Madison — A bill authored by Senator Lassa (D-Stevens Point) and Senator Terry Moulton (R-Chippewa Falls that allows veterans to apply their military and training experience to satisfy the training requirements for various professional and occupational licenses passed the State Senate today on an unanimous voice vote today. That bill was authored by Senator Lassa (D-Stevens Point) along with Senator Terry Moulton (R-Chippewa Falls).
“Unemployment among newly-returned veterans is at 13.1%, and even higher for vets under age 24,” Lassa said. “For disabled veterans, unemployment is around 50%. We need to do better for those who volunteer to go into harm’s way to serve our country. Obtaining a professional license can be a major obstacle to getting a job or starting a business. This bill will help remove that obstacle for veterans, and make Wisconsin an even more veteran-friendly state.”
Senate Bill 357 will allow veterans to be able to use their military training and experience to apply for state-issued professional licenses to become emergency medical technicians, nurse aides, electricians and similar professions. The bill requires that veterans demonstrate that the training they received in the military is substantially equivalent to the requirements for obtaining the license. “A veteran who’s trained and experienced at saving lives under combat conditions, for example, should have that experience count toward being an EMT in civilian life,” Lassa said.
“These measures will demonstrate our commitment to addressing the unemployment crisis among returning veterans at a time at which many more veterans will be returning from conflicts overseas,” Lassa said. “Given the sacrifices they’ve made for us, it’s the least we can do to help them reintegrate into civilian life.”
