FL H0615

Extends the period active duty Armed Forces members may remain in good standing with professional boards from 6 months to 2 years after discharge, without paying fees or renewing licenses, if not engaged in their profession for profit.

Requires spouses and surviving spouses of active duty Armed Forces members to be kept in good standing by professional boards and exempted from licensure renewal when absent from the state due to the member's military duties.

Changes the Department of Business and Professional Regulation from authorizing to requiring issuance of a professional license (rather than temporary license) to qualifying applicants and mandates waiver of initial licensure application fees.

Establishes fee waivers for initial professional licensing for active duty Armed Forces members, spouses or surviving spouses of active duty members, and low-income individuals (defined as those at or below 130 percent of federal poverty guidelines).

Appropriates $31,000 from the Administrative Trust Fund for the 2017-2018 fiscal year to cover technology infrastructure and licensing system modifications needed to implement the act, effective July 1, 2017.