18976. (a) Request for and proof of eligibility for veterans’ preference shall be submitted by the veteran to the department or designated appointing authority conducting the employment examination. The procedures and time of filing the request shall be subject to rules promulgated by the department, in consultation with the Department of Veterans Affairs.(b) Subject to rules promulgated by the department pursuant to subdivision (a), in order to facilitate a request for veterans’ preference from a currently serving active duty member of the United States Armed Forces, the department or designated appointing authority may use a document signed by an applicant’s commanding officer of the military to verify that applicant’s military service. The department or designated appointing authority, before the applicant enters state service with the benefit of the veterans’ preference, shall require the same proof of eligibility for veterans’ preference used for veterans under subdivision (a).(Amended by Stats. 2017, Ch. 237, Sec. 1. (SB 410) Effective January 1, 2018.)