ANNAPOLIS, Md. — A 118-page bill aimed at transforming Maryland's occupational licensing process has gained bipartisan support in the state legislature, with supporters saying it will help military families and bring the state into federal compliance.
Senator Bryan Simonaire, a Republican from Anne Arundel County, calls the legislation transformative.
"The main component of this is to modernize our licensing process, occupational licensing specifically," Simonaire said.
The bill addresses a significant issue for military families who relocate to Maryland. Currently, professionals must wait months to transfer their licenses from other states, leaving them unable to work during the transition period.
"If an active service member comes from California, they come into our state, they have to go through this long process of getting a license, the paperwork, the money, and a lot of military depend on two incomes and so they don't have time to wait for three or four months to get the other spouse working," Simonaire said.
Under the proposed legislation, qualified professionals from other states could begin working immediately upon arrival in Maryland.
"So what this does is it says if you work in California or any other state and you're in good standing with your license, you can come to Maryland and you can practice immediately. All you have to do is provide an application showing that you're in good standing and you'll abide by our laws and it's similar scope," Simonaire said.
Beyond helping military families, Simonaire says the bill is necessary to bring Maryland into compliance with federal law.
"Other states have been sued, Texas was the first one and they lost, saying that you have to do this," Simonaire said.
The legislation will specifically impact active duty service members, veterans and their spouses. The bill now moves to both chambers of the legislature for potential amendments before final passage.
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