A bill passed in the Pennsylvania House would establish more positions for veterans and military spouses on licensing boards, expedite the review of licensure applications for veterans and spouses, create guidelines for boards to consider and translate military experience into civilian licensure requirements, and allow deploying military members to submit their license renewals early so they can continue employment upon return.
November 23, 2021
Podcast about lawyer diploma privilege
[Un]Common Law has released a series of podcast episodes about the Bar Exam in the United States. The current episode explores the arguments for and against diploma privilege, admitting new attorneys to the state bar upon graduation from an ABA-accredited law school without requiring passing of a bar exam. Wisconsin is the only state that is currently continuing the practice, which was put in place in several states when the Bar Exam was suspended due to the pandemic.
Illinois: pilot program aims to increase teacher diversity
As part of its three-year strategic plan, the Illinois State Board of Education is launching a pilot program with 24 Illinois colleges and universities to develop plans for recruiting and retaining teachers of color. After the pilot program concludes, the Board plans to create best practices for the state's teacher prep programs. A report by the National Center for Teacher Quality indicated that, overall, almost one in three test-takers of color who fail the teacher licensing exam on the first attempt do not retake the test within three years.
November 03, 2021
UK: system for recognition of overseas professional qualifications to be revoked
An amendment to the Professional Qualifications Bill will revoke the EU-law-based system for recognizing overseas professional qualifications and instead grant UK regulators the autonomy to "assess qualifications and to pursue arrangements in other countries in the interests of their professions."
September 22, 2021
Pennsylvania considers remote learning for real estate professionals
A bill under consideration in Pennsylvania would allow applicants for real estate licensure to meet the required 75 hours of education via remote learning. Those renewing a license would also be able to get their 14 class hours via remote livestreaming classes.
September 08, 2021
Research: occupational therapy practice educators' move to digital platforms
A new research study in Australia was conducted to "explore the experiences of practice educators who supervised occupational therapy students during the COVID-19 pandemic in Australia." Findings of the report are as follows: "the experiences of the occupational therapy practice educators were interpreted into three themes: (1) Opportunities lost and then created (as two subthemes); (2) The relationship between the student and practice educator (comprising subthemes of practicing self-care and connection and support); and (3) Signing-off of students' competencies. While digital platforms were initially viewed as limiting, they also were used to create new opportunities for student learning. Participants spoke of being mindful of their and students' wellbeing and finding ways to provide connection and support. Participants were challenged by the need to adapt how they evaluated students in the context of a pandemic."
August 25, 2021
Pennsylvania Department of State to develop crosswalk for military-licensure requirements
The Pennsylvania Department of State recently conducted a survey of military members, spouses, and veterans about their experiences with occupational licensing. (For more on the results of the survey and resulting policy recommendations, please view CLEAR's on-demand webinar, "The Effects of Occupational Licensure for Veterans and Military Spouses: Serving the Needs of Those Who Have Served.") The Department has created one-page occupational licensure snapshots to help applicants easily find information on requirements, fees, and reciprocity policies for almost 100 occupations. They have also created a report comparing Pennsylvania's licensure requirements to the other US states, with an aim to evaluate any excessive requirements. Also under development is a military occupational crosswalk to help determine how military experience and training compares to, and could be used toward, occupational licensing requirements.
July 07, 2021
Oregon task force recommends alternate pathways to attorney licensure
The Oregon State Bar's Alternatives to the Exam task force has issued a formal report recommending alternatives to the traditional bar exam. An experiential learning pathway would allow students to take two years of experiential coursework and present a capstone portfolio to the Board of Bar Examiners. A supervised practice pathway would allow students to work 1,000 to 1,500 hours with a licensed attorney and then submit a portfolio of work to the board. The Oregon Board of Bar Examiners voted to advance the recommendations to the Oregon Supreme Court for possible implementation for the class of 2024 graduates. Last year, Oregon granted diploma privilege to law school graduates who met requirements.
June 23, 2021
New CPA licensure model to be introduced
The Association of International CPAs and the National Association of State Boards of Accountancy have launched a CPA Evolution Model Curriculum to help accounting educators align their programs with the new CPA licensure model expected to the introduced in 2024. The CPA Evolution model will have candidates take exams in three core sections (accounting, audit, and tax/regulation) with a new emphasis on the impact of technology. They will also test in one of three disciplines (tax compliance and planning, business analysis and reporting, or information systems and controls). The new curriculum aims to focus on topics new accounting hires most need to know in their first two years of employment, with a focus on technology, to align with employer needs and the reality of current accounting practice.
June 16, 2021
Louisiana bill makes changes to Board of Massage Therapy
The Louisiana Legislature has approved a bill making changes to how the Board of Massage Therapy handles applications and complaints. The board will now be required to send applicants' fingerprints to the FBI and state law enforcement for a check of criminal history. The board will also be required to place priority on any complaints dealing with unlicensed practice in an attempt to more effectively identify cases of human trafficking. The board will need to proactively check news stories for potential illegal activity and offer training to employees on how to identify human trafficking.
