Welcoming Professionals
At the start of the 2019 legislative session, the General Assembly met in joint session and heard an update on the “State of the Judiciary.” During that address, the chief justice highlighted a new rule that allowed military spouses to temporarily practice law in Missouri if they were already lawyers in good standing elsewhere. All those in attendance applauded as we welcomed the first attorney to benefit from the program, the wife of the garrison commander at Fort Leonard Wood.
The court recognized the burdens placed on attorneys who happen to be married to an active duty member of the military. Imagine being a lawyer who has passed the bar exam in one state only to be told you could not continue to practice your profession as you followed your spouse to a new military station.
The court’s innovative approach to licensing attorneys raises an obvious question, though. If an out-of-state license is good enough for lawyers, why not other professions, as well? There are many careers that require state certification. Doctors, nurses, engineers, accountants, architects and others are all subject to state licensure. Any one of these may be practiced by the spouse of a soldier or airman, and those professionals could find themselves out of a job when their husband or wife is transferred to a military base in Missouri.
Senate Bill 476 addresses this situation. My legislation allows any person, including a non-resident military spouse, to apply for a professional license in Missouri if they provide proof of a current license to practice the same occupation or profession in another state. The relevant oversight board could waive examination, education and experience requirements when the applicant shows substantially similar standards have been satisfied in another jurisdiction.
Those of us who live near Fort Leonard Wood understand the contributions military families make to our communities. The wives and husbands of uniformed personnel bring a wealth of experience and expertise. This legislation makes it possible for Missouri communities to benefit from those professional skills and allows military spouses to pursue their careers as they move from place to place.
I believe this is a commonsense proposal that is consistent with the governor’s call for workforce development. I will present the bill to the Veterans and Military Affairs Committee soon and look forward to moving it onto the full Senate for consideration.
Turn Around, Don’t Drown
Like many Missourians, I watch the reports of flooding along the Missouri River and recall times in the not-too-distant past when rising waters inundated homes and farms in our area. Few forces in nature are as destructive as a flood, and my heart goes out to anyone who experiences one.
If we’re lucky, this year the 16th Senatorial District won’t experience catastrophic flooding like we saw in 2016 and 2017. But that doesn’t mean we’re not in danger from rising waters. The risks are especially great during flash floods.
A few reminders are in order, especially for younger drivers who may not appreciate the power of a flood.
Do not drive through water over a roadway. It’s not safe. It only takes a foot of moving water to move a vehicle. Once your vehicle starts to float, there’s no stopping it and you could soon find yourself swept downstream. If you find yourself in water and your vehicle stalls, abandon your vehicle and seek higher ground.
We’ve all been tempted to save a few minutes by driving across flooded crossings and roadways. Don’t do it. Turn around. Don’t drown.
It’s my honor to serve as your senator for the 16th District. If you have questions or need any assistance, please call my office at 573-751-5713 or log onto my webpage at https://www.senate.mo.gov/brown for more information.