HB 1385-FN - AS INTRODUCED

 

 

2024 SESSION

24-2495

11/10

 

HOUSE BILL 1385-FN

 

AN ACT relative to establishing the veteran licensing acceleration program.

 

SPONSORS: Rep. C. Brown, Graf. 10; Rep. Mazur, Hills. 44; Rep. Colcombe, Hills. 30; Rep. Sellers, Graf. 18; Rep. Quaratiello, Rock. 18; Rep. Polozov, Merr. 10; Rep. Dunn, Rock. 16; Rep. Popovici-Muller, Rock. 17; Sen. Birdsell, Dist 19

 

COMMITTEE: Executive Departments and Administration

 

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ANALYSIS

 

This bill establishes the veteran licensing acceleration program for occupational licensure administered by the office of professional licensure and certification.

 

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Explanation: Matter added to current law appears in bold italics.

Matter removed from current law appears [in brackets and struckthrough.]

Matter which is either (a) all new or (b) repealed and reenacted appears in regular type.

24-2495

11/10

 

STATE OF NEW HAMPSHIRE

 

In the Year of Our Lord Two Thousand Twenty Four

 

AN ACT relative to establishing the veteran licensing acceleration program.

 

Be it Enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court convened:

 

1  New Section; Veterans Licensing Acceleration Program.  Amend RSA 110 by inserting after section 90 the following new section:

110-B:91  Veterans Licensing Acceleration Program.

I.  For this section:

(a)  "Board" means a regulatory body with jurisdiction over professions within the office of professional licensure and certification under RSA 310.

(b)  "License" shall include licenses, certifications or registrations required to practice a regulated occupation.

(c)  "OPLC" shall mean the office of professional licensure and certification.

(d)  "Scope of practice" means the procedures, actions, processes, and work that a person may perform under an occupational license issued in this state.

(e)  "Written confirmation" means confirmation by any writing, including email or text message.

II.  The veteran licensing acceleration program (VLAP) is hereby established to provide accelerated licensing and certification processes for veterans seeking to enter licensed occupational professions overseen by boards organized under the OPLC.

III.  VLAP shall be administered by the department of military affairs and veterans services, in consultation with the OPLC, United States Department of Veterans Affairs, relevant licensing boards, relevant educational institutions, state and national veterans service organizations, and relevant professional organizations.  The department of military affairs and veterans services shall designate a VLAP administrator within its office.

IV.  The OPLC shall issue occupational licenses to veterans who have military specialty experience according to paragraph VIII that is commensurate with the experience required for licensure, as long as all other board application criteria are met.

V.  The VLAP administrator shall:

(a)  Provide veterans with comprehensive resources and support to assist them in navigating the licensing process, including, but not limited to, the requirements of this section, as well as educational materials and access to mentors or subject matter experts;

(b)  Collaborate with the United States Department of Veterans Affairs and other appropriate agencies to provide employment counseling and assistance to participating veterans.

(c)  Conduct an annual assessment of VLAP's impact on licensure and employment outcomes of participating veterans; and

(d)  Submit an annual report to the senate and house of representatives committees with jurisdiction over veterans affairs detailing program activities, participant outcomes, and recommendations for program improvements.

VI.  The VLAP administrator shall obtain any rules adopted by any board under RSA 541-A, as required by paragraph V, regarding military education, training, or service acceptable for a specific regulated occupation or profession.

VII.  The VLAP administrator shall create, maintain, and update a list of military occupational codes that correspond to civilian occupational professions organized under the OPLC.

VIII.  Veterans seeking to participate in the program shall submit an application to the VLAP administrator, that includes:

(a)  Evidence of their service military occupational specialty (joint services transcript) and discharge information recorded on any document listed in RSA 21:50;

(b)  Evidence of service in the related military occupational specialty within 12 months of honorable discharge from the military; and

(c)  A statement that the veteran was required to meet education, training, or experience standards, or to pass an examination to qualify for the military occupational specialty.  Six months of experience in a military specialty shall constitute 250 hours of experience in the occupation.  A veteran may apply to the program either prior to applying for an occupational license or certification or while an application is pending.

IX.  Upon receipt of the application or a copy of the application if the veteran has a pending application, the VLAP administrator shall evaluate the application against the relevant board's requirements and advise the applicant whether his or her service, training and experience appears to meet the requirements of the licensing board.  Final application processing, review and approval shall be performed by the OPLC, in accordance with RSA 310:4.  Should the veteran's application be denied by the OPLC, the VLAP shall refer the applicant to employment resources, including any resources that shall assist with remedying any deficiency in the application.

X.  The VLAP administrator shall provide the OPLC customer service unit's contact information to every VLAP applicant immediately upon a veteran's application to the VLAP, in order to facilitate direct communication between the OPLC and the applicant regarding application specifics.

XI.  Nothing in this section shall be construed as changing or superseding military service member temporary licensure under RSA 310:16.

XII.  Upon receipt of a satisfactorily completed VLAP veteran's application that includes required payment for application or other fees, a board and the OPLC shall prioritize processing such application and issue a license, if warranted, within 10 days of receipt.  If the veteran applicant has a pending  occupational licensing or certification application at the time of applying to the VLAP, the VLAP shall immediately notify the OPLC of the applicant's pending application, and the 10-day period shall begin on the date of notification.  If the board must gather further information from any other office or agency in order to process any application, it shall, prior to suspending the application review, request in writing from the VLAP administrator an extension of the 10-day period.  The board shall explain the reasons for the request and receive written confirmation of the length of extension from the administrator.  The administrator shall immediately notify the veteran applicant of the request.  Nothing in this paragraph shall be construed to extend any time limits in RSA 541-A:29.

XIII.  Insurance carriers shall allow VLAP applicants to obtain necessary occupational insurance upon occupational licensure or certification, regardless of whether a civilian has to complete any examination or test prior to being eligible to obtain such insurance.

2  Appropriation.  For the fiscal year 2025, or effective upon receipt of sufficient funding, funds to implement and sustain the VLAP shall be appropriated from the general fund to the New Hampshire department of military affairs and veterans services.  For each biennium thereafter, appropriations of state general funds for such program shall be made through the New Hampshire department of military affairs and veterans services biennial operating budget.

3  New Section; Veterans Licensing Acceleration Program.  Amend RSA 332-G by inserting after section 332-G:7 the following new section:

332-G:7-a  Veterans Licensing Acceleration Program.  A veteran applicant for occupational licensure or certification under RSA 110-B:91 shall receive expedited application review and approval.

4  Effective Date.  This act shall take effect July 1, 2024.

 

LBA

24-2495

11/29/23

 

HB 1385-FN- FISCAL NOTE

AS INTRODUCED

 

AN ACT relative to establishing the veteran licensing acceleration program.

 

FISCAL IMPACT:      [ X ] State              [    ] County               [    ] Local              [    ] None

 

 

Estimated State Impact - Increase / (Decrease)

 

FY 2024

FY 2025

FY 2026

FY 2027

Revenue

$0

Indeterminable

Indeterminable

Indeterminable

Revenue Fund(s)

Office of Professional Licensure and Certification Fund

 

Expenditures

$0

Indeterminable

Indeterminable

Indeterminable

Funding Source(s)

Office of Professional Licensure and Certification Fund

 

Appropriations

Indeterminable

$0

$0

$0

Funding Source(s)

General Fund

 

Does this bill provide sufficient funding to cover estimated expenditures? [X] Yes

Does this bill authorize new positions to implement this bill? [X] No

 

METHODOLOGY:

This bill establishes the veteran licensing acceleration program (VLAP) for occupational licensure.  The Department of Military Affairs and Veterans Services indicated the Department already has an existing position that works on military professional licensing pursuant to RSA 110-B;73-b.  The bill would not significantly increase the positions responsibilities and the Department expects this position will be able to absorb the requirements of this bill without additional costs.

 

The Office of Professional Licensure and Certification states the impact of this bill on state revenue and expenditures cannot be determined.  It is unknown if there will be an increase in applications through the veterans licensing application administrator when compared to the current licensing options available to members of the military.  The Office does not anticipate the bill would result in a need for additional staff.

 

This bill provides appropriation language to provide general funds necessary in FY 2025 to implement and sustain the VLAP.  For each biennium thereafter, the bill states that general fund appropriations for the program shall be made through the Department of Military Affairs and Veterans Services biennial operating budget.  Based on the response above, the Department of Military Affairs and Veterans Services already has a position that could perform any responsibilities associated with implementing and sustaining the VLAP.

 

AGENCIES CONTACTED:

Department of Military Affairs and Veterans Services and Office of Professional Licensure and Certification