The Veterans Auto and Education Improvement Act was signed into law in January of 2023, which outlines protections for veterans and military spouses.
The bill provides a provision that veterans will not lose GI Bill benefits if schools close for emergencies like what happened during the COVID-19 pandemic.
The bill also provides protection for military spouses who move around the world with their military service members within Section 19 of the bill. Section 19 specifically addresses the portability of professional licenses of members of the uniformed service and their spouses. It states that with a servicemember or spouse relocates due to military orders outside the area that a license covers, “such covered license shall be considered valid at a similar scope of practice and in the discipline applied for in the jurisdiction of such new residency for the duration of such military orders.”
The reciprocity of such license only applies if military orders are provided, the license is valid and is in good standing, and “submits to the authority of the licensing authority in the new jurisdiction for the purposes of standards, practice, discipline, and fulfillment of any continuing education requirements.” The license has to have been actively utilized within the prior two years.
Some states and professions utilize interstate compacts, like teachers’ or nurses licenses, that agreement supersedes the new law.
This law is a movement forward for military spouse employment. It is challenging for military spouses to find portable careers that follow where the military sends them. Allowing military spouses to utilize their licenses in another state in conjunction with orders saves time and energy. Before this law was signed, military spouses had to apply for state licensures, wait for the process to be complete, and spend hundreds, sometimes thousands of dollars.
The law does not apply to those licenses used to practice law.
