Reference is to the bill as introduced.
Amend the bill, as and if amended, by deleting all after the enacting words and inserting:
/ SECTION 1. This act is known and may be cited as the "Military Service Occupation, Education, and Credentialing Act".
SECTION 2. Article 1, Chapter 101, Title 59 of the 1976 Code is amended by adding:
"Section 59-101-400.
(A) A state-supported-post-secondary
educational institution governed by this title, including a
technical and comprehensive educational institution, may award
educational credit to a student honorably discharged from the
Armed Forces of the United States for a course that is part of
the military training or service of the student, provided:
(1)
the award must be made within three years after the
enrollment of the student at the institution;
(2)
the course meets the standards of the American Council of
Education or equivalent standards for awarding academic credit;
and
(3)
the award is based upon the admissions standards, role,
scope, and mission of the institution.
(B) An institution
authorized to award education credit under subsection (A)
shall:
(1)
develop a policy concerning the provisions of subsection
(A) before January 1, 2014; and
(2)
adopt rules and procedures to implement the provisions of
this section to become effective on the beginning of the
2013-2014 academic year of the institution."
SECTION 3. Chapter 1, Title 40 of the 1976 Code is amended by adding:
Section 40-1-610. A person whose profession or occupation is regulated by this title is exempt from completing continuing education requirements for his profession or occupation while serving on active military duty.
Section 40-1-620. A person whose profession or occupation is regulated by this title may not be assessed, and is exempt from being required to pay, a license fee for his profession or occupation for the calendar year or years in which he serves any period of active military duty.
Section 40-1-630. (A)
A board or commission that regulates the
licensure of a profession or occupation under Title 40 may issue
a temporary professional license for a profession or occupation
it regulates to the spouse of an active duty member of the
United States Armed Forces if the member is assigned to a duty
station in this State pursuant to the official active duty
military orders of the member.
(B)(1) A person seeking
a temporary professional license under subsection (A) shall
submit an application to the board or commission from which it
is seeking the temporary license on forms the board or
commission shall create and provide. In addition to general
personal information about the applicant, the application must
include proof that the:
(a)
applicant is married to a member of the United States
Armed Forces who is on active duty;
(b)
applicant holds a valid license issued by another state,
the District of Columbia, a possession or territory of the
United States, or a foreign jurisdiction for the profession for
which temporary licensure is sought;
(c)
applicant holds the license in subitem (b) in 'good
standing' as evidenced by a certificate of good standing from
the state, possession or territory of the United States, or
foreign jurisdiction that issued the license;
(d)(i)
applicant submitted at his expense to a fingerprint-based
background check conducted by the State Law Enforcement Division
to determine if the applicant has a criminal history in this
State and a fingerprint-based background check conducted by the
Federal Bureau of Investigation to determine if the person has
other criminal history, and the official results of these checks
must be provided to the board or commission to which application
for temporary licensure is made; and
(ii)
the provisions of this subitem only apply if a similar
background check is required to obtain ordinary licensure in the
profession or occupation for which temporary licensure is sought
by the applicant; and
(e)
spouse of the applicant is assigned to a duty station in
this State pursuant to the official active duty military orders
of the member.
(C) A temporary license
issued under this section expires one year from the date of
issue and may not be renewed.
Section 40-1-640. (A)
A professional or occupational board or
commission governed by this title may accept the education,
training, and experience completed by an individual as a member
of the Armed Forces or Reserves of the United States, National
Guard of any state, the Military Reserves of any state, or the
Naval Militias of any state and apply this education, training,
and experience in the manner most favorable toward satisfying
the qualifications for issuance of the requested license or
certification or approval for license examination in this State,
subject to the receipt of evidence considered satisfactory by
the board or commission.
(B) Nothing in this
section may be construed to require the issuance of a license or
certificate to an applicant who does not otherwise meet the
stated eligibility standards, criteria, qualifications or
requirements for licensure or certification, nor may the
provisions be construed to automatically allow issuance of any
license or certificate without testing or examination, without
proper consideration by the licensing and examination board, or
without proper verification that the applicant is not subject to
pending criminal charges or disciplinary actions, has not been
convicted of any offense prohibiting licensure or certification,
and has no other impairment that would prohibit licensure or
certification in this State."
SECTION 4. Sections 40-1-75 and 40-1-77 of the 1976 Code are repealed.
SECTION 5. This act takes effect upon approval of the Governor. /
Renumber sections to conform.
Amend title to conform.