REFERENCE TITLE: military spouse; preference; employment

State of Arizona

House of Representatives

Fifty-seventh Legislature

Second Regular Session

2026

HB 2707

Introduced by

Representatives Márquez: Gillette

AN ACT

Amending sections 23-495 and 23-495.01, Arizona Revised Statutes; amending title 41, chapter 4, article 1, Arizona Revised Statutes, by adding section 41-710.04; relating to employment POLICIES.

(TEXT OF BILL BEGINS ON NEXT PAGE)

Be it enacted by the Legislature of the State of Arizona:

Section 1. Section 23-495, Arizona Revised Statutes, is amended to read:

START_STATUTE23-495. Definitions

In this article, unless the context otherwise requires:

1. "DD-214" means a United States department of defense report of separation form or its predecessor or successor forms.

2. "Military spouse preference employment policy" means a private employer's voluntary preference for hiring, promoting or retaining a military spouse over another qualified applicant or employee.

2. 3. "Private employer":

(a) Means a sole proprietor, corporation, partnership, limited liability company or other entity with one or more employees. Private employer

(b) Does not include this state, a political subdivision of this state or a public institution of higher education in this state.

3. 4. "Veteran" means a person who served on active duty in the United States armed forces and who was discharged or released under honorable conditions.

4. 5. "Veterans' preference employment policy" means a private employer's voluntary preference for hiring, promoting or retaining a veteran over another qualified applicant or employee. END_STATUTE

Sec. 2. Section 23-495.01, Arizona Revised Statutes, is amended to read:

START_STATUTE23-495.01. Voluntary veterans' and military spouse preference employment policy; private employers; eligibility

A. A private employer may adopt a voluntary veterans' preference employment policy or a voluntary military spouse preference employment policy.

B. The veterans' preference employment policy or voluntary military spouse preference employment policy shall be in writing and applied uniformly to employment decisions regarding hiring, promotion or retention during a reduction in force.

C. A private employer with a veterans' preference employment policy or a military spouse preference employment policy may require that a veteran submit a DD-214 or that a military spouse submit documentation proving that the person is a military spouse to be eligible for the preference. END_STATUTE

Sec. 3. Title 41, chapter 4, article 1, Arizona Revised Statutes, is amended by adding section 41-710.04, to read:

START_STATUTE41-710.04. Voluntary military spouse employment policy; eligibility; definition

A. notwithstanding any other law, This state or an agency of this state may adopt a VOLUNTARY MILITARY SPOUSE preference EMPLOYMENT POLICY.

B. The VOLUNTARY MILITARY SPOUSE preference EMPLOYMENT POLICY shall be in writing and applied uniformly to employment decisions regarding hiring, promotion or retention during a reduction in force.

C. This state or an agency of this state with a MILITARY SPOUSE PREFERENCE EMPLOYMENT POLICY may require that A MILITARY SPOUSE SUBMIT DOCUMENTATION PROVING THAT the person is A MILITARY SPOUSE to be eligible for the preference.

D. For the purposes of this section, "military spouse preference employment policy" has the same meaning PRESCRIBED in section 23-495. END_STATUTE