2016

• Removed income limits on disabled veteran personal property tax exemption that had been implemented in 2015 legislative session

2017

• Restoration of 100% disabled veteran personal property tax exemption after $75K reduction had been implemented in 2015 legislative session (restored back to $175K vs $100K)
• Legislation to ensure exemption is maintained if veteran is in long-term care.
• Hiring Preferences for Veterans, Spouses and widows/widowers

2018

• Legislation to end Stolen valor
• Legislation to encourage governor to appoint veterans to mental health and education
  boards
• Law encourages governor, in appointing members to the board of regents, University of Tennessee board of trustees, and state university governing boards to strive to ensure that at least one board member is an honorably discharged military veteran
• Law encourages governor to appoint military veteran as a member of the statewide planning and policy council.
• Provides continued eligibility for a disabled veteran’s property tax relief during temporary periods of confinement in a nursing home or hospitalization if the disabled veteran intends to return to the residence once recovered.

2019

• Legislation to ensure dependents of active duty members who are accepted to Tenn. Universities maintain in-state status if veteran is transferred between acceptance and admittance.

2020

• Legislation to mandate suicide prevention training for TDVA and VSO office employees
  who interact with veterans
• Legislation to recognize 12 June as Women Veterans Day (resolution)
• Worked with Tenn Dept of Veteran Services (TDVS) Commissioner to restore suicide prevention hotline and information on state website.

2021

• Legislation to recognize, each year, 12 June as Women Veterans Recognition Day
• Legislation created a medical leave policy for state employees who are 30 percent or more disabled veterans to attend VA appointments. 

2022

• Covid Death Certificate and Dependency and Indemnity Compensation (DIC). Legislation created and signed into law a bill that will ensure Tennessee veteran spouses and families can rightfully obtain federal survivor benefits they may qualify for when COVID, or other pandemic, is a contributary cause in the veteran’s death. Ensures spouses and families can work with state Veteran Service Offices to attain VA related health information that can be provided to doctors on the veteran’s past aliment and treatment actions and, if regrettably needed, for full disclosure and documentation on the death certificate.

2023/2024

• Tennessee State Government Veteran Hiring Changes/Improvements. In August 2023, Tennessee Veterans (TNVET) Leadership met with the Tennessee Department of Veterans Services (TDVS) Commissioner Baker to improve the Tennessee State veteran hiring process and reporting, ensuring opportunities for our veterans and their spouses. With Commissioner Baker’s assistance, TNVET continues to work with Veteran Services HR Director Dolores A. Keene to improve the Tennessee State veteran hiring process. After the revision of the Tennessee Code in 2012 added verbiage “that when a veteran and any another applicant being interviewed for the position are equal, preference shall be given to the veteran for the position,” TNVET questioned compliance.

  Upon TNVET inquiring about the oversight for compliance of the veteran hiring policy, Director Keene provided an email response stating that she is working with the Tennessee Department of Human Resources (DOHR) on enhancing the application process for Veterans and Spouses. Currently they have improved the letter notifications, expanded the eligibility documents, and made the applications instructions clearer, adding FAQs for Veterans and spouses when completing an application. Veteran applicants now receive a letter of confirmation when they upload the required document when requesting preference.

  Moving forward Director Keene will provide data at the end of the fiscal year for a benchmark year to year. TNVET is requesting a Biannual, twice a year, report to allow for better monitoring and to address future fiscal year budget needs. This is in line with Commissioner Baker previously asking TNVET to provide to him in the 3^rd Quarter, January to March, proposed new veterans service funding needs for consideration in his Department of Veterans Services fiscal year budget.

  TNVET will post action updates and veteran hiring data reports to our website. TNVET encourages applicants to visit https://www.tn.gov/Careers to search and apply for career opportunities, including preferred service, Executive Service, and Internship positions.

  Tennessee State Government Hiring

  FY 24 Data May 2024

  Statewide Applicants/Hires	Veteran Applicants/Hires	Veteran Hires by Department
  Total Applicants:  184718 Total Number Hires: 6652 Percent Hires:  3.6	Veteran Applicants: 222 Veteran Hires: 32 Percent Hires: 14.5	Children’s Services: 1 Correction: 1 TDEC: 2 Health: 1 Human Services: 2 Labor & Workforce: 2 Military:  3 Safety: 6 Veterans Services: 14