Rep. Wheatley discusses how a group of bipartisan legislators he’s working with are trying to pass a bill removing obstacles for veterans and their spouses who are transitioning to civilian life.

Photo: Office of Rep. Wheatley

The national media often focuses on the gridlock and conflict in our political system, casting Republicans versus Democrats on the issues of the day. While this might get folks to tune in and boost ratings, it’s not entirely accurate.

In October, I joined a group of five state legislators–some Democrats, some Republicans–who are working together to pass a bill to remove obstacles for veterans and their spouses who are transitioning to civil life and the civilian workforce.

I am proud to work across the aisle with my colleagues to highlight this issue and work toward a common ground that together we can bring to a vote in the state House. Our bill (H.B. 1868) will likely be voted on by the full House in time for Veterans Day. Once it passes the House, the bill will need to pass the state Senate before it is signed into law. I am hopeful that the Senate leadership will see this bill for what it is: a common sense, bipartisan solution to help our veterans and their families.

Specifically, our legislation would:

• Require licensing boards to expedite application review for veterans and military spouses and waive the initial licensure fee for military spouses traveling to Pennsylvania.
• Consider military experience when determining if an applicant meets qualifications.
• Use the Military Occupational Codes Crosswalk to help translate military experience into civilian licensure requirements.
• Allow for early submission for licensure renewals for military being deployed to allow them to immediately resume employment upon return.
• Increase the presence of veterans and military spouses on licensing boards and commissions.
• Require boards to issue an expedited temporary license to service members, veterans and their spouses.

These are real, substantive changes to the way Pennsylvania approaches occupational licensing, and this bill is an important step to reduce barriers for our veterans, service members, and military spouses.

As a veteran, I especially want to thank the state House Representatives who worked with me to move this bill out of committee and position it to pass the legislature, including Rep. Zach Mako, R-Lehigh/Northampton; Rep. Dave Hickernell, R-Lancaster/Dauphin; Rep. Karen Boback, R-Lackawanna/Luzerne/Wyoming; and Rep. Chris Sainato, D-Lawrence.

While the national media likes to portray the two parties as opposites, the reality is that we share more common ground than folks may think, and this bill is an excellent example of how we can work together to get things done for Pennsylvanians.If you or someone you care about is a veteran and needs assistance, please contact The People’s Office at 412-471-7760 or reach out by email to RepWheatley@pahouse.net.