HARRISBURG, Nov. 10 – With Veterans Day approaching, a newly passed bill promises to give Pennsylvania’s military men and women an easier path back to the civilian workforce by making the professional licensing process more veteran-friendly, according to the bill’s co-prime sponsor, state Rep. Chris Sainato, D-Lawrence.
Sainato, who is Democratic chairman of the House Veterans Affairs and Emergency Preparedness Committee, said he introduced H.B. 1868 – which passed the House unanimously today – with state Rep. Jake Wheatley, D-Allegheny; Zach Mako, R-Lehigh/Northampton; and several other lawmakers to address problems veterans commonly face when applying for professional licenses.
“Men and women in the Armed Forces put their lives on hold to serve our nation, but many face a tough transition to civilian life, particularly when returning to the workforce,” Sainato said. “One problem is that professional licensing board members don’t always fully understand how military skills and experience translate to civilian license requirements. Our bill would fix that by adding more veterans to boards, mandating use of specific guidelines, and implementing other measures to make the process more veteran-friendly.”
“As a veteran, I know the challenges people face when they leave the service and rejoin civilian life. That transition isn’t always easy, which is why I want to thank my fellow legislators for passing this bill which will remove barriers to employment for veterans,” said Wheatley, who is Democratic chairman of the House Professional Licensure Committee. “This was truly a bipartisan effort, and now it is up to the state Senate to move this bill to the governor for his signature. I also want to thank the executive directors of the Professional Licensure Committee, Marlene Wilson, Esq., for her drafting and coordination, and Nicole Sidle, for her cooperation.” (Continue reading here…)