(a) A credit under this section shall be applied to an applicant’s score on any selection test administered to establish placement on a list of eligible candidates for which the applicant otherwise is qualified and has at least the minimum passing score on a selection test.

(b) For a current State employee, an appointing authority shall apply a credit on a selection test, of one-quarter point for each year of service in State government, up to a maximum of five points for 20 years of State service.

(c) (1) In this subsection, “eligible veteran” means a veteran of any branch of the armed forces of the United States who has received an honorable discharge or a certificate of satisfactory completion of military service, including the National Guard and the military reserves.

(2) (i) An appointing authority shall apply a credit of ten points on any selection test for:

1. an eligible veteran;

2. the spouse of an eligible veteran who has a service connected disability; or

3. the surviving spouse of a deceased eligible veteran.

(ii) An appointing authority shall apply a credit of two additional points on any selection test for a former prisoner of war.

(3) The following applicants are ineligible for a credit under this subsection:

(i) a current State employee; and

(ii) an eligible veteran who is convicted of a crime after being discharged from or completing military service.

(d) (1) (i) In this subsection the following words have the meanings indicated.

(ii) “Host county” means any county in which a qualified prison facility is located.

(iii) “Adjacent county” means any county adjacent to a host county.

(iv) “Qualified prison facility” means any new State correctional institution of 750 beds or more constructed for the Division of Correction of the Department of Public Safety and Correctional Services on or after January 1, 1985.

(2) In the selection process for an initial appointment to any position in a qualified prison facility, an appointing authority shall allow five points to each resident of the host county or an adjacent county if, in the most recent 12-month period for which data is available as reported by the Maryland Department of Labor, that county had an average unemployment rate that is more than 1.5 times the State unemployment rate as a whole.

(e) (1) (i) In this subsection the following words have the meanings indicated.

(ii) “Adjacent district” means a legislative district within Baltimore City adjacent to the host district or, if the adjacent district extends beyond Baltimore City, that part of the district within Baltimore City.

(iii) “Host district” means the legislative district in which the Baltimore City Juvenile Justice Center is located.

(2) In the selection process for an initial appointment to any position at the Baltimore Juvenile Justice Center, an appointing authority shall allow five points to each resident of the host district or an adjacent district if, in the most recent 12-month period for which data is available as reported by the Maryland Department of Labor, Baltimore City had an average unemployment rate that is more than 1.5 times the State unemployment rate as a whole.

(f) In the selection process for an appointment to a position within the State Personnel Management System, an appointing authority shall allow five points to each resident of the State of Maryland.

(g) An appointing authority shall apply a credit of five points on a selection test for an individual with a disability, as defined by the federal Americans with Disabilities Act.