20 	including, but not limited to, chapter 363A.