Researcher: JS Page 1 3/31/21
OLR Bill Analysis
sHB 6316
AN ACT CONCERNING THE EVALUATION OF MILITARY
TRAINING EVALUATION APPLICATIONS SUBMITTED TO THE
LABOR DEPARTMENT.
SUMMARY
This bill extends, from two to five years, the period of time after a
veteran’s service discharge during which he or she may apply to the
Department of Labor (DOL) for a military training evaluation. Under
current law, the DOL commissioner must determine if the applicant’s
military training partially or entirely satisfies certain apprenticeship
programs’ training requirements (see BACKGROUND). The bill
instead requires him to make these determinations jointly with the
Department of Veterans’ Affairs and Department of Consumer
Protection commissioners. It also allows each commissioner to appoint
a designee to make the determinations on his or her behalf.
Under existing law, a "veteran" is anyone discharged or released
under conditions other than dishonorable from active service in the
armed forces (U.S. Army, Navy, Marine Corps, Coast Guard, and Air
Force and any of their reserve components, including the Connecticut
National Guard performing duty under Title 32 of federal law).
EFFECTIVE DATE: October 1, 2021
BACKGROUND
Military Training Evaluations
Certain occupational examining boards generally require applicants
to complete apprenticeship programs before sitting for licensing
examinations. Armed forces or National Guard members and certain
veterans may to apply to the DOL apprentice training program for a
military training evaluation.
If the applicant's military training is equivalent to completing an 2021HB-06316-R000225-BA.DOCX
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apprenticeship program, the commissioner must issue the applicant a
“recommendation for review.” A recommendation for review allows
the applicant, even if he or she has not completed an apprenticeship
program, to sit for licensing examinations required by certain boards,
including the:
1. Electrical Work Board;
2. Heating, Piping, Cooling and Sheet Metal Work Board;
3. Plumbing and Piping Work Board;
4. Elevator Installation, Repair and Maintenance Board;
5. Fire Protection Sprinkler Systems Board; and
6. Automotive Glass Work and Flat Glass Work Board.
If the applicant's military training is deemed equivalent to part of an
apprenticeship program's required training, the applicant's qualified
hours of military training must be deducted from the required
apprentice training hours if certain federal requirements are satisfied.
A recommendation for review additionally waives, depending on
the trade, the (1) $90 or $150 application fee and (2) initial $150 or $120
contractor's license fee (CGS §§ 20-333 & 20-355).
Related Bills
SB 413, favorably reported by the Veterans’ Affairs Committee,
requires 27 state agencies and departments to waive initial
occupational licensing fees for veterans.
HB 5592, favorably reported by the Veterans’ Affairs Committee,
expands the general definition of “veteran” under state law to include
those released with an other than honorable discharge based on
specified qualifying conditions (e.g., military sexual trauma
experience, a qualifying mental health condition, sexual orientation, or
gender identity or expression), as determined under the bill. In doing
so, it expands eligibility for any statutory programs or benefits that 2021HB-06316-R000225-BA.DOCX
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reference this definition.
COMMITTEE ACTION
Veterans’ Affairs Committee
Joint Favorable Substitute
Yea 17 Nay 0 (03/18/2021)