Back to Wyoming

SF0119 • 2025

Expedited professional licensure for military members.

AN ACT relating to professions and occupations; providing for the issuance of professional and occupation licenses to military service members as specified; providing for temporary practice permits for military service members; requiring temporary professional and occupation licenses to military service members as specified; amending and providing definitions; repealing provisions; specifying applicability; requiring rulemaking; and providing for an effective date.

Education
Enacted

This bill passed the Legislature and reached final enactment based on the latest official action.

Sponsor
Senator Boner
Last action
2025-02-28
Official status
enrolled
Effective date
2/28/2025

Plain English Breakdown

The bill summary does not provide specific details on how much progress must be made towards meeting unmet licensure requirements during the period of temporary practice permit validity.

Expedited professional licensure for military members

This law makes it easier for military service members to get licenses and permits needed to work in certain professions.

What This Bill Does

  • Allows military service members to quickly obtain a license if they have an active, valid license from another state for at least five consecutive years.
  • Provides temporary practice permits for up to three years while the member works on meeting any remaining requirements for licensure.
  • Requires professional licensing boards to create online applications and processes for military service members and their spouses.
  • Ensures that military service members can get a temporary license if they have held an active, valid license from another state for at least three consecutive years.
  • Considers relevant education and training received by the applicant while in the military when evaluating licensure requirements.

Who It Names or Affects

  • Military service members
  • Professional licensing boards

Terms To Know

Expedited license
A quick process to get a professional or occupational license for military service members and their spouses.
Temporary practice permit
A short-term permission that allows military service members to work in a profession while they complete the requirements for full licensure.

Limits and Unknowns

  • The law applies only to applications filed on or after its effective date.
  • It does not specify how much progress must be made towards meeting unmet licensure requirements during the period of temporary practice permit validity.
  • Military service members and their spouses are still subject to other provisions of professional licensing laws.

Amendments

These notes stay tied to the official amendment files and metadata from the legislature.

SF0119HW001

Committee of the Whole • Representative Brown, L

Corrected, Adopted

Plain English: The amendment adds requirements for professional and occupational licensing boards to issue temporary licenses to military service members and their spouses.

  • Adds language requiring licensing boards to issue temporary licenses to military service members or their spouses if they hold a valid license from another state for at least three consecutive years.
  • Specifies that the temporary license allows practice for up to ninety days while the application is pending review.
  • States that no fees can be charged for these temporary licenses.
  • The amendment does not specify all details about how applications are completed or reviewed by licensing boards.
SF0119HS001

Standing Committee • House Transportation, Highways and Military Affair

Adopted

Plain English: The amendment changes how military service members can get professional licenses in Wyoming more quickly if they have a valid license from another state.

  • Military service members can now receive an expedited professional or occupational license within thirty days of requesting it, without needing to file a completed application if they hold a relevant and active license from another jurisdiction for at least five consecutive years.
  • The effective date for the bill's provisions is changed from July 1, 2025, to immediately upon completion of all acts necessary for the bill to become law as provided by Article 4, Section 8 of the Wyoming Constitution.
  • The amendment text does not provide specific details on how the rulemaking process will be conducted or what exactly constitutes a 'completed application'.
SF0119SW001

Committee of the Whole • Senator Boner

Adopted

Plain English: The amendment adds language to the bill that allows military members to provide proof of their honorable discharge as part of the process for obtaining professional licenses in a state.

  • Adds the phrase ', or evidence of an honorable service characterization upon release from military service,' after 'state' in the bill.
  • The amendment text does not provide additional context about how this change will be implemented or its full implications, so some details are unclear.
SF0119SS001

Standing Committee • Senate Transportation, Highways and Military Affai

Adopted

Plain English: The amendment changes specific sections of the law related to professional licensure for military members.

  • Replaces references to '33-26-110 through 33-26-113' with '33-36-110 through 33-36-113'.
  • The amendment does not provide details about what these sections contain or how they affect military members.

Bill History

  1. 2025-02-28 LSO

    Assigned Chapter Number 81

  2. 2025-02-28 Governor

    Governor Signed SEA No. 0041

  3. 2025-02-26 House

    H Speaker Signed SEA No. 0041

  4. 2025-02-26 Senate

    S President Signed SEA No. 0041

  5. 2025-02-26 LSO

    Assigned Number SEA No. 0041

  6. 2025-02-26 Senate

    S Concur:Passed 29-2-0-0-0

  7. 2025-02-25 Senate

    S Received for Concurrence

  8. 2025-02-25 House

    H 3rd Reading:Passed 61-0-1-0-0

  9. 2025-02-24 House

    H 2nd Reading:Passed

  10. 2025-02-21 House

    H COW:Passed

  11. 2025-02-18 House

    H Placed on General File

  12. 2025-02-18 House

    H08 - Transportation:Recommend Amend and Do Pass 9-0-0-0-0

  13. 2025-02-13 House

    H Introduced and Referred to H08 - Transportation

  14. 2025-02-04 House

    H Received for Introduction

  15. 2025-02-03 Senate

    S 3rd Reading:Passed 26-5-0-0-0

  16. 2025-01-31 Senate

    S 2nd Reading:Passed

  17. 2025-01-30 Senate

    S COW:Passed

  18. 2025-01-30 Senate

    S Placed on General File

  19. 2025-01-30 Senate

    S08 - Transportation:Recommend Amend and Do Pass 5-0-0-0-0

  20. 2025-01-21 Senate

    S Introduced and Referred to S08 - Transportation

  21. 2025-01-16 Senate

    S Received for Introduction

  22. 2025-01-15 LSO

    Bill Number Assigned

Official Summary Text

Bill Summary - 25LSO-0532

Bill No.:

SF0119

Effective:

Immediately

LSO No.:

25LSO-0532

Enrolled Act No.:

SEA No. 0041

Chapter No.:

81

Prime Sponsor:

Boner

Catch Title:

Expedited professional licensure for military members.

Has Report:

No

Subject:

Provides expedited professional licensure for military members.

Summary/Major Elements:

Existing law provides a process for expedited professional licenses to military spouses if the spouse has an active occupational or professional license in another state.

This bill revises the existing program to also provide for the issuance of expedited professional and occupational licenses to military service members under certain circumstances.

The bill also revises an existing program to provide for the issuance of temporary practice permits.

The bill requires the creation of online applications for licensure and professional or occupational licensing by reciprocity for military service members and military spouses.

The bill applies to applications for professional licensing that are filed on or after the effective date of this act.

The above summary is not an official publication of the Wyoming Legislature and is not an official statement of legislative intent.

While the Legislative Service Office endeavored to provide accurate information in this summary, it should not be relied upon as a comprehensive abstract of the bill.

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text
25LSO-0532

ORIGINAL Senate

ENGROSSED
File No
.
SF0119

ENROLLED ACT NO. 41,

SENATE

SIXTY-EIGHTH LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WYOMING
2025 General Session

AN ACT relating to professions and occupations; providing for the issuance of professional and occupation licenses to military service members as specified; providing for temporary practice permits for military service members; requiring temporary professional and occupation licenses to military service members as specified; amending and providing definitions; repealing provisions; specifying applicability; requiring rulemaking; and providing for an effective date.

Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Wyoming:

Section 1
.

W.S. 33
‑
1
‑
117(a)(ii), (v), by creating a new paragraph (vii), (b)(intro), (i), by creating a new paragraph (v), (e) through (g) and by creating new subsections (h) through (m) is amended to read:

33
‑
1
‑
117.

Expedited licenses and temporary permits for military service members and military spouses.

(a)

As used in this section:

(ii)

"Applicant" means a military
service member or military
spouse seeking licensure from a professional or occupational licensing board of this state;

(v)

"Military service member" means an active member of the uniformed services as defined in W.S. 8
‑
1
‑
102(a)(xxii)
or a person released from military service within two (2) years of applying for licensure, certification or registration pursuant to this section and whose service was characterized upon release as honorable
;

(vii)

"Military service" means service in the uniformed services as defined in W.S. 8
‑
1
‑
102(a)(xxii).

(b)

A professional or occupational licensing board shall issue an expedited license to a military
service member or military
spouse
to
within thirty (30) days of receiving a completed application or within thirty (30) days after an applicant's request, without filing a completed application, if the applicant holds a relevant, active occupational or professional license in good standing from another jurisdiction for not less than five (5) consecutive years. An expedited license issued under this subsection would
allow the military
service member or military
spouse to lawfully practice a profession or occupation requiring licensure in this state if the military
service member or military
spouse:

(i)

Holds a relevant, active occupational or professional license in good standing from another state
and provides a military identification card, their spouse's military identification card or a marriage license as proof of being a military service member or military spouse
;

(v)

Provides a copy of military orders for military service in this state, or evidence of an honorable service characterization upon release from military service, and submits to the authority of the licensing authority in this state for purposes of standards of practice, discipline and fulfillment of any continuing education requirements.

(e)

Pursuant to rules which
may
shall
be adopted for this purpose, a professional or occupational licensing board may issue a temporary practice permit to a military
service member or military
spouse applicant who meets the requirements of paragraph (b)(i) of this section and who has applied for a professional or occupational license under this section.

The military
service member or military
spouse applicant may practice under the temporary permit for a period not to exceed three (3) years provided the military
service member or military
spouse is making progress toward satisfying the unmet licensure requirements, or until the professional or occupational license for which they have applied has been either granted or denied, whichever first occurs. A board shall not charge a military
service member or military
spouse any fees for a temporary permit under this subsection.

(f)

Professional or occupational licensing boards shall adopt rules necessary to implement this section
, including the implementation of online applications for licensure and professional or occupational licensing by reciprocity for military service members or military spouses
.

(g)

On each licensure application or renewal form, a professional or occupational licensing board shall inquire and maintain a record of whether an applicant is a member of the military or
is a
military spouse. If an applicant self
‑
identifies as and provides the board with satisfactory proof that the applicant is a military
service member or military
spouse, the board shall immediately commence the process of issuing a license or temporary permit
and shall issue the license or temporary permit within thirty (30) days of receiving an application
.

(h)

In determining whether a military service member applicant's education and training meet a professional or occupational licensing board's respective educational and training requirements, the board shall consider any relevant education, training and experience received by the applicant as a member of the armed forces or reserves of the United States, the national guard of any state, the military reserves of any state or the naval militia of any state.

(j)

Any emergency medical service license sought under W.S. 33
‑
36
‑
110 through 33
‑
36
‑
113 by a veteran of military service, by a military service member except a member of the national guard, by a national guard member separating from an active duty tour or by the spouse of any of these persons shall be processed and considered pursuant to the requirements of the Recognition of Emergency Medical Services Personnel Licensure Interstate Compact Act, W.S. 33
‑
36
‑
202.

(k)

Except as otherwise provided in this section, military service member and military spouse applicants shall be subject to the other provisions of this title and to any requirements properly adopted by the professional or occupational licensing board to which the applicant has applied.

(m)

A professional or occupational licensing board shall issue a temporary license to a military service member or military spouse after receiving a completed application under this section, but while the application is pending review by the board, if the applicant holds a relevant, active occupational or professional license in good standing from another jurisdiction for not less than three (3) consecutive years. The military service member or military spouse applicant may practice under the temporary license for a period not to exceed ninety (90) days. A board shall not charge a military service member or military spouse any fees for a temporary license under this subsection.

Section 2
.

W.S. 33
‑
1
‑
116 and 33
‑
1
‑
117(b)(ii) are repealed.

Section 3.

This act shall apply to applications for professional licensing that are filed on or after the effective date of this act.

Section 4.

This act is effective immediately upon completion of all acts necessary for a bill to become law as provided by Article 4, Section 8 of the Wyoming Constitution.

(END)

Speaker of the House

President of the Senate

Governor

TIME APPROVED: _________

DATE APPROVED: _________

I hereby certify that this act originated in the Senate.

Chief Clerk

1