October 2014

PE REPORT
Delaware Gives Licensing Flexibility to Armed Forces

Delaware Governor Jack Markell signed legislation in July allowing flexibility for active duty military to obtain and maintain professional licenses.

The legislation (H.B. 296) states that all boards and commissions governed by the Delaware Division of Professional Regulation must accept the military training, education, or experience of a qualified individual as long as the training, education, or experience is substantially equivalent to the requirements established by law and regulations of the board, including examination requirements. A qualified individual who has a valid or expired license at the time of deployment can renew the license within 90 days of returning from active deployment if that license does not require continuing education to renew the license. A person holding a license requiring continuing education to renew a license will have 180 days to comply after returning from a deployment. The bill also allows boards to provide temporary licenses to individuals in the military if they have a valid license from another jurisdiction.

NSPE is supportive of policies (NSPE Position Statement No.1769) that assure gainful employment of returning veterans who wish to enter the private nonmilitary workforce, and also those who wish to continue military service and to either obtain or maintain previously acquired licensure as professional engineers.