The lives of military families are dominated by frequent deployments, relocations, and extended periods of single parenthood. Military spouses are some of the most mobile populations in our country, making the maintenance of professional licenses a significant obstacle. According to the 2010 defense management data center, there are thirty-three thousand three hundred eighty active duty and ten thousand eight hundred thirty-seven reserve military spouses residing in Washington. Military families depend on two incomes and want to achieve their goals and aspirations. It is the intent of the legislature to recognize the sacrifices made by military families in service to our country and our state and to help alleviate the hardships military families face due to their highly transient life.
For the purposes of this section, "authority" means any board, commission, or other authority for issuance of a license, certificate, registration, or permit under this title.
To the extent resources are available:
Each authority shall establish procedures to expedite the issuance of a license, certificate, registration, or permit to perform professional services regulated by each such authority to a person:
Who is certified or licensed, certified, or registered, or has a permit in another state to perform professional services in that state;
Whose spouse is the subject of a military transfer to Washington; and
Who left employment in the other state to accompany the person's spouse to Washington.
The procedure must include a process for issuing the person a license, certificate, registration, or permit, if, in the opinion of the authority, the requirements for licensure, certification, registration, or obtaining a permit of such other state are substantially equivalent to that required in Washington.
Each authority in this title shall develop a method and adopt rules to authorize a person who meets the criteria in (a)(i) through (iii) of this subsection to perform services regulated by the authority in Washington by issuing the person a temporary license, certificate, registration, or permit for a limited period of time to allow the person to perform services regulated by the authority while completing any specific additional requirements in Washington that are not related to training or practice standards of the profession that were not required in the other state in which the person is licensed, certified, or registered, or has a permit. Nothing in this section requires the authority to issue a temporary license, certificate, registration, or permit if the standards of the other state are substantially unequal to Washington standards.
An applicant must state in the application that he or she:
Has requested verification from the other state or states that the person is currently licensed, certified, registered, or has a permit; and
Is not subject to any pending investigation, charges, or disciplinary action by the regulatory body of the other state or states.
If the authority finds reasonable cause to believe that an applicant falsely affirmed or stated either of the requirements under (d)(i) or (ii) of this subsection, the authority may summarily suspend the license, certificate, registration, or permit pending an investigation or further action to discipline or revoke the license, certificate, registration, or permit.