S2448 —

S2448 1R SBA Statement 12/5/19 SENATE BUDGET AND APPROPRIATIONS COMMITTEE   STATEMENT TO   [First Reprint] SENATE, No.

 2448 STATE OF NEW JERSEY 218th LEGISLATURE INTRODUCED APRIL 5, 2018   DATED:  Sponsored by:

 DECEMBERSenator  5,PATRICK 2019J.         The Senate Budget and Appropriations Committee reports favorably Senate Bill No.

2448DIEGNAN, (1R).JR.

     District This18 bill(Middlesex) providesSenator  thatTROY theSINGLETON severalDistrict professional7 and(Burlington) occupational  licensingCo-Sponsored boardsby: in the Division of Consumer Affairs in the Department of Law and Public Safety shall not charge a license fee to a veteran or the spouse of a veteran when granting that veteran or spouse, on the basis of reciprocity, a license to practice in New Jersey.  In each such instance, if the board has determined that the veteran or spouse 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, to those adopted by the board.

     Senators TheA.R.Bucco, billBrown, definesCruz-Perez, “veteran”Gopal asand aMadden person  who  received  an  honorableSYNOPSIS discharge     fromWaives acertain branchprofessional ofand theoccupational activelicensing orfees reservefor componentveterans ofand thespouses Armed Forces of theveterans. United States or the National Guard of any state.

  FISCALCURRENT IMPACT:VERSION OF TEXT      As reported by the Senate Military and Veterans' Affairs Committee on September 27, 2018, with amendments.

       TheAn OfficeAct ofconcerning Legislativecertain Servicesexemptions (OLS)from findspayment thatof thislicense billfees willfor resultprofessional in indeterminate implementation costs and aoccupational likelylicenses loss of revenue for theveterans Newand Jerseytheir Divisionspouses ofand Consumersupplementing Affairs. P.L.1978, Itc.73 is(C.45:1-14 unknownet howseq.). the bill’s provisions will impact the number of applicants for professional and occupational licenses.

       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.

     I“Initial license fee” means the fee for an initial application and issuance of a professional or occupational license, certificate of registration, or certification for the initial period of issuance.

 An initial license fee shall not be construed to include the cost for any required criminal history background check or for a professional seal which are paid for services provided by entities other than the board.

     “Spouse of a veteran” means a veteran’s spouse, civil union partner or domestic partner, or the surviving spouse, civil union partner or domestic partner of a deceased veteran.1      “Veteran” means a person who received an honorable discharge 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 1[a] an initial1 license fee 1[for the issuance of a license]1 to an applicant 1who is domiciled in this State or will be moving to this State from another jurisdiction1 who is a veteran or the spouse of a veteran if that applicant holds a current license 1, registration or certification1 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.