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Resolution Supporting Intergovernmental Collaboration on Occupational Licensing for Military Spouses

By CSG Executive Committee

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WHEREAS, military service members and their families make sacrifices for the sake of our country and in defense of our freedom; and

WHEREAS, military families often move across state lines during their service and immediately following; and

WHEREAS, military spouses move households to accommodate their families at a rate ten times higher than non-military spouses; and

WHEREAS, thirty-five percent of military spouses work in an occupation that requires a professional license; and

WHEREAS, the top three occupations held by military spouses – teaching, child care services, and nursing – require occupational licensing; and

WHEREAS, current state laws vary dramatically regarding licensing requirements for many occupations; and

WHEREAS, sixty-eight percent of married service members reported their spouse’s ability to maintain a career impacted their decision to remain in the military by a large or moderate extent; and

WHEREAS, streamlining the occupational licensing process supports military families and promotes employment.

NOW, THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED, that The Council of State Governments requests that the Congress and the Executive Branch work with state and local governments to promote policies which ease the transition for military service members and their families when they move across state lines by streamlining occupational licensing, which will ease the financial and administrative burdens placed on those families by the need to frequently regain their professional credentials.

Adopted by The Council of State Governments’ Executive Committee this 11th Day of December, 2016 in Colonial Williamsburg, Virginia.