Senate Commerce Committee Statement to Senate, No. 843 — State of New Jersey (February 13, 2020)

Summary

The Senate Commerce Committee of the State of New Jersey, in a statement dated February 13, 2020, reports favorably and with committee amendments Senate Bill No. 843, which allows certain eligible immigrants to obtain professional and occupational licenses. An applicant would have to meet the licensing criteria for the license sought, other than citizenship, immigrant or lawful presence status in the United States. The statement says many such individuals complete extensive schooling to work as doctors, nurses, attorneys and other professionals but cannot obtain licensure under current law. The amendments provide that the bill applies to any eligible immigrant, not only undocumented immigrants.

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SENATE COMMERCE COMMITTEE

STATEMENT TO

SENATE, No.
843

with
committee amendments

STATE
OF NEW JERSEY

DATED: FEBRUARY
13, 2020

The Senate Commerce Committee reports favorably and
with committee amendments Senate Bill No. 843.

This bill allows certain eligible immigrants to obtain
professional and occupational licenses. In order to be eligible to obtain a
professional or occupational license under the bill, an individual would have
to meet the licensing qualification criteria for the license sought by the individual,
other than citizenship, immigrant or lawful presence status in the United
States.

Many individuals, who came to the United States and to
New Jersey from other countries and who feel connected to this State and this
country, would like to obtain professional licenses, but are constrained by
federal and State law because of their non-citizen status.

These individuals have the talent, skills, and ability
to be productive members of the workforce, but they cannot exercise their full
potential because of current law. Moreover, these individuals often complete
extensive schooling in the aspiration to work as doctors, nurses, attorneys,
and other professionals, but without the ability to obtain appropriate
licensure, their degrees have limited value.

The community would benefit from the services these
individuals could provide, and the State would benefit from the income
generated, if these individuals were able to work in their desired professions
and occupations.

This bill was pre-filed for introduction in the
2018-2019 session pending technical review. As reported, the bill includes the
changes required by technical review, which has been performed.

COMMITTEE AMENDMENTS:

The committee amended various parts of the bill to provide
that the bill does not only apply to undocumented immigrants, but applies to
any eligible immigrant seeking to obtain a professional or occupational license
in the State.

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