[{"_1":2,"_100":-5,"_101":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,76,88],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},"mediaId",6258386,"mediaKeyId","3148317-2bb5f9bf927d8c905fe546f40bbb9885","parentId",3148317,"title","Committee hears substitute to speed Texas licensure for military families, veterans","audioSeconds",952,"startMs",220240,"endMs",1173130,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=3148317-2bb5f9bf927d8c905fe546f40bbb9885&start=220&end=1173","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3148317-2bb5f9bf927d8c905fe546f40bbb9885/thumbnail_220240.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6258386/Texas/Committee-hears-substitute-to-speed-Texas-licensure-for-military-families-veterans","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6258386-1441aed5ed6d5c227cea38c8316d83ef/orig.mp4?Expires=1770977128&Signature=JxfX8no9Em4v1~uAh5kax4tyjKt64xrtoGKWF-j5cZVTp2cvbM1GrIw-q7OSyGu3Th9Zmh2O0W8LRf2pdA4S7n5Ahol7kVERmj8U7CVLs6vT7QxysdRQ2fK4QE3UocQTy1fCTNMqABd6wDWbn2SnAjyg7ETW4m8vrk1T90NHjZ-lY0htoHZB33cBg-xk-iI93iw19yE5DGk8~8iwScobiqsRKbYQGR3cwO7QGjHvbVnOeB9VSdN5p0YV6CJeQOUQceNNFAS3Zo1WServZ~jF6EY04NGtvfPT1iLEWcZ2jAsyncbntgwpBAC~jwyBLbkPMHyNtmt4qPkiU4odVlHI~w__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Texas Legislature","date","2025-04-29T00:00:00Z","article","Senate Bill 2255, a measure to streamline occupational licensing for military spouses, service members and veterans, was presented and discussed before the Senate Committee on Veteran Affairs on Oct. 12, 2025. The committee received multiple supporters and technical testimony and left the bill pending.

Senator Bryan Sparks, the Senate sponsor, said the bill would make it easier for people holding an out-of-state license in good standing and with a comparable scope of practice to obtain a Texas license. \"This bill aims to streamline the process for military members, their spouses and veterans to obtain a Texas occupational license,\" Sparks said. The sponsor also noted the committee sent up a committee substitute that expanded the original spouse-only language to include active-duty personnel and veterans and reduced the agency processing time from 30 days to 10 days.

Several organizations spoke in support. Jim Brennan, legislative director for the Texas Coalition of Veterans Organizations, called the bill a way to \"mitigate that interruption\" to family income when service members relocate. Glenn Hammer, president and CEO of the Texas Association of Business, said military-spouse unemployment is \"around 14 or 15%\" and urged legislator support so employers can hire qualified workers more quickly.

Samuel Hooper, legislative counsel at the Institute for Justice, called the bill a boost for economic liberty that follows the group's model legislation by focusing on \"scope of practice rather than the more exclusionary substantial equivalence test,\" which he said will offer more opportunity. Doug Jennings, general counsel for the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation (TDLR), testified as a resource witness on implementation.

Jennings described how the substitute would change procedures at state licensing agencies: applicants would submit an affidavit that they hold a license in good standing and provide military orders; agencies then would have 10 days to accept the application, request missing documents, or direct the applicant to the correct licensing authority. Jennings said the bill would remove a current step in many cases — obtaining a letter of good standing from the issuing state — that can take \"a week\" to \"six months.\" He also noted a federal law passed in recent years and Chapter 55 of the Occupations Code have created some confusion at the agency level; Jennings said the bill would align state practice with recent federal developments and codified agency rules and would require better data collection on complaints and dispositions.

Mitch Fuller, legislative director for the Department of Texas Veterans of Foreign Wars, testified in support and said the bill helps veterans and spouses find employment quickly. After testimony, the committee closed public comment and left SB 2255 pending for further consideration; the record shows no roll-call vote at this hearing.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Senate Committee on Veteran Affairs April 29, 2025","oneSentenceSummary","Senate Bill 2255, revised in committee to include active-duty members and veterans and to shorten processing from 30 days to 10 days, would allow expedited licensing for people with out-of-state licenses in good standing; the committee heard several witnesses and left the bill pending.","taxTitle","Committee on Veteran Affairs, Senate, Legislative, Texas","taxId",16929,"location","Texas","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":77,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":78,"_41":79,"_43":80,"_45":81,"_47":82,"_49":83,"_51":84,"_53":85,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":86,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":87,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6258391,"Committee considers update to Texas Armed Services Scholarship to cover more tuition, add coordinator",110,82550,193160,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3148317-2bb5f9bf927d8c905fe546f40bbb9885&start=82&end=193","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3148317-2bb5f9bf927d8c905fe546f40bbb9885/thumbnail_82550.jpg","/articles/6258391/Texas/Committee-considers-update-to-Texas-Armed-Services-Scholarship-to-cover-more-tuition-add-coordinator","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6258391-011e93bc9fb6a60e7918b26d5f157d0d/orig.mp4?Expires=1770977128&Signature=dqw8gyQozIv9k61nCxvrUYCfVnBn3mhWJFO7KecirjlEKrnoICFApNfuhyLzbzd91YYh~xbv2X~eSzzCnkkkiQ6L8SUxvtHcWTjbsoRbF4nYb16e4eOtN~ysGMj-bqxzUj~64Ig-K24OSP087GSO2n2jr8mTI5pNf1dPx3hcie5rNGxAfRSKjvUHrrkkSLUO7J09KfN7xYUMgTrDRCjvEn-VqaGFnry~8tZnygWh0JhyIzRw2iSic5n3wDMdvnR-vTvVsXLxQuKOn61UCc12vdXz2K54Y0ss-QLmWxc~QQMZjkSzUH9t-nBFIXeSqouTv0Nv7ClNHL78O6445ONlKA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Senators heard House Bill 300, intended to modernize the Texas Armed Services Scholarship program, on Oct. 12, 2025; the committee left the bill pending after no public testimony.

Senator Mark Hancock, the Senate sponsor, said the Texas Armed Services Scholarship program was created in 2009 to encourage top students to join the armed services with scholarships and preparation for commission. \"Over the past 15 years, some issues have arisen that have placed unintentional barriers on qualified nominees and limited the goals of the program,\" Hancock said.

Hancock said HB 300 would raise the scholarship amount to cover a substantial portion of tuition and fees, clarify the scholarship appointment process and agreement required of students, and create a scholarship coordinator at the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board (THECB) to help students and families navigate the program. The sponsor characterized the bill as \"pretty straightforward\" and of \"a lot of value.\"

The chair opened and closed public testimony with no witnesses signed up. The committee left HB 300 pending; the hearing record shows no amendments or vote taken on the bill during this session.","House Bill 300 would increase scholarship amounts, clarify appointment agreements and create a THECB coordinator for the Texas Armed Services Scholarship program; no witnesses testified and the bill was left pending.",{"_33":89,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":90,"_41":91,"_43":92,"_45":93,"_47":94,"_49":95,"_51":96,"_53":97,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":98,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":99,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6258396,"Committee reviews bill to give military-program students early class registration",73,35330,108440,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3148317-2bb5f9bf927d8c905fe546f40bbb9885&start=35&end=108","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3148317-2bb5f9bf927d8c905fe546f40bbb9885/thumbnail_35330.jpg","/articles/6258396/Texas/Committee-reviews-bill-to-give-military-program-students-early-class-registration","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6258396-95e08906beca5316b678cb2e6c17ac73/orig.mp4?Expires=1770977128&Signature=Y7dtsQDv2J-kwJdCqonSViWirlN66IrT8Bm1igI9m4pXUVcfWko10gaGP8JHs-65YK7hqPB8PTMx0XO7jrvJHCgKx08SJk-awxSfUTZ~h09nWUMaJYZtQWhswaR6prqW~mURnPcH5yzWf9DePGvGi6aIvE6ikEbQwPeaNBkzzAoNIuZr9-kVIbkWfHPnAOfz-ldgrxRpCAXle7Ad1yu08gGLGS2--VMkJfJgAxhbaPkwxpkIA77wYy~hasfO38JYECjPSmwLRWNzMIa5lAN12lQeRDhjv3pkEbP6R3zRWTVlw-BCeb1K6Vqxz9rJ~r5896at~NRtGZ-rZNf0OPtjsg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","House Bill 102, which would grant early registration privileges to university students participating in military-related programs, was presented to the Senate Committee on Veteran Affairs on Oct. 12, 2025, and left pending.

Senator Mark Hancock, the Senate sponsor, told the committee that students enrolled in military programs often must coordinate academic schedules with military commitments and that early registration would help them maintain timely progress toward degree completion. \"House Bill 102 would grant early registration privileges to those participating in the military related programs who are eligible and in good standing with the university,\" Hancock said.

The bill would add military-program students to groups already eligible for preregistration, Hancock said, noting that the legislature previously allowed preregistration for expectant mothers and student-athletes. Committee Chair Senator Parker opened public testimony for HB 102; no witnesses came forward. The chair then closed public testimony and the committee left the bill pending.

No committee questions resulted in changes to the bill during the hearing, and no formal vote or amendment was recorded. The committee did not set a date for further action on HB 102.","House Bill 102 would let university students in military-related programs register early, matching existing preregistration for expectant mothers and student-athletes; the committee left the bill pending after no public testimony.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Committee hears substitute to speed Texas licensure for military families, veterans

Committee considers update to Texas Armed Services Scholarship to cover more tuition, add coordinator

Committee reviews bill to give military-program students early class registration