H.B. 193

127th General Assembly

(As Introduced)

Reps. Fessler, Adams, Combs, Yuko, Seitz, Bubp, Setzer, Webster, Collier, Evans, Goodwin, J. Hagan, Harwood, Healy, Latta, J. McGregor, R. McGregor, Stebelton, B. Williams, Skindell, Otterman, Distel

BILL SUMMARY

· Requires a state or local licensing agency to renew an expired occupational or professional license or certificate held by a member of the uniformed services, in addition to such a license or certificate held by a member of the U.S. Armed Forces under current law, that expired because of the member's service.

· Requires a license or certificate holder, if the holder continues to serve in the uniformed services, to apply for renewal not later than 90 days after completion of the service that interfered with renewal of the license or certificate.

CONTENT AND OPERATION

Renewal of occupational or professional license or certificate held by a member of the uniformed services

Under current law, any holder of an expired license or certificate from this state or any political subdivision or agency of the state to practice a trade or profession, whose license or certificate was not renewed because of the holder's service in the United States Armed Forces, must, upon presentation of satisfactory evidence of honorable discharge or separation under honorable conditions therefrom within six months of that discharge, be granted a renewal of the holder's license or certificate by the issuing board or authority at the usual cost without penalty and without re-examination if not otherwise disqualified because of mental or physical disability (sec. 5903.10).

The bill expands the provision described above so that it applies not only to those persons in the U.S. Armed Forces, but also to those persons in service in the "uniformed services." "Uniformed services," under continuing law and for purposes of the bill, means the Armed Forces, the Ohio Organized Militia when engaged in active duty for training, inactive duty training, or full-time National Guard duty, the Commissioned Corps of the Public Health Service, and any other category of persons designated by the President of the United States in time of war or emergency. "Service in the uniformed services" means the performance of duty, on a voluntary or involuntary basis, in a uniformed service, under competent authority, and includes active duty, active duty for training, initial active duty for training, inactive duty for training, full-time National Guard duty, and performance of duty or training by a member of the Ohio Organized Militia pursuant to the Organized Militia Law (R.C. Chapter 5923.). "Service in the uniformed services" also includes the period of time for which a person is absent from a position of public or private employment for the purpose of an examination to determine the fitness of the person to perform any of these duties. (Sec. 5903.10 and sec. 5903.01, not in the bill.)

Additionally, the bill specifies that if a holder continues to serve in the uniformed services, as opposed to separating or being honorably discharged from the Armed Forces as under current law, the holder must apply for renewal not later than 90 days after completion of the service that interfered with renewal of the license or certificate (sec. 5903.10).

HISTORY

ACTION	DATE
Introduced	05-01-07

H0193-I-127.doc/jc