MI Legislation Makes It Easier For Veterans To Obtain Licenses

MICHIGAN — A day ahead of Veteran's Day, Gov. Gretchen Whitmer and a bipartisan group of state legislators on Tuesday announced the introduction of legislation supporting military personnel, veterans and their families to reduce barriers to professional licensure.

The legislature would allow veterans and service members that have a professional license in a different state to become licensed in Michigan "without having to jump through a bunch of hoops," Whitmer said.

“Our dedicated military servicemembers put their lives on the line for our families, and we have a duty to ensure their support when they return home,” Whitmer said. “That means making sure they have paths to good jobs so they can sustain their families. Today’s legislation will help us do just that. Clearing the path for our military servicemembers, veterans, and their dependents to enter a licensed profession will help us attract and retain talent in Michigan, and by making it easier for our military servicemembers to be licensed, we can make Michigan their home to live and work, permanently.”

The legislation introduced Tuesday will make current military personnel, veterans and their dependents eligible for license reciprocity in Michigan. Servicemembers will be eligible if they hold a valid occupational license in another state, are in good standing with no pending disciplinary action and demonstrate competency in their profession through education, training and work experience, according to a news release.

The Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs will determine whether these criteria are satisfied, officials said.

Currently, veterans are eligible for initial license, registration, or application fee waivers for professional occupations regulated under the Occupational Code and the Skilled Trades Regulation Act. But the legislation introduced Tuesday will expand present fee waivers under those Acts to include dependents of veterans and those on Active Duty. Fee waivers will also be extended to health professions licensed under the Public Health Code. A dependent is defined as a spouse or child under the age of 26.

“This is an important change that would allow health care professionals, skilled trades experts and many others to find jobs in Michigan more quickly — cutting through red tape that causes needless delays,” said Rep. Andrea Schroeder of Oakland County’s Independence Township. “These reforms will support our military families, who have sacrificed so much to protect us, and the communities in which they live.”