She had co-sponsored the legislation in the New York State Assembly (A4394a) that provides for expedited licensing for military spouses with out of state professional licenses in equivalent occupations. The law will also allow military spouses to obtain temporary licenses while their application is pending.
The legislation impacts spouses in 50 professions including physicians, nurses, physical therapists, mental health practitioners and social workers.
Other professions covered by the new law range from engineers to architects and from accountants to veterinary technicians.
"It is tremendously important to support our men and women in uniform. It is also important to recognize the spouses and loved ones who also endure hardships as they move to different posts around the country," Assemblywoman Russell said.
"I'm very proud to have supported this legislation that acknowledges that hardship and makes it a little easier to have some normalcy in their lives by being able to practice their professions as they move around the country in support of our military. It is something they should be able to do without excessive red tape," she added.
Assemblywoman Russell said the new law will also benefit the North Country.
"It is 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. Expediting the license process will likely help local employers fill those vacancies much quicker," she said.
The legislation requires the State Education Department to expedite the licensure process for professions overseen by SED for spouses of active duty members of the United States armed forces, National Guard, or reserves who are transferred to New York and who hold a license with substantially similar requirements from another state, according to a release issued by Governor Cuomo.
