Allows for issuance of two-year temporary courtesy license for nonresident military spouses in certain professions.

S4341

SENATE, No. 4341

STATE OF NEW JERSEY

222nd LEGISLATURE

�

INTRODUCED MAY 28, 2026

Sponsored by:

Senator� CARMEN F. AMATO, JR.

District 9 (Ocean)

Senator� RAJ MUKHERJI

District 32 (Hudson)

SYNOPSIS

���� Allows for issuance of two-year temporary courtesy
license for nonresident military spouses in certain professions.

CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT

���� As introduced.

��

An Act

concerning temporary courtesy licenses for
certain nonresident military spouses and amending P.L.2013, c.264.

����
Be It
Enacted
by the Senate and General Assembly of
the State of New Jersey:

���� 1.��� Section 1 of P.L.2013,
c.264 (C.45:1-15.5) is amended to read as follows:

���� 1.��� a. As used in this
section:

���� "Another
jurisdiction" means the District of Columbia, a territory of the United
States, or a state other than New Jersey.

���� "Board" means a
professional or occupational board designated in section 2 of P.L.1978, c.73
(C.45:1-15) that issues a professional or occupational license, certificate of
registration, or certification.

���� "Nonresident military
spouse" means a person who is not domiciled in this State who is the
spouse of an active duty member of the Armed Forces of the United States who
has been transferred to this State in the course of the member's service, is
legally domiciled in this State, or has moved to this State on a permanent
change-of-station basis.

���� b.��� Notwithstanding the
provisions of any law, rule or regulation to the contrary, each board shall
issue, upon application, a license to a nonresident military spouse who meets
the requirements of this section, so that the nonresident military spouse may
practice lawfully the person's profession or occupation.� At the discretion of
the board, a nonresident military spouse shall receive a license under this
subsection:

���� (1)�� pursuant to any law,
rule, or regulation providing for licensure by endorsement or reciprocity in
the profession or occupation regulated by the board; or

���� (2)�� pursuant to an
application for a temporary courtesy license pursuant to subsection d. of this
section.

���� c.���� Notwithstanding the
provisions of any other law, rule, or regulation to the contrary, each board
shall establish criteria for the issuance of a temporary courtesy license to a
nonresident military spouse so that the nonresident military spouse may lawfully
practice the profession or occupation regulated by that board in this State on
a temporary basis, subject to the requirements of subsection d. of this section
when applicable.

���� d.��� A nonresident military
spouse who applies for a temporary courtesy license pursuant to paragraph (2)
of subsection b. of this section shall be entitled to receive that license if
that person:

���� (1)�� holds a current license
to practice the profession or occupation in another jurisdiction that the board
determines has licensure requirements to practice the profession or occupation
that are equivalent to those adopted by the board;

���� (2)�� was engaged in the
active practice of the profession or occupation in another jurisdiction for at
least two of the five years immediately preceding the date of application for
the temporary courtesy license, for which purpose relevant full-time experience
in the discharge of official duties in the Armed Forces of the United States or
an agency of the federal government shall be credited in the counting of years
of service;

���� (3)�� has not committed an act
in another jurisdiction that would have constituted grounds for the denial,
suspension, or revocation of a license to practice the profession or occupation
in this State;

���� (4)�� has not been
disciplined, and is not the subject of an investigation of an unresolved
complaint, or a review procedure or disciplinary proceeding, which was
conducted by, or is pending before, a professional or occupational licensing or
credentialing entity in another jurisdiction;

���� (5)�� pays for, and authorizes
the board to conduct, a criminal history record background check of that person
pursuant to P.L.2002, c.104 (C.45:1-28 et seq.) if such check is required to
practice the occupation or practice regulated by that board;

���� (6)�� pays any fee the board
reasonably requires for the issuance of the temporary courtesy license;

���� (7)�� has satisfied any
continuing education requirements in the jurisdiction where that person holds a
current license to practice the profession or occupation, and, at the
discretion of the board, completes such continuing education hours or credits
as may be required by the board within the time frame the board may establish;

���� (8)�� at the discretion of the
board and if applicable, successfully completes a New Jersey jurisprudence
examination required of resident applicants or any other examination
specifically predicated on New Jersey law required for practice in the
profession or occupation; and

���� (9)�� complies with any other
requirements the board may reasonably determine are necessary to effectuate the
purposes of this section.

���� e.���� A nonresident military
spouse who holds a temporary license pursuant to paragraph (2) of subsection b.
of this section shall be entitled to the same rights and be subject to the same
obligations as provided by the respective board for New Jersey residents,
except that revocation or suspension of a nonresident military spouse's license
in the nonresident military spouse's state of residence or any jurisdiction in
which the nonresident military spouse held licensure shall automatically cause
the same revocation or suspension of the person's temporary courtesy license in
New Jersey if that revocation or suspension was on the basis of a charge or
commission of a criminal offense, competency, or harmful or inappropriate
behavior.

���� f.���� A board may require a
nonresident military spouse who has not been engaged in the active practice of
the profession or occupation in another jurisdiction during the two years
immediately preceding the application to undergo additional training, testing, mentoring,
monitoring or education should the board deem it necessary.

���� g.��� A temporary courtesy
license issued pursuant to this section shall be valid for a period of one year
and may be extended at the discretion of the board for an additional one year
upon application of the holder of the temporary courtesy license
, unless
issued a temporary courtesy license by the following:

����
(1)�� the State Board of
Applied Behavior Analyst Examiners;

����
(2)�� the State Board of
Marriage and Family Therapy Examiners, including the Alcohol and Drug Counselor
Committee;

����
(3)�� the New Jersey Board
of Nursing;

����
(4)�� the Occupational
Therapy Advisory Council;

����
(5)�� the State Board of
Psychological Examiners; or

����
(6)�� the State Board of
Social Work Examiners.

����
A temporary courtesy
license issued by any of the boards in paragraphs (1) through (6) of this
subsection shall be valid for two years, with the possibility of an extension,
at the discretion of the requisite board, for an additional one year upon
application of the holder of the temporary courtesy license
.

���� h.��� Each board shall adopt
rules and regulations pursuant to the "Administrative Procedure Act,"
P.L.1968, c.410 (C.52:14B-1 et seq.), to carry out the purposes of this
section, except that, notwithstanding any provision of P.L.1968, c.410 (C.52:14B-1
et seq.) to the contrary, each board may adopt, immediately upon filing with
the Office of Administrative Law, regulations the board deems necessary to
implement the provisions of this section, which shall be effective for a period
not to exceed six months and may thereafter be amended, adopted, or re-adopted
by the board in accordance with the requirements of P.L.1968, c.410 (C.52:14B-1
et seq.).

(cf: P.L.2013, c.264, s.1)

����

���� 2.��� This act shall take
effect immediately.

STATEMENT

����� This bill amends current law on temporary courtesy
licenses for nonresident military spouses.� Under the bill, a nonresident
military spouse who seeks and is approved to be issued a temporary courtesy
license in New Jersey from the State Board of Applied Behavior Analyst
Examiners; the State Board of Marriage and Family Therapy Examiners, including
the Alcohol and Drug Counselor Committee; the New Jersey Board of Nursing; the
Occupational Therapy Advisory Council; the State Board of Psychological Examiners;
or the State Board of Social Work Examiners is to have the temporary courtesy
license for two years, with the option, at the discretion of the specific board
and submission of an application by the holder of the temporary courtesy
license, for a one-year extension.� Currently, temporary courtesy licenses are
granted for one year, with the option for a one-year extension.