Professions and vocations: licensure and certification requirements: military experience.

Existing law provides for the licensure and regulation of various healing arts professions and vocations by boards within the Department of Consumer Affairs. Existing law requires the rules and regulations of these healing arts boards to provide for methods of evaluating education, training, and experience obtained in military service if such training is applicable to the requirements of the particular profession or vocation regulated by the board. Under existing law, specified other healing arts professions are licensed or certified and regulated by the State Department of Public Health. In some instances, a board with the Department of Consumer Affairs or the State Department of Public Health approves schools offering educational course credit for meeting licensing or certification qualifications and requirements. This bill would require a healing arts board within the Department of Consumer Affairs and the State Department of Public Health, upon the presentation of evidence by an applicant for licensure or certification, to, except as specified, accept education, training, and practical experience completed by an applicant in military service toward the qualifications and requirements to receive a license or certificate. If a board or the State Department of Public Health accredits or otherwise approves schools offering educational course credit for meeting licensing and certification qualifications and requirements, the bill would, not later than July 1, 2014, require those schools seeking accreditation or approval to have procedures in place to accept an applicant's military education, training, and practical experience toward the completion of an educational program that would qualify a person to apply for licensure or certification. The bill would require each board and the State Department of Public Health to determine whether it is necessary to adopt regulations to implement these provisions and if so, would require those regulations to be adopted not later than January 1, 2014. If a board or the State Department of Public Health determines that such regulations are not necessary, the bill would require a report with an explanation regarding that determination to be submitted to the Governor and the Legislature not later than January 1, 2014. The bill would require the Director of Consumer Affairs and the State Department of Public Health, by January 1, 2016, to submit to the Governor and the Legislature a written report on the progress of the boards and the department in complying with these provisions. Under existing law, the Department of Veterans Affairs has specified powers and duties relating to various programs serving veterans. With respect to complying with the bill's requirements and obtaining specified funds to support compliance with these provisions, this bill would require the Department of Veterans Affairs to provide technical assistance to the healing arts boards within the Department of Consumer Affairs, the Director of Consumer Affairs, and the State Department of Public Health.