Sponsored by:
Senator JIM WHELAN
District 2 (Atlantic)
SYNOPSIS
Requires professional boards to provide waivers or exemptions from requirements for licensure for veterans with substantially equivalent training.
CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT
As introduced.
An Act concerning professional and occupational licenses and supplementing P.L.1978, c.73 (C.45:1-14 et seq.).
Be It Enacted by the Senate and General Assembly of the State of New Jersey:
1. a. Notwithstanding any other act or regulation to the contrary, 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 for which professional training, education, or experience is required shall provide, by regulation, waivers or exemptions from requirements toward licensure or certification for any applicant who received training, education, or experience while serving as a member of the Armed Forces of the United States that is substantially equivalent to the training, education, or experience required for licensure or certification. Each board shall provide for methods of evaluating the equivalence of training, education, or experience obtained in the Armed Forces of the United States to the training, education, or experience required by the board for licensure or certification, and, within 90 days after the effective date of this act, promulgate regulations on the partial or total waiver or exemption from requirements toward licensure or certification to be provided for substantially equivalent training, education, or experience obtained in the Armed Forces of the United States.
b. Within 90 days after the rules and regulations have been promulgated, each professional or occupational board designated in section 2 of P.L.1978, c.73 (C.45:1-15) that issues licenses or certificates for which professional training, education, or experience is required shall report to the New Jersey Department of Military and Veterans' Affairs, and the Senate Military and Veterans' Affairs Committee and the General Assembly Military and Veterans' Affairs Committee, or their successors, concerning that board's compliance with the requirements of subsection a. of this section.
2. This act shall take effect immediately.
STATEMENT
This bill requires professional or occupational boards that issue professional or occupational licenses, certificates of registration, or certifications for which professional training, education, or experience is required to provide, by regulation, waivers or exemptions from requirements toward licensure or certification for any applicant who received training, education, or experience while serving as a member of the Armed Forces of the United States that is substantially equivalent to the training, education, or experience required for licensure or certification. The bill requires each board to provide for methods of evaluating the equivalence of training, education, or experience obtained in the Armed Forces of the United States to the training, education, or experience required by the board for licensure or certification. This bill also requires each board to promulgate regulations on the partial or total waiver or exemption from requirements toward licensure or certification to be provided for substantially equivalent training, education, or experience obtained in the Armed Forces of the United States.
This bill also requires each professional or occupational board that issues licenses or certificates for which professional training, education, or experience is required to report to the New Jersey Department of Military and Veterans' Affairs, and the Senate Military and Veterans' Affairs Committee and the General Assembly Military and Veterans' Affairs Committee, or their successors, concerning the board's compliance with the requirements of the bill within 90 days following the establishment of their rules and regulations.
The term "member of the Armed Forces" includes an individual or member of an organized unit ordered into active service in the Armed Forces of the United States by reason of membership in a reserve component of the Armed Forces of the United States or any branch of the Armed Forces of the United States.