Sean Kean Bill Will Help Returning Veterans

New Jersey State Senator Sean T. Kean has drafted legislation that would make it easier for professionals called to active military duty to maintain occupational licenses, certifications or registrations that may be put at risk by their military service. Kean said the measure was critical to helping service members returning from war to get back to the jobs they had left behind.
“There are many professional service jobs, including everything from barbers to lawyers, that require professional licenses and paid registrations that must be keep current to practice in those fields,” said Kean. “We’ve heard stories of professional men and women who were called to active military duty and sent overseas, only to return home to find they couldn’t go back to work because they missed a registration renewal or didn’t have the chance to take a mandatory refresher course. This legislation will cut through unnecessary bureaucracy and make the hard job of returning to civilian life a little bit easier for those who have served our nation.”
Specifically, the bill provides that a professional or occupational board shall exempt certain military personnel from the payment of any professional or occupational license, certification and registration fees, including any renewal fees. Additionally, the bill provides an exemption from any continuing education or professionally competency requirements.

To qualify for the exemptions, the licensee or registrant must have been called to federally funded active duty for more than 120 days for the purpose of serving in a war, emergency or contingency. The exemption covers any renewal cycle that falls within the period of active duty service or within 120 days following its completion.
“We shouldn’t punish those who have served our country by unnecessarily putting them out of work from the professions they depend on to support their families,” added Kean. “This legislation doesn’t change the fact that professionals must maintain the skills that are needed to perform important jobs well. It just gives a temporary reprieve from government bureaucracy to soldiers who often have a hard enough time when they finallyreturn home.”