By ELLY GRIMM
• Leader & Times
Military families are constantly moving from one place to another and soon, military spouses will soon get some extra help.
Friday, Gov. Laura Kelly signed House Bill 2745, which exempts spouses of military servicemembers from all occupational licensing, registration, and certification fees, eliminating barriers to career opportunities for military spouses in Kansas, according to a release from the State of Kansas.
"As the daughter of a career Army officer, I know the importance of supporting our military personnel and their spouses," Gov. Kelly noted in the State of Kansas release. "I'm proud to sign this bipartisan bill that knocks down barriers and ensures military spouses have every opportunity to fill the jobs we've created in Kansas."
However, Friday’s signing was not the first action that has been taken to help military spouses in Kansas. In February 2023, Gov. Kelly announced Kansas was the first state in the nation to join the Alliance for States Providing Interoperable Reciprocity (ASPIRE). This coalition advocates for the acceleration of military reciprocity by and between states, easing the process of obtaining an occupational license in a state to which military personnel and their families are deployed, according to Friday’s State of Kansas release.
“I know military personnel and their spouses are exactly the type of people we need in Kansas to fill the jobs we’ve created in recent years,” Gov. Kelly noted in the February 2023 State of Kansas release. “That’s why Kansas has become the first state in the nation to join this coalition to continue knocking down the barriers military families face to getting and keeping a job. Right now, one in three spouses of service members works in an industry that requires an occupational license. Military spouses are uniquely disenfranchised by laws restricting out-of-state recognition of such licenses because nearly 15 percent of military spouses move across state lines in any given year, compared to just over 1 percent of civilian spouses. These laws often result in military spouses leaving the workforce during an already tight labor market. ASPIRE encourages states to join a digitalized system that would allow states to upload their reciprocity agreements so military families can know if the state they are moving to will accept their licensing.”
Along with joining ASPIRE, in 2021, Gov. Kelly had signed House Bill 2066, which expedites the issuance of occupational credentials to military servicemembers and military spouses seeking to establish residency in Kansas. The legislation makes it easier for military spouses to transition into the Kansas workforce and spur new economic development.
“This bill is a win-win for our veterans and military families and our continued economic recovery following COVID-19,” Gov. Kelly noted in a May 2021 release from the State of Kansas. “By providing Occupational Licensing Reciprocity, this bipartisan legislation will benefit our state’s military community, help our employers who rely on licensing for hiring, and spur economic growth statewide. HB 2066 expands the existing law to make it easier for military spouses from other states to use their professional licenses in Kansas by expediting key elements of the licensing process. Occupational Licensing has grown rapidly in the U.S., with nearly 25 percent of all Americans relying on a license for employment. As each state has developed its own set of guidelines for each license, transferability of licensing has become expensive and time consuming unless a reciprocity program is in place.”
“Our state’s Framework for Growth is clear: Kansas is facing a significant working-age population decline,” Lieutenant Governor and Commerce Secretary David Toland noted in the May 2021 State of Kansas release. “Transferable occupational licensing and eased requirements on license reciprocity for military spouses represent a creative approach to making sure our state is able to accommodate as many professionals as possible. Kansas veterans are unmatched in their conviction and professionalism, and we should do everything we can to keep them and their families in our state. Thank you to Representative Croft, our other partners in the Legislature and Gov. Kelly for making this happen.”
The bill covers several situations, according to the bill’s summary.
“The bill requires licensing bodies to issue the appropriate credential to a military servicemember or spouse within 15 days from the date of the submission of a ‘complete application’ as defined by the bill, or within 45 days for all other applicants. Currently, credentials are to be issued to military servicemembers and spouses within 60 days,” the bill summary noted. “Current law requires expedited out-of-state credentials to be issued for a six-month probationary period for military servicemembers and military spouses who do not qualify under the applicable Kansas law by endorsement, reinstatement, or reciprocity statutes but meet certain other requirements. The bill modifies this provision by giving discretion to licensing bodies to grant credentials to applicants and also modifies the qualifications for credentialing, such that any applicant is required to hold a valid out-of-state current credential from another state, district, or territory of the United States that authorizes a similar scope of practice, as defined by the bill. Current law requires the credential to be equivalent to that established by the relevant Kansas licensing body; have worked for at least one year in the relevant occupation; Not have a disqualifying criminal record; and show proof of solvency, financial standing, bonding, or insurance as required by the licensing body.”
Others also praised Friday’s bill signing.
“Military spouses play a crucial role in contributing to Kansas’ workforce and economic success,” Kansas State Senator Usha Reddi, District 22, and member of the Governor’s Military Council, noted in Friday’s State of Kansas release. “This bill will allow us to better support our servicemembers and their families by removing the hurdles military spouses face when seeking job opportunities.”
