---
title: O.C.G.A. § 38-4-9. Commissioner of veterans service — Employment of personnel; preference to veterans, surviving spouses, and dependents; advise Governor, board, and General Assembly.
collection: code
id: 38-4-9
cite_as: O.C.G.A. § 38-4-9 (2025)
canonical_url: https://georgiacommons.org/code/38-4-9
md_url: https://georgiacommons.org/code/38-4-9.md
text_url: https://georgiacommons.org/code/38-4-9/text
source_url: https://www.legis.ga.gov/api/document/docs/default-source/joint-features-document-library/t37-t39-(v28)-2021-pdf.pdf?sfvrsn=c6b9c518_0#page=653
date: 2025
status: active
corpus_version: 2025-supplement-89aa39ab3c68
license: CC0-1.0
publisher: Georgia Commons, an independent project of Georgia Civic Data. Not the State of Georgia. Not legal advice.
up: https://georgiacommons.org/code/38-4.md
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version: the only printed version
in_force: true
current_through: Including Acts of the 2025 Regular Session of the General Assembly
heading_path: MILITARY, EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT, AND VETERANS AFFAIRS / VETERANS AFFAIRS / DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS SERVICE
---

# O.C.G.A. § 38-4-9. Commissioner of veterans service — Employment of personnel; preference to veterans, surviving spouses, and dependents; advise Governor, board, and General Assembly.

The commissioner of veterans service is authorized and directed to employ competent personnel to assist in the administration of the Department of Veterans Service. The commissioner shall give reasonable preference to veterans, their surviving spouses, and dependents in the matter of employment in the department; provided, however, that competency and efficiency shall not be sacrificed because of veteran affiliation, relationship, or service. It shall be the duty of the commissioner to advise the Governor, the Veterans Service Board, and the General Assembly as to needed veterans’ legislation. As executive officer, the commissioner shall have exclusive authority to employ personnel necessary to carry out the purposes of this article and shall define the duties of employees, assign their official stations, and fix their compensation subject to the rules of the State Personnel Board.

## History

Ga. L. 1931, p. 7, § 13; Code 1933, § 78-103; Ga. L. 1945, p. 319, § 8; Ga. L. 1981, p. 700, § 1; Ga. L. 1982, p. 3, § 38; Ga. L. 1983, p. 1401, § 8; Ga. L. 2009, p. 745, § 1/SB 97; Ga. L. 2012, p. 446, § 2-61/HB 642.

## Cross References

Fair employment practices in state hiring generally, § 45-19-20 et seq.

## Editor's Notes

Ga. L. 1983, p. 1401, § 1, not codified by the General Assembly, provided that: ‘‘It is the intent of this Act to implement certain changes required by Article IV, Section V, Paragraph I, subparagraph (b) of the Constitution of the State of Georgia.’’

Ga. L. 2012, p. 446, § 3-1/HB 642, not codified by the General Assembly, provides that: ‘‘Personnel, equipment, and facilities that were assigned to the State Personnel Administration as of June 30, 2012, shall be transferred to the Department of Administrative Services on the effective date of this Act.’’ This Act became effective July 1, 2012.

Ga. L. 2012, p. 446, § 3-2/HB 642, not codified by the General Assembly, provides that: ‘‘Appropriations for functions which are transferred by this Act may be transferred as provided in Code Section 45-12-90.’’