Gov. Evers Signs Two Bills to Support Service Members and their Families, Address Workforce Shortages

UNION GROVE — Gov. Tony Evers today signed two bills at the Wisconsin Veterans Home at Union Grove to support service members and their families, while also helping to address Wisconsin’s workforce challenges.

“Our service members and their families give so much in service to our country, and they exemplify some of the best of what Wisconsin has to offer, tackling each task with the same sort of grit, resilience, and determination as they do in their military service,” said Gov. Evers. “I am proud to sign these bipartisan bills today because they will not only help bolster the Wisconsin workforce, especially in the healthcare industry where we have struggled with shortages for years, but they will help our service members and their families secure education and employment opportunities so they can continue to grow and succeed.”

The governor signed Assembly Bill 720, which would provide a pathway for military medical personnel to use their medical skills and training at community-based residential facilities, residential care apartment complexes, and inpatient and outpatient healthcare facilities. This builds off of the governor’s proposal in the 2021-23 biennial budget, which received bipartisan support, providing $100,000 over the biennium for the Department of Safety and Professional Services (DSPS) to develop a program to make military training and credentials creditable and transferrable to civilian job credentials. Additionally, Gov. Evers signed Senate Bill 605, allowing active-duty service members, as well as their spouses and children, to receive in-state tuition at University of Wisconsin System and Wisconsin Technical College System institutions if they are relocated from Wisconsin. In addition to ensuring active-duty members and their families can continue their education undisrupted due to their active-duty responsibilities, this bill may also provide incentives for military members, and especially their children, to return to Wisconsin and enter the workforce.

Assembly Bill 720, now 2021 Wisconsin Act 158:

• Provides a pathway for military medical personnel to temporarily practice, utilizing their military medical skills and training, at community-based residential facilities, residential care apartment complexes, and inpatient and outpatient healthcare facilities without having to first obtain a license.

Senate Bill 605, now 2021 Wisconsin Act 159:

• Creates guidance to determine residency requirements so that active-duty service members, their spouses, and dependents who are relocated to another state can qualify for resident tuition at University of Wisconsin System and Wisconsin Technical College System institutions during this time.

An online version of this release is available here.

NOTE: This press release was submitted to Urban Milwaukee and was not written by an Urban Milwaukee writer. It has not been verified for its accuracy or completeness.