STATE OF NEW JERSEY
221st LEGISLATURE
PRE-FILED FOR INTRODUCTION IN THE 2024 SESSION
Sponsored by:
Assemblywoman CAROL A. MURPHY
District 7 (Burlington)
Co-Sponsored by:
Assemblywoman Quijano and Assemblyman Webber
SYNOPSIS
Waives certain professional and occupational licensing fees for veterans and spouses of veterans.
CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT
Introduced Pending Technical Review by Legislative Counsel.
An Act concerning certain exemptions from payment of license fees for professional and occupational licenses for veterans and their spouses and supplementing P.L.1978, c.73 (C.45:1-14 et seq.).
Be It Enacted by the Senate and General Assembly of the State of New Jersey:
1. As used in this act:
“Board” means a professional or occupational board designated in section 2 of P.L.1978, c.73 (C.45:1-15) that issues a professional or occupational license, certificate of registration, or certification.
“Veteran” means a person who received an honorable discharge at any time from a branch of the active or reserve component of the Armed Forces of the United States or the National Guard of any state.
2. Notwithstanding the provision of any law, rule, or regulation to the contrary, a board shall not charge a fee for the initial application and issuance of a professional or occupational license, certificate of registration, or certificate to an applicant who is a veteran or the spouse, domestic partner, or civil union partner of a veteran if that applicant resides in this State and holds a current license to practice the profession or occupation in another jurisdiction that the board determines has licensure requirements to practice the profession or occupation that are equivalent, or substantially equivalent, as the case may be, to those adopted by the board.
3. This act shall take effect on the first day of the third month following enactment.
STATEMENT
This bill provides that the professional and occupational licensing boards in the Division of Consumer Affairs in the Department of Law and Public Safety will not charge a fee for an initial application and issuance of a license, certificate of registration, or certificate to a veteran or the veteran’s spouse, domestic partner, or civil union partner if that individual resides in New Jersey and is seeking issuance of a credential on the basis of reciprocity. In each such instance, the board has determined that the veteran, spouse, or partner holds a current license to practice the profession or occupation in another jurisdiction with licensure requirements that are equivalent, or substantially equivalent, to those adopted by the board.
The bill defines “veteran” as a person who received an honorable discharge at any time from a branch of the active or reserve component of the Armed Forces of the United States or the National Guard of any state.