Ch. 179                                            LAWS OF MARYLAND

Article 64A - Merit System

18.

(c) Examinations shall be competitive, free and open to all
persons who may be lawfully appointed to any position within the
class for which the examination is held, with such limitations as
may be specified in the rules by the Secretary as to age, health,
habits, moral character, physical condition, and other
qualifications, except as hereinafter provided that are in the
judgment of the Secretary prerequisite to the performance of the
duties of such positions; provided, however, that the Secretary
may, from time to time, provide for general rules exempting from
competitive examinations, positions to be filled by unskilled
manual laborers, including positions for road patrolmen under the
State Highway Administration, and may, if [he] THE SECRETARY sees
fit, provide in lieu of said competitive examinations such system
or systems of registration for said laborers or otherwise as in
its judgment will best provide for such positions; and provide
further as to all positions that the Secretary may by [his] rules
give preference in competition for higher classes of positions to
classified service employees or to classified service employees
of a certain class or classes by giving credit for experience and
demonstrated efficiency (not to exceed twenty per centum of all
marks) in determining the relative fitness for promotion of such
employees. Veterans of the military and naval services of the
United States who served a minimum of 90 days or were released
prior to that length of service due to a service-connected
disability prior to January 31, 1955, or who served on or after
January 31, 1955, for a minimum of 181 days of continuous active
duty or were released prior to that length of time due to a
service-connected disability, who have either been honorably
discharged or who have received a certificate of satisfactory
completion of such service, [and who have been bona fide
residents of this State for five years or more immediately prior
to filing an application,] shall be given special credit for such
service. Such war veterans who are disabled as a result of their
war service shall be given credit of ten points in all
examinations for appointments. Nondisabled veterans shall be
given a credit of five points in all examinations for
appointment. All such credit shall be allowed only in
determining the standing on the certification of eligibles of
said veteran.

SECTION 2. AND BE IT FURTHER ENACTED, That this Act shall
take effect July 1, 1989.

Approved May 5, 1989.

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