H-3321.4
HOUSE BILL 2534
State of Washington | 66th Legislature | 2020 Regular Session |
ByRepresentatives Dufault, Vick, Santos, Hoff, Walen, Ybarra, Barkis, Corry, Paul, Duerr, Caldier, Gildon, Volz, Ormsby, and Van Werven
Read first time 01/15/20.Referred to Committee on Housing, Community Development & Veterans.
AN ACT Relating to provisional professional licenses for service members and military spouses; adding a new section to chapter
43.24 RCW; and creating a new section.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON:
NEW SECTION. Sec. 1. (1) The legislature finds that many professions with occupational licensing requirements have differing requirements between states which an individual must fulfill before being allowed to practice that profession. This reality prevents certain individuals from continuing work in their profession upon moving to Washington state, until they complete often costly, time-consuming, and redundant application requirements.
(2) Furthermore, the legislature acknowledges the undue burden this can cause military families who are frequently required to relocate across state lines.
(3) It is, therefore, the intent of the legislature to direct the department of licensing to establish procedures to issue a provisional occupational license to perform professional services regulated by the department to a member of the armed forces or an active duty military spouse who is licensed to perform that practice in another state.
NEW SECTION. Sec. 2. A new section is added to chapter
43.24 RCW to read as follows:
(1) 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) "Department" means the department of licensing.
(c) "Provisional license, certificate, registration, or permit" means immediate authorization to perform the full range of activities allowed with a standard license, certificate, registration, or permit for a period of three years, or the duration of a standard license, certificate, registration, or permit if less than three years.
(2) By January 1, 2021, the department shall establish procedures to issue a provisional license, certificate, registration, or permit to perform professional services regulated by the department to a member of the armed forces of the United States or an active duty military spouse who is:
(a) Currently certified, registered, or licensed, or has a permit in good standing to perform professional services in another state; and
(b) Stationed, or is the spouse of a member of the armed forces who is stationed, in Washington.
(3)(a) 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, or 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.
(b) If the department finds reasonable cause to believe that an applicant falsely affirmed or stated either of the requirements under (a) of this subsection, the department may summarily suspend the provisional license, certificate, registration, or permit pending an investigation or further action to discipline or revoke the license, certificate, registration, or permit.
--- END ---