SB 550

Under current law, in many cases, if a member of a reserve unit of the U.S.

armed forces, a member of the state defense force, or a member of a national guard

unit of any state who is a resident of this state is on active duty when a professional

or occupational license the service member holds otherwise expires, the expiration

date for that license is extended until 90 days after the service member is discharged

from active duty. Moreover, the licensing agency or board, or, for a law license, the

supreme court if the supreme court agrees, is required to renew the service member's

license upon that expiration date until the next date that the license would normally

expire at no cost to the service member if all of the following conditions are met:

1. The service member requests renewal of the license within 90 days after the

service member is discharged from active duty.

2. The service member provides the licensing agency or supreme court with

documentation that verifies when the service member was called to active duty and

when the service member was discharged from active duty.

3. The service member meets all of the requirements necessary for the

extension or renewal of the license except continuing education requirements under

certain circumstances.

4. In the case of a license to practice law, the supreme court agrees to granting

the extension or renewal.

Under the bill, the expiration date for a service member's professional or

occupational license that would have otherwise expired while the service member

was on active duty is extended from 90 days to 180 days after the service member's

discharge from active duty. The bill also eliminates the requirement that the service

member meet all of the requirements necessary for the extension or renewal of the

service member's license.

Additionally, under the bill, all of the requirements regarding an extended

expiration date and renewal of a service member's license at no cost to the service

member apply to the spouse of a service member if the spouse does not practice under

his or her license while the service member is on active duty. The bill also extends

those requirements to a service member who is a member of the U.S. armed forces

whether or not that service member is in a reserve unit of the U.S. armed forces.

Finally, under current law, the Department of Safety and Professional Services

(DSPS) and most of the licensing boards under DSPS may grant a reciprocal license

to an individual if certain requirements are met. A reciprocal license is a license

granted to an individual who holds a license issued by a governmental authority in

a jurisdiction outside Wisconsin under which the license holder may perform acts

that are substantially the same as those acts authorized under a license issued by

DSPS or a licensing board under DSPS.

Under the bill, DSPS or a licensing board is required to grant a reciprocal

license to the spouse of a member of the U.S. armed forces, a reserve unit of the U.S.