Assemblywoman Addie J. Russell, D-Theresa, says legislation that passed the Assembly this week is good news for spouses of members of the military assigned to Fort Drum.

Russell co-sponsored a bill (A4394a) that provides for expedited licensing for military spouses with out of state professional licenses in equivalent occupations.

Russell’s “River” District covers much of northern and central plus northern Jefferson County.

"This is clearly very good news for the men and women at Fort Drum and their families. It is also very good news for North Country employers who often have difficulty filling vacant positions in fields that are licensed by the state's Education Department," she said.

Russell said the assembly had passed similar legislation in 2014 to assist the members of households of members of the military whose licenses are regulated by the Department of State in areas including real estate sales.

"The legislation we passed this week will impact spouses in 50 professions ranging from medical professionals to architects and accountants and from social workers to veterinary technicians," Russell said.

"The families of the men and women who volunteer to join our military should not be penalized by their spouses' commitment to protect and defend our country. This legislation is aimed at ensuring the members of the military and their spouses are not penalized when they are transferred to a new base," she noted.

"We know those delays and the expense of relicensure cause many military spouses to not practice in their professions. That can impact the economic stability of those families and it also deprives our communities of access to employees with the training and skills to be valuable members of our workforce," Russell said.

The legislation would allow an applicant whose license is in good standing in another state to be granted a temporary practice permit for six months with an opportunity for a six-month extension while they wait for their New York State license to be granted. The spouses of active members of the military would also be charged half of the normal fee for those licenses.

The Department of Defense has engaged in a collaborative effort with 27 states, including New York, to collect best practices to reduce the time required for a military spouse to transfer a current license when entering a new state.

The legislation is awaiting action by the Senate before it can become law.