HP0802, LD 1137, item 1, An Act To Facilitate Veterans' and Their Spouses' Access to Employment, Education and Training

An Act To Facilitate Veterans' and Their Spouses' Access to Employment, Education and Training

Be it enacted by the People of the State of Maine as follows:

Sec. 1. 10 MRSA §8010 is enacted to read:

§ 8010. Veterans and military spouses

By January 1, 2014, each board, commission and agency within the department listed in section 8001 or affiliated with the department under section 8001-A shall adopt a process to facilitate qualified returning military veterans and qualified spouses of returning military veterans or of active duty service members to qualify for professional licenses granted by those boards, commissions and agencies in an expeditious manner. Procedures adopted pursuant to this section supersede general licensing requirements of those boards, commissions and agencies. For the purposes of this section, "returning military veteran" means a veteran of the Armed Forces of the United States who has been discharged from active duty within the previous 12 months. The department shall adopt rules providing uniform standards for procedures that may be used by the boards, commissions and agencies to comply with this section, including the following options.

1. Endorsement. The board, commission or agency may permit a returning military veteran or a spouse of a returning military veteran or of an active duty service member who holds a comparable license in another state to acquire a license by endorsement in this State for the remainder of the term of the license from the other state or until a license is obtained in this State.

2. Temporary license. The board, commission or agency may permit a returning military veteran or a spouse of a returning military veteran or of an active duty service member who holds a comparable license in another state to obtain a temporary license in this State for a period of time necessary to obtain a license in this State.

3. Acceptance of military credentials. The board, commission or agency shall permit a returning military veteran whose military training formed the basis for enabling the veteran to perform a function that requires a license in this State to acquire a temporary license until a license is obtained in this State.

4. Continuing education requirements. The board, commission or agency may not require evidence of continuing education for initial relicensure of a returning military veteran or the spouse of a returning military veteran or of an active duty service member. Evidence of completion of continuing education requirements may be required for a subsequent license or renewal. A board, commission or agency shall provide that continuing education requirements may be met by comparable military training or experience.

Rules adopted under this section are routine technical rules as defined in Title 5, chapter 375, subchapter 2-A.

Sec. 2. 20-A MRSA §10010, as amended by PL 2009, c. 463, §1, is further amended to read:

§ 10010. Veterans

Regardless of the state of residence, a veteran of the Armed Forces of the United States using the benefits under the Post-9/11 Veterans Educational Assistance Act of 2008 must receive a waiver from the tuition that remains after the application of all payments from the federal Department of Veterans Affairs, including payments under the Yellow Ribbon G.I. Education Enhancement Program in the Post-9/11 Veterans Educational Assistance Act of 2008, and the application of other nonrepayable resources for which the veteran may be eligible. The amount of the tuition waiver received by a veteran under this section may not exceed an amount that lowers the tuition to less than the in-state tuition charged by the institution. This section applies to all veterans enrolled at any campus of the University of Maine System, the Maine Community College System or Maine Maritime Academy in an undergraduate program of education. A nonresident student entitled to a waiver under this section must be considered eligible for in-state tuition.

SUMMARY

This bill requires each board, commission and agency under the oversight of or affiliated with the Department of Professional and Financial Regulation to adopt a process to facilitate qualified returning military veterans and qualified spouses of returning military veterans or of active duty service members to qualify for professional licenses granted by those boards, commissions or agencies in an expeditious manner. The bill also provides that nonresident students receiving certain federal assistance with education costs for veterans must be considered eligible for in-state tuition for purposes of the state waiver.

HP0802 LD 1137	Session - 126th Maine Legislature		LR 1771 Item 1
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