McColley Votes to Ease Employment Transition for Ohio's Military Spouses
March 28, 2019
Rob McColley News
COLUMBUS—State Senator Rob McColley (R-Napoleon) yesterday joined his Senate colleagues in unanimously passing legislation that will ease the employment transition for military husbands and wives who relocate to Ohio with their active duty spouse.
"We appreciate the sacrifices our servicemen, servicewomen and their families make for our country and our community. While this bill is meant to help ease their transition to Ohio, there is no doubt that our communities also benefit from their valuable skills and contributions to our workforce," said McColley, who co-sponsored Senate Bill 7.
According to the Buckeye Institute, 73 percent of military spouses with an occupational license require a renewal or re-issuance of their license when transferred to a new state.
The bill will allow agencies to issue temporary licenses for up to six years, giving individuals substantial time to become licensed under Ohio law while still enabling them to practice their professions upon relocation to the state. This aims to solve a primary issue reported by service members when they transfer to a new location for duty.
Identified as a top priority by the Department of Defense, the legislation could impact Ohio's competitiveness in attracting new missions for Ohio's many military bases.
Additionally, provisions in the bill would require the Director of Administrative Services to prepare a report for each fiscal year on the number and type of temporary licenses or certificates issued during the fiscal year.
For more information on Senate Bill 7, click here. To watch footage of today's session, visit The Ohio Channel's archive, here.
"We appreciate the sacrifices our servicemen, servicewomen and their families make for our country and our community. While this bill is meant to help ease their transition to Ohio, there is no doubt that our communities also benefit from their valuable skills and contributions to our workforce," said McColley, who co-sponsored Senate Bill 7.
According to the Buckeye Institute, 73 percent of military spouses with an occupational license require a renewal or re-issuance of their license when transferred to a new state.
The bill will allow agencies to issue temporary licenses for up to six years, giving individuals substantial time to become licensed under Ohio law while still enabling them to practice their professions upon relocation to the state. This aims to solve a primary issue reported by service members when they transfer to a new location for duty.
Identified as a top priority by the Department of Defense, the legislation could impact Ohio's competitiveness in attracting new missions for Ohio's many military bases.
Additionally, provisions in the bill would require the Director of Administrative Services to prepare a report for each fiscal year on the number and type of temporary licenses or certificates issued during the fiscal year.
For more information on Senate Bill 7, click here. To watch footage of today's session, visit The Ohio Channel's archive, here.