H-3499.1

HOUSE BILL 2303

ByRepresentatives Leavitt, Dufault, MacEwen, Gildon, Kirby, Fey, Morgan, Barkis, Kilduff, Dolan, Ryu, Young, Wylie, Doglio, Volz, and Appleton

AN ACT Relating to professional licensing requirements for service members and military spouses; amending RCW 18.340.010; adding new sections to chapter 18.340 RCW; adding a new section to chapter 43.24 RCW; and adding a new section to chapter 43.22 RCW.

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

Sec. 1. RCW 18.340.010 and 2011 2nd sp.s. c 5 s 1 are each amended to read as follows:

The lives of military families are dominated by frequent deployments, relocations, and extended periods of single parenthood. ((Military))Service members and their spouses are some of the most mobile populations in our country, making the maintenance of professional licenses a significant obstacle. According to the ((2010))2019 defense management data center, there are ((thirty-three thousand three hundred eighty active duty and ten thousand eight hundred thirty-seven))more than eighty thousand active duty and reserve service members and nearly forty thousand active duty and reserve military spouses residing in Washington. Military families depend on two incomes and want to achieve their career 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))career turmoil military families face due to their highly transient life.

NEW SECTION.  Sec. 2. A new section is added to chapter 18.340 RCW to read as follows:

(1) A member of the armed forces of the United States or an active duty military spouse may engage in the practice of a profession regulated under this title without obtaining a Washington state certificate, registration, license, or permit if he or she is:

(a) Stationed, or is the spouse of a member of the armed forces who is stationed, in Washington;

(b) Certified, registered, or licensed, or has a permit to perform such professional services in another state;

(c) In good standing in the state of licensure; and

(d) Not subject to any pending investigation, charges, or disciplinary action by the regulatory body of another state.

(2) By December 1, 2021, and biennially thereafter, each authority must report to the appropriate committees of the legislature the number and nature of complaints filed, if any, against a member of the armed forces or a military spouse engaging in the practice of a profession under this section and sections 3 and 4 of this act.

(3) For the purposes of this section:

(a) "Active duty military spouse" means any person currently married to someone who is an active or reserve member in any branch of the armed forces of the United States, including the national guard, coast guard, and armed forces reserves.

(b) "Authority" means any board, commission, or other authority for issuance of a license, certificate, registration, or permit under this title.

NEW SECTION.  Sec. 3. A new section is added to chapter 43.24 RCW to read as follows:

(1) A member of the armed forces of the United States or an active duty military spouse may engage in the practice of a profession regulated by the department of licensing without obtaining a Washington state certificate, registration, license, or permit if he or she is:

(a) Stationed, or is the spouse of a member of the armed forces who is stationed, in Washington;

(b) Certified, registered, or licensed, or has a permit to perform such professional services in another state;

(c) In good standing in the state of licensure; and

(d) Not subject to any pending investigation, charges, or disciplinary action by the regulatory body of another state.

(2) For the purposes of this section, "active duty military spouse" means any person currently married to someone who is an active or reserve member in any branch of the armed forces of the United States, including the national guard, coast guard, and armed forces reserves.

NEW SECTION.  Sec. 4. A new section is added to chapter 43.22 RCW to read as follows:

(1) A member of the armed forces of the United States or an active duty military spouse may engage in the practice of a profession regulated by the department of labor and industries without obtaining a Washington state certificate, registration, license, or permit if he or she is:

(a) Stationed, or is the spouse of a member of the armed forces who is stationed, in Washington;

(b) Certified, registered, or licensed, or has a permit to perform such professional services in another state;

(c) In good standing in the state of licensure; and

(d) Not subject to any pending investigation, charges, or disciplinary action by the regulatory body of another state.

(2) For the purposes of this section, "active duty military spouse" means any person currently married to someone who is an active or reserve member in any branch of the armed forces of the United States, including the national guard, coast guard, and armed forces reserves.

NEW SECTION.  Sec. 5. A new section is added to chapter 18.340 RCW to read as follows:

The employment security department, the department of health, the department of labor and industries, the department of licensing, and the department of veterans affairs shall each maintain a military assistance web page containing the department's rules, regulations, and procedures related to the professional licensing of veterans, members of the armed services, and military spouses and links to the military assistance web pages of other state agencies. A direct link to the agency's military assistance page must be displayed on the agency's home page.

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