BILL REQ. #:  H-3132.1 

Read first time 12/12/11.   Referred to Committee on Business & Financial Services.

     AN ACT Relating to procedures allowing certain military spouses to seek employment in state-licensed professional occupations after relocating to Washington; and adding a new chapter to Title 18 RCW.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON:

NEW SECTION.  Sec. 1   The lives of military families are dominated by frequent deployments, relocations, and extended periods of single parenthood. Military spouses are some of the most mobile populations in our country, making the maintenance of professional licenses a significant obstacle. According to the 2010 defense management data center, there are thirty-three thousand three hundred eighty active duty and ten thousand eight hundred thirty-seven reserve military spouses residing in Washington. Military families depend on two incomes and want to achieve their goals and aspirations. It is the intent of the legislature to recognize the sacrifices made by military families in service to our country and our state and to help alleviate the hardships military families face due to their highly transient life.

NEW SECTION.  Sec. 2   (1) For the purposes of this section, "authority" means any board, commission, or other authority for issuance of a license, certificate, registration, or permit under this title.
     (2) To the extent resources are available:
     (a) Each authority shall establish procedures to expedite the issuance of a license, certificate, or permit to perform professional services regulated by each such authority to a person:
     (i) Who is certified or licensed in another state to perform professional services in that state;
     (ii) Whose spouse is the subject of a military transfer to Washington; and
     (iii) Who left employment in the other state to accompany the person's spouse to Washington.
     (b) The procedure must include: A process for issuing the person a license, certificate, registration, or permit, if, in the opinion of the authority, the requirements for licensure, certification, registration, or obtaining a permit of such other state are substantially equivalent to that required in Washington.
     (c) Each authority in this title shall develop a method and adopt rules to authorize a person who meets the criteria in (a)(i) through (iii) of this subsection to perform services regulated by the authority in Washington by issuing the person a temporary license, certificate, registration, or permit for a limited period of time to allow the person to perform services regulated by the authority while completing any specific requirements that may be required in Washington that were not required in the other state in which the person is licensed, certified, or registered, or has a permit, unless the authority finds that the requirements for a license, certificate, registration, or permit of the other state are substantially unequal to Washington standards.
     (d) An applicant must state in the application that he or she:
     (i) Has requested verification from the other state or states that the person is currently licensed, certified, registered, or has a permit; and
     (ii) Is not subject to any pending investigation, charges, or disciplinary action by the regulatory body of the other state or states.
     (e) If the authority finds reasonable cause to believe that an applicant falsely affirmed or stated either of the requirements under (d)(i) or (ii) of this subsection, the authority may summarily suspend the license, certificate, registration, or permit pending an investigation or further action to discipline or revoke the license, certificate, registration, or permit.
     (f) The regulating authority for the department of licensing, the department of health, and the department of labor and industries shall appear before the joint committee on veteran and military affairs in December 2012 to inform the committee as to their efforts to implement the requirements of this chapter.

NEW SECTION.  Sec. 3   Sections 1 and 2 of this act constitute a new chapter in Title 18 RCW.