Bill Text: NJ A321 | 2026-2027 | Regular Session | Introduced
Bill Title: "Military Spouse Licensure Reform Act."
Sponsorship: Partisan Bill (Republican 2)
Status: (Introduced) 2026-01-13 - Introduced, Referred to Assembly Military and Veterans' Affairs Committee [A321 Detail]
Download: New_Jersey-2026-A321-Introduced.html
STATE OF NEW JERSEY
222nd LEGISLATURE
PRE-FILED FOR INTRODUCTION IN THE 2026 SESSION
Sponsored by:
Assemblyman PAUL KANITRA
District 10 (Monmouth and Ocean)
Assemblyman JAY WEBBER
District 26 (Morris and Passaic)
SYNOPSIS
"Military Spouse Licensure Reform Act."
CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT
Introduced Pending Technical Review by Legislative Counsel.
An Act concerning licensure for military spouses and repealing P.L.2013, c.264 and supplementing Title 45 of the Revised Statutes.
Be It Enacted by the Senate and General Assembly of the State of New Jersey:
1. This act shall be known as the "Military Spouse Licensure Reform Act."
2. "Another jurisdiction" means the District of Columbia, a territory of the United States, or a state other than New Jersey.
"Board" means a professional or occupational board designated in section 2 of P.L.1978, c.73 (C.45:1-15) that issues a professional or occupational license, certificate of registration, or certification.
"Nonresident military spouse" means a person who is not domiciled in this State who is the spouse of an active duty member of the Armed Forces of the United States who has been transferred to this State in the course of the member's service, is legally domiciled in this State, or has moved to this State on a permanent change-of-station basis.
b. Notwithstanding the provisions of any law, rule or regulation to the contrary, each board shall issue a temporary license to a nonresident military spouse who submits an application demonstrating that the spouse holds an unencumbered license in the same profession or occupation in another jurisdiction.
c. Pursuant to the issuance of a temporary license under subsection b. of this section:
(1) a nonresident military spouse shall lawfully practice the profession or occupation regulated by the board that issued the temporary license in this State; and
(2) the board that issued a temporary license shall complete the application review process, as determined by the board, and issue a full license to the requisite military spouse upon approval of the application.
d. Each board shall adopt rules and regulations pursuant to the "Administrative Procedure Act," P.L.1968, c.410 (C.52:14B-1 et seq.), to carry out the purposes of this act.
e. Nothing in this section shall prohibit a nonresident military spouse from applying for a full license offered by a board, in compliance with the law, rules, and regulations for the application process of the specific board.
3. P.L.2013, c.264 (C.45:1-15.5) is repealed.
4. This act shall take
effect immediately and shall apply to applications submitted to a board on or
after the effective date.
STATEMENT
This bill modifies the process in place regarding the issuance of professional and occupational licenses to nonresident military spouses by repealing the current law and replacing it with a process intended to expedite licensure for the spouses. Under the bill, a nonresident military spouse with an unencumbered license or other credential from another jurisdiction is to be issued a temporary license to practice the same profession or occupation in New Jersey. Upon issuance of a temporary license, (1) a nonresident military spouse can lawfully practice the profession or occupation regulated by the board that issued the temporary license; and (2) that board is to complete the application review process and issue a full license to the requisite military spouse upon approval of the application. Nothing in the bill is to prohibit a nonresident military spouse from applying for a full license offered by a board, in compliance with the law, rules, and regulations for the application process of the specific board.
