Allows appointing authorities in Civil Service to hire from or promote within top five eligible candidates.

This bill (A 781) amends New Jersey's civil service law to expand the "rule of three" to a "rule of five." It allows state appointing authorities to hire from or promote within the top five eligible candidates on competitive or promotional lists, rather than the current top three. The change applies to all civil service positions covered by the Civil Service Commission, including those considering veterans' preference. The bill directly affects state hiring processes for government positions requiring competitive exams.