Governor Laura Kelly Signs Military Family Bill

TOPEKA – Today, Governor Laura Kelly signed a bipartisan measure to help keep veterans and their families living and working in Kansas.

House Bill 2066, the Occupational License Reciprocity bill, provides License Reciprocity – recognition of a license gained in one state by another, in this case Kansas – to military spouses and all Kansans. The bill was signed into law by Governor Kelly in a public ceremony on Wednesday afternoon.

“This bill is a win-win for our veterans and military families and our continued economic recovery following COVID-19,” Governor Laura Kelly said. “By providing Occupational Licensing Reciprocity, this bipartisan legislation will benefit our state’s military community, help our employers who rely on licensing for hiring, and spur economic growth statewide.”

HB 2066 expands the existing law to make it easier for military spouses from other states to use their professional licenses in Kansas by expediting key elements of the licensing process.

Occupational Licensing has grown rapidly in the U.S., with nearly 25% of all Americans relying on a license for employment. As each state has developed its own set of guidelines for each license, transferability of licensing has become expensive and time consuming unless a reciprocity program is in place.

“Our state’s Framework for Growth is clear: Kansas is facing a significant working-age population decline,” Lieutenant Governor and Commerce Secretary David Toland said. “Transferable occupational licensing and eased requirements on license reciprocity for military spouses represent a creative approach to making sure our state is able to accommodate as many professionals as possible. Kansas veterans are unmatched in their conviction and professionalism, and we should do everything we can to keep them and their families in our state. Thank you to Representative Croft, our other partners in the Legislature and Governor Kelly for making this happen.”

To read HB 2066, click here.