Serving Clovis, Portales and the Surrounding Communities
Serving Clovis, Portales and the Surrounding Communities
James Burns, former chair of Clovis' Committee of Fifty, worked with Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham and lawmakers to pass House Bill 30.
SANTA FE - And now it's easier for military families and recent veterans to go to work when they move to New Mexico.
At least that's the intent behind an initiative Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham signed into law on Wednesday.
House Bill 30, approved unanimously by the Legislature, fast-tracks the transfer of professional and occupational licenses for service members, their families and recent veterans who relocate to New Mexico, according to a news release from the governor.
In addition, she said, it waives licensing fees for the first three years.
"Most military families move every two to three years, and some even more frequently. That makes it harder for a military spouse to build a career - or even find a job," Lujan Grisham said. "I am committed to removing barriers for these dedicated servicemembers, veterans and their families wherever and whenever I can."
According to the news release:
• Military spouses face a 24 percent unemployment rate, even though 89 percent have some college credits, 30 percent have four-year bachelor's degrees and 15 percent have graduate degrees.
• More than a third of military spouses work in occupations that require licenses, and the same survey found that after a move, more than half of them couldn't get a new license for four months or longer.
• House Bill 30 gives state agencies from 30 to 60 days to issue a license to a military family member or recent veteran who can show he or she has a license that is current and in good standing from another jurisdiction and otherwise meets minimal licensing requirements.
• The legislation will bring an influx of qualified professionals into the New Mexico workforce in critical areas, such as education and nursing.
• House Bill 30 covers teachers, healthcare professionals, engineers, surveyors, mental health counselors, social workers, interior designers, real estate appraisers, barbers and tattoo artists.
"With this signing," said Col. Robert Masaitis, 27th Special Operations Wing commander at Cannon Air Force Base, "New Mexico has provided accompanying spouses who have moved here, or will move here, a significantly greater opportunity to continue their profession and provide for their family.
"When our airmen and their families are properly supported, we are able to execute the mission even better and this signing supports just that."
Former Committee of Fifty Chair James Burns of Clovis was instrumental in supporting the change.
"This is an exciting step for our community in supporting our military families," Burns told the Clovis/Curry County Chamber of Commerce in a news release. "Service members have such a difficult life moving from base to base, and as a nation we need to make it as convenient and comfortable as possible. We're thrilled that this change will simplify that process for some of them."
