The North Carolina Senate unanimously passed SB-8 on March 15th which eases occupational licensure burdens on veterans by allowing military members and their spouses to practice their profession with a license from another state while transitioning to the requirements of North Carolina. The bill, sponsored by Senators Andy Wells, Harry Brown, and Louis Pate, is a positive step towards helping military families working jobs that may require a license.
Recognizing professional licenses issued by other states relieves some of the burden put on military families who relocate regularly. Rather than being put out of work while getting re-licensed in a new state, families can continue working while they move towards satisfying qualification requirements for licensure in North Carolina.
The bill only applies to military members and spouses who have performed the occupation in another state where the requirements are “substantially equivalent” to North Carolina’s. Qualifying participants receive a temporary practice permit that is valid for one year. Military families are also no longer required to pay the application fee for licensure if one is typically required in the field in which they work.
Research suggests relicensing policies impose a considerable cost of time and money on workers looking for jobs in another state. Variations in state licensing laws cause military families difficulties while pursuing their careers as they move between states.
CSG executives signed a resolution late last year supporting intergovernmental collaboration on occupational licensing for military spouses. The resolution reports that thirty-five percent of military spouses work in occupations that require a professional license including teaching, childcare services, and nursing. Additionally, sixty-eight percent of married veterans report their spouse’s ability to maintain a career impacted their decision to remain in the military by a large or moderate extent.
CSG recently won a $7.5 million dollar grant from the U.S. Department of Labor to guide a group of 10 states in improving licensure portability across state borders. The action plan prioritizes military families as a part of the targeted population in need of greater licensure opportunities.
Relieving financial and administrative burdens on these families who sacrifice for the sake of our country is a small way of repaying them for their service. State and local governments who streamline occupational licensing opportunities will ease the transition for military members and their spouses to move across state lines.
North Carolina’s SB-8 is currently working its way through House Standing Committees, but is receiving bipartisan support, and sponsors anticipate it becoming a law in the upcoming weeks.
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