Michigan lawmakers on Nov. 10, one day before Veterans’ Day, announced a proposed legislation which seeks to make professional life easier for veterans in Michigan. It does so by removing barriers for receiving state professional licenses for servicemembers and veterans, as well as their dependents.
The bill is bipartisan, supported in the Michigan House and Senate by primary sponsors Rep. Andrea Schroeder (R-Independence Twp.), Rep. Sarah Anthony (D-Lansing), Sen. John Bizon (R-Battle Creek), and Sen. Adam Hollier (D-Detroit), according to a press release from MI Newswire.
The collaborative bill was announced by Governor, along with Gretchen Whitmer, Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs Director Orlene Hawks, Adjutant General and Michigan Department of Military and Veterans Affairs Director Major General Paul Rogers, and Michigan Veterans Affairs Agency Director Zaneta Adams.
The bill was introduced so that military individuals and families would become more able to acquire professional licenses without being hindered by barriers that often cause problems for those trying to work in the state of Michigan. This means that for those impacted by the legislation, professional licenses for other states would be transferable to Michigan through license reciprocity. Eligibility for obtaining a professional license in this way in Michigan would be dependent on the good standing of the license in the state where it was originally earned. Potential licensees would also be required to demonstrate competence by means of their education and work experience, which would be evaluated by the Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs, according to the press release.
Through the bill, military personnel will be able to use military experience towards their licensure requirements, receive exemptions for renewal fees and continuing education while on active duty, receive waivers for initial license or registration fees as well as initial application processing fees in the case of veterans, acquire temporary licenses for spouses of those on active duty and acquire reimbursement for examination fees.
