The bill modifies existing law by amending RCW 41.04.010 and adds a new section to chapter 41.04 RCW to create specific hiring and promotion score preferences for veterans and certain federal employees. It establishes percentage score additions on a 100-point scale to be added to passing marks or promotional exam scores: 10% for a veteran who served during a period of war or armed conflict and is not receiving military retirement (applied until the veteran's first appointment and not for promotional exams); 5% for a veteran who did not serve during a period of war or is receiving military retirement (applied until the veteran's first appointment and not for promotional exams); 5% for a veteran who was called to active military service from state or local government employment (applied to promotional examinations until the first promotion only); and 5% for a federal employee (applied to promotional examinations until the first promotion only). The bill also adds a new requirement that, in every state agency, federal employees (as defined in the bill) shall be preferred for appointment and employment. The bill defines "federal employee" for these purposes as a federal worker who either was separated from federal service under Executive Order 14210 (90 Fed. Reg. 9669, Feb. 11, 2025) or voluntarily separated because remote work arrangements were terminated under the Presidential Memorandum (90 Fed. Reg. 8251, Jan. 20, 2025). It defines "state agency" to include any office, department, division, bureau, board, commission, or other agency of the state. Affected entities include the State of Washington, its political subdivisions and municipal corporations, and private contractors that administer competitive examinations. The bill cites RCW 41.04.007, RCW 41.04.005, and RCW 73.04.005 for veteran definitions and qualifying discharge reference, but those definitions and the cited federal documents are not included here, so full qualification criteria and some implementation details are unclear. The bill was read for the first time February 19, 2025, and was referred to the State Government, Tribal Affairs & Elections Committee.

If enacted, state agencies, their local governments, and any private contractors running civil service exams will be required to give measurable hiring and promotion advantages to qualifying veterans and to a narrowly defined group of former federal employees (those separated under Executive Order 14210 or who left after federal remote-work terminations). Practically, that will raise the chances that those veterans and covered federal workers get initial appointments or early promotions because specified percentage points will be added to passing or promotional exam scores until their first appointment or first promotion, and agencies must generally prefer covered federal employees for appointment. The groups most affected are veterans (in several defined categories) and the described former federal employees, who will likely see improved hiring and promotion outcomes; other applicants will face comparatively reduced chances. State agencies and contractors will need to identify eligible people and apply the score adjustments and preference rules, creating administrative work and potential implementation costs. Key details about which veterans or federal separations qualify depend on other cited RCW sections and federal documents that aren’t included here, so there is uncertainty about exactly who gains these advantages.