2013 -- S 0628

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LC01881

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STATE OF RHODE ISLAND

IN GENERAL ASSEMBLY

JANUARY SESSION, A.D. 2013

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S E N A T E R E S O L U T I O N

RESPECTFULLY REQUESTING THE RHODE ISLAND DEPARTMENT OF LABOR AND

TRAINING TO STUDY OFFERING EXPEDITED STATE CERTIFICATIONS OR

PROFESSIONAL LICENSURE IN CONJUNCTION WITH THE DEPARTMENTS OF

BUSINESS REGULATION AND HEALTH FOR RHODE ISLAND VETERANS

     

     

     Introduced By: Senators Raptakis, Cote, Bates, Pichardo, and Ottiano

     Date Introduced: March 06, 2013

     Referred To: Senate Labor

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     WHEREAS, Since 2001, over two million American military personnel have been

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deployed to Iraq and Afghanistan; and

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     WHEREAS, Rhode Island, along with the rest of the country, is witnessing the return of

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our mothers and fathers, husbands and wives, and sons and daughters from the field of battle; and

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     WHEREAS, Rhode Island despite its small size, has borne a significant share of sacrifice

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in these recent conflicts; and

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     WHEREAS, The call back rate of the State’s own National Guard to active duty status is

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the second highest in the entire United States, with over 10,000 unit deployments; and

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     WHEREAS, The number of veterans living in Rhode Island who served in the Gulf Wars

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is three times higher than the national per capita average, and is expected to grow as troops begin

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to withdraw from Afghanistan; and

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     WHEREAS, The fundamental freedoms enjoyed by all citizens of our State and the

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United States are insured in no small part through the honorable service of our nations military

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veterans; and

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     WHEREAS, The people of the State have a deep debt of gratitude for the sacrifices made

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by these men and women who as combat veterans placed their lives in harm’s way to protect and

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defend our nation from all foreign enemies and terrorist threats; and

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     WHEREAS, In order to ensure that these men and women upon returning to our State

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may resume their educations, personal growth, and career development without delay to

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ultimately obtain rewarding full-time civilian employment, Rhode Island’s Executive

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Departments must deliver assistance and services in innovative ways that not only meet, but

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exceed, the expectations of our veterans and their families: now, therefore be it

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     RESOLVED, That this Senate of the State of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations

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respectfully requests that the Department of Labor and Training, as part of its ongoing veterans’

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assistance, job training, and referral services, in conjunction with the Departments of Business

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Regulation and Health study offering veterans expedited state certifications or professional

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licensure which could be realized either through: the use of reciprocity with other states with

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similar requirements; accepting relevant military training and experience for the purposes of

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certification requirements; or via temporary licensure/certifications that would allow veterans to

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work while completing outstanding state requirements for full licensure and or certification; and

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be it further

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     RESOLVED, That the Secretary of State be and hereby is authorized and directed to

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transmit a duly certified copy of this resolution to the Director of the Rhode Island Department of

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Labor and Training.

     

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LC01881

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S0628