Create Occupational Credential Portability Program

The act creates the occupational credential portability program (program) in the division of professions and occupations within the department of regulatory agencies, which permits a member of a regulated profession or occupation from another jurisdiction to obtain licensure, certification, registration, or enrollment in the profession or occupation in this state by endorsement, reciprocity, or transfer. The program is available to members of business and health care professions and occupations regulated by the division and the regulatory boards in the division for which licensure, certification, registration, or enrollment by endorsement is permitted under current law; except that the following professions and occupations are specifically excluded from the program:

• Combative sports;
• Electricians;
• Fantasy contests;
• Mortuaries and crematories;
• Nontransplant tissue banks;
• Outfitters and guides;
• Passenger tramway operators;
• Plumbers;
• Private investigators;
• Direct-entry midwives; and
• Surgical assistants and surgical technologists.

Under the program, the director of the division and most regulatory boards and commissions within the division (regulators) are required to strive to reduce certification, registration, licensure, and enrollment barriers for applicants and to adopt rules to establish the program in the least burdensome way necessary to protect the public.

The act also relocates the existing occupational credential exemption for military spouses to the new occupational credential portability program and modifies the exemption by specifying that the exemption is valid for 3 years and applying the exemption to all members of business and health care professions and occupations regulated by the division and the regulatory boards in the division.

(Note: This summary applies to this bill as enacted.)