WEST ORANGE – A measure sponsored by Senators Jeff Van Drew and Fred H. Madden which will help returning military veterans expedite the renewal and issuance of work-related licenses so they can resume employment without getting bogged down in bureaucratic red tape was signed into law today by Governor Corzine, at the West Orange Armory.
“Our citizen soldiers risk their lives trying to protect our safety, and that of others around the world, said Senator Van Drew, D-Cape May, Atlantic and Cumberland. “These brave men and women put their lives on hold so that we can continue to live ours, and allowing them to get back to work as soon as they return home is something we owe them.”
“This new law will ensure that members of our armed forces are able to begin working again as soon as they are ready, without having to lose valuable time and money waiting for their licenses to be reinstated,” said Senator Madden, D-Camden and Gloucester. “This legislation will give these veterans a sense of normalcy, so that they know they will have a job waiting for them when they return home.”
The Senators’ measure, S-1279, extends the expiration date of any license issued by a professional or occupational board for up to 120 days after a licensee returns from active military service. Because the State’s estimated 600,000 licensees are recorded in a computerized system, the measure requires returning military license holders to inform the boards either before or after their services is completed that they were called to active duty.
This measure was approved by the full Senate on May 22.
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