Signed by Governor Patrick Morrisey

Vote Smart's Synopsis:

Vote to pass a bill that authorizes universal licensing reciprocity for occupations and professions in West Virginia.

Highlights:

• Authorizes universal licensing reciprocity for occupations and professions in West Virginia for occupations and professions governed by Chapter 30 of the State Code (Article 1).

• Requires that professional boards grant licenses to individuals who have been licensed in another state for at least a year under certain circumstances (Article 1).

• Requires licensees to show they are in good standing in their original state and that they meet the minimum education, work experience, and clinical supervision requirements in the state they are coming from (Article 1).

• Specifies that these provisions apply to any new resident who previously passed any required examination for the out-of-state license (Article 1).

• Requires that the applicant would need to have a clean disciplinary record, with no rescinding of licenses or voluntary surrenders in other states due to unprofessional conduct, as well as no criminal history (Article 1).

• Specifies that the licensee would still need to pay any applicable state fees for licensure (Article 1).

• Establishes that the Universal Professional and Occupational Licensing Act includes stipulations for military spouses traveling with their partner to West Virginia and wishing to transfer their occupational license with them (Article 1).

• Authorizes professional boards to require an exam on West Virginia-specific laws, while explicitly excluding licenses to practice law and certain background checks (Article 1).

• Exempts these provisions from applying to transfer of law licenses from other states, or background checks (Article 1).

• Requires those transferring a medicine, podiatric medicine, or osteopathic medicine license to practice in West Virginia without clinical supervision after successfully completing a graduate medical education program approved by the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education, the American Osteopathic Association, or the Council on Podiatric Medical Education or Colleges of Podiatric Medicine (Article 1).

Full Bill Text