SENATE BILL REPORT

SB 5308

As Reported by Senate Committee On:

Labor, Commerce & Consumer Protection, February 10, 2011

Title: An act relating to evaluating military training and experience toward meeting licensing requirements.

Brief Description: Concerning evaluating military training and experience toward meeting certain professional licensing requirements.

Sponsors: Senators Kilmer, Hewitt, Regala, Conway, Kastama, Hobbs, King, Rockefeller, Swecker and Roach.

Brief History:

Committee Activity: Labor, Commerce & Consumer Protection: 1/31/11, 2/07/11, 2/10/11 [DPS].

Majority Report: That Substitute Senate Bill No. 5308 be substituted therefor, and the substitute bill do pass.

Signed by Senators Kohl-Welles, Chair; Conway, Vice Chair; Holmquist Newbry, Ranking Minority Member; King, Assistant Ranking Minority Member; Hewitt, Keiser and Kline.

Staff: Ingrid Mungia (786-7423)

Background: The Department of Licensing (Department) regulates certain businesses and professions. Each regulated business and profession has a separate set of laws. Some businesses and professions, such as cosmetologists and security guards, are under the authority of the Director of the Department (Director) and others, such as architects and engineers, are under a board or commission charged with regulating the particular business or profession.

Cosmetology, Barbering, Manicuring, and Esthetics. The Department regulates cosmetology, barbering, manicuring, and esthetics. A person must be licensed to practice these professions. In order to be licensed, an applicant must complete the required education and successfully pass an examination. Applicants may complete the education requirements either by graduating from a school licensed by the Department or by completing a state-approved apprenticeship program.

Minimum training hours at a school consist of:

• cosmetologist, 1600 hours;

• barber, 1000 hours;

• manicurist, 600 hours;

• esthetician, 600 hours; and

• instructor-trainee, 500 hours.

Minimum training hours in an apprenticeship program consist of:

• cosmetologist, 2000 hours;

• barber, 1200 hours;

• manicurist, 800 hours; and

• esthetician, 800 hours.

Engineers and Land Surveyors. Engineers and land surveyors must be registered by the Board of Registration for Engineers and Land Surveyors (Board) in order to practice engineering or land surveying in Washington. Candidates for registration as an engineer or land surveyor must have eight years of appropriate work experience and must have successfully passed the required examinations. Applicants may substitute undergraduate study in an approved engineering or land surveying school or college for up to four years of the work experience requirements. The Board may also approve up to one year of appropriate postgraduate study.

Security Guards. Security guards are licensed by the Department and must satisfy training requirements established by the Director in order to be licensed.

Summary of Bill (Recommended Substitute): People with military training and experience may count that training and experience towards professional licensing requirements unless that profession’s regulatory body determines that the training and experience is not substantially equivalent to the standards of this state. This applies to the following professional licenses: notaries public, on-site wastewater designers, private investigators, professional athletes, real estate brokers, salespersons and land development representatives, real estate appraisers, security guards, tattooing and body piercing licensees, timeshare salespersons, architects, auctioneers, bail bond agents and recovery agents, camping resort salespersons, cosmetologists, court reporters, driver training instructors, engineers, funeral directors and embalmers, geologists, home inspectors and landscape architects.

EFFECT OF CHANGES MADE BY LABOR, COMMERCE & CONSUMER PROTECTION COMMITTEE (Recommended Substitute): Rather than requiring the regulatory body to develop a process to evaluate training and experience, military training and experience is considered to satisfy training and experience requirements unless the regulatory body determines that the training and experience is not substantially equivalent to the standards of the state.

Appropriation: None.

Fiscal Note: Available.

Committee/Commission/Task Force Created: No.

Effective Date: Ninety days after adjournment of session in which bill is passed.

Staff Summary of Public Testimony on Original Bill: PRO: This is one of two bills dealing with this issue this session. The other bill is dealing with health care professions. As we see our service members leave the military and come back home and look for civilian jobs they are occasionally running into challenges, in particular having their military experience count. Veterans have a slightly higher unemployment rate. This is one of the things this bill is trying to correct. This bill helps acknowledge experience and knowledge rather than seat time. The Department of Defense (DOD) has solicited feedback from a number of military branches and service organizations and found that licensing credentialing can limit career options to separated service members. DOD has many highly qualified schools that train service members. There are a number of winners in this bill especially the veterans. Programs will utilize veterans well honed skills. The economy will benefit from this bill and open up seat time at schools. There is a broad acknowledgment that there are similar things going on in this area. Education is the key to digging ourselves out of this recession.

Persons Testifying: PRO: Senator Kilmer, prime sponsor; Mark San Souci, Department of Defense State Liaison Officer; Ted Wicorek, Veterans Legislative Coalition; Steve Lindstrom, NW Career Colleges Federation.