SB 1155, as introduced, Morrell. Professions and vocations: licenses: military service.
Existing law provides for the licensure and regulation of various professions and vocations by boards within the Department of Consumer Affairs. Existing law authorizes any licensee whose license expired while he or she was on active duty as a member of the California National Guard or the United States Armed Forces to reinstate his or her license without examination or penalty if certain requirements are met. Existing law also requires the boards to waive the renewal fees, continuing education requirements, and other renewal requirements, if applicable, of any licensee or registrant called to active duty as a member of the United States Armed Forces or the California National Guard, if certain requirements are met. Existing law requires each board to inquire in every application if the individual applying for licensure is serving in, or has previously served in, the military. Existing law, on and after July 1, 2016, requires a board within the Department of Consumer Affairs to expedite, and authorizes a board to assist, the initial licensure process for an applicant who has served as an active duty member of the Armed Forces of the United States and was honorably discharged.
This bill would require the Department of Consumer Affairs, in consultation with the Department of Veterans Affairs and the Military Department, to establish and maintain a program that grants a fee waiver for the application for and the issuance of an initial license to an individual who is an honorably discharged veteran, as specified.
Vote: majority. Appropriation: no. Fiscal committee: yes. State-mandated local program: no.
The people of the State of California do enact as follows:
Section 114.6 is added to the Business and
2Professions Code, to read:
The Department of Consumer Affairs, in consultation
4with the Department of Veterans Affairs and the Military
5Department, shall establish and maintain a program that grants a
6fee waiver for the application for and issuance of a license to an
7individual who is an honorably discharged veteran who served as
8an active duty member of the California National Guard or the
9United States Armed Forces. Under this program, all of the
10following apply:
11(a) The Department of Consumer Affairs shall grant only one
12fee waiver to a veteran.
13(b) The fee waiver shall apply only to an application of and a
14license issued to an individual veteran and not to an application
15of or a license issued to a business or other
entity.
16(c) A waiver shall not be issued for a renewal of a license or for
17the application for and issuance of a license other than one initial
18license.
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