A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT to expedite occupational licensure for military spouses, publicize licensure information, and report data regarding applicants who are military spouses and applicants that have military training, as recommended by the joint legislative program evaluation oversight committee.
The General Assembly of North Carolina enacts:
SECTION 1.  G.S. 93B‑15.1 reads as rewritten:
"§ 93B‑15.1.  Licensure for individuals with military training and experience; proficiency examination; licensure by endorsement for military spouses; temporary license.
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(a1)	No later than 30 days following receipt of an application from a military‑trained applicant, an occupational licensing board shall notify an applicant when the applicant's military training or experience does not satisfy the requirements for licensure, certification, or registration and shall specify the criteria or requirements that the board determined that the applicant failed to meet and the basis for that determination. If a military‑trained applicant has a pending complaint under subdivision (3) of subsection (a) of this section, an occupational licensing board shall notify the applicant no later than 30 days following the board receiving written notice of the disposition of the pending complaint.
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(b1)	No later than 30 days following receipt of an application from a military spouse, an occupational licensing board shall notify an applicant when the applicant's training or experience does not satisfy the requirements for licensure, certification, or registration and shall specify the criteria or requirements that the board determined that the applicant failed to meet and the basis for that determination. If an applicant who is a military spouse has a pending complaint under subdivision (4) of subsection (b) of this section, an occupational licensing board shall notify the applicant no later than 30 days following the board receiving written notice of the disposition of the pending complaint.
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(c1)	Each occupational licensing board shall publish on its Web site all of the following:
(1)	A document that lists the specific criteria or requirements for licensure, registration, or certification by the board, with a description of the criteria or requirements that are satisfied by military training or experience as provided in this section, and any necessary documentation needed for obtaining the credit or satisfying the requirement.
(2)	A document that includes a summary of the opportunities available to veterans and military spouses under this section.
(c2)	The Secretary of the Department of Military and Veterans Affairs shall publish on the Department's Web site the information required under subsection (c1) of this section.
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(i)	For the purposes of this section, the State Board of Education shall be considered an occupational licensing board when issuing teacher licenses under Article 17E of Subchapter V of Chapter 115C of the General Statutes. In addition to the provisions for licensure provided by this section, a local board of education may request a three‑year limited license for a military spouse who holds a current teaching license in another jurisdiction pursuant to G.S. 115C‑270.20(a)(4a). The State Board of Education shall report the information specified in G.S. 93B‑2(a)(9c) and (9d) in accordance with G.S. 93B‑2.
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SECTION 2.(a)  G.S. 93B‑2 reads as rewritten:
"§ 93B‑2.  Annual reports required; contents; open to inspection; sanction for failure to report.
(a)	No later than October 31 of each year, each occupational licensing board shall file electronically with the Secretary of State, the Attorney General, and the Joint Legislative Administrative Procedure Oversight Committee an annual report containing all of the following information:
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(9c)	The number of applicants with military training, the number granted a license, the number denied a license for any reason, and a summary of the reasons for denial. The information provided in accordance with this subdivision shall not disclose any identifying information of any applicant.
(9d)	The number of applicants who are military spouses, the number granted a license, the number denied a license for any reason, and a summary of the reasons for denial. The information provided in accordance with this subdivision shall not disclose any identifying information of any applicant.
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(b1)	No later than October 31 of each year, each occupational licensing board shall file electronically with the Secretary of the Department of Military and Veterans Affairs information collected pursuant to G.S. 93B‑2(a)(9c) and (9d).
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SECTION 2.(b)  By October 31, 2021, each occupational licensing board shall include the data specified in G.S. 93B‑2(a)(9c) and (9d), as provided for in this act, for fiscal year 2019‑2020 in the annual report to the Secretary of State, the Attorney General, and the Joint Legislative Administrative Procedure Oversight Committee, as required by G.S. 93B‑2(a).
SECTION 3.  This act becomes effective December 1, 2020, and applies to applications for licensure received on or after that date.