ATLANTA — In an effort to help military families stay successful in their local job markets even with moves from base-to-base, Georgia lawmakers passed a bill to let service members’ spouses use their professional certifications and licenses from out of state.
The legislation, House Bill 880, passed overwhelmingly in both chambers of the Georgia General Assembly and as signed into law by Gov. Brian Kemp.
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Now, the law is in effect to ring in the new year.
Going forward, spouses of service members or of transitioning service members will be able to work and operate businesses of their chosen occupation or profession with a valid license from outside the State of Georgia.
To do so, they must still be in good standing in the other state of licensure, must still hold a current and valid license to practice their profession, must file an application for expedited license by endorsement under Georgia law and be hired by a Georgia business legally allowed to do so.
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Before their hiring, the in-state employer the service members’ spouses are set up to work for must verify the license is in good standing and that the employee has filed for the expedited license by endorsement as well.
If the license is not issued within 30 days of filing their application, the licensee may continue working for in-state employers without being licensed.
However, if the spouse is denied an expedited license, their ability to qualify under HB 880′s provisions is moot without being licensed by the State of Georgia.
Licensing boards in Georgia are also authorized to investigate any person who receives a license by endorsement, and can revoke their license, if they have been found to violate any standards of the occupation or for making any misleading, deceptive, untrue or false representations while obtaining the license in Georgia.
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