State Rep. Steven Sainz and I both represent Georgia military communities in the General Assembly — Steven represents Kings Bay Naval Base, and I represent Robins Air Force Base.
As voters in Camden and Glynn counties return to the polls June 18 to vote, I want to ensure they know that Rep. Sainz is a tireless advocate under the Gold Dome for members of the military and veterans.
Rep. Sainz and I wrote House Bill 880 to ease the regulatory burden on our military spouses and give instant relief to Georgia business owners in military communities. The U.S. Department of Defense now touts this bill, signed into law by Gov. Brian Kemp, as an example for other states to follow.
Military spouses are a special group of people. Roughly every two years, they pack up their family and move to a new state or even to a new country. Nationally, military spouse unemployment is measured at 21%, and 90% of spouses report that their service member’s duty stunts their career progress. Military spouses sacrifice a lot, but they shouldn’t have to sacrifice their profession, their earnings and the pride they feel in their work.
Thanks to the support of Steven Sainz, HB 880 will allow spouses to use an existing license from another state to get employment in Georgia without delay. It will allow them to hit the ground running and ease their transition into their new community. An employer will be given the freedom to check the spouse’s professional license themselves instead of waiting months for a board to decide. This is a win-win for every military community. Spouses will get the jobs they need and want, and employers will get the workers they so desperately require.
The passage of this bill represents a huge change for the better. Rep. Sainz supports our war fighters and their families without reservation. He’s championed tax relief for veterans, created behavioral health service programs, required industry services training programs to be tuition-free for veterans, and now, he’s helped make it easier for military spouses to work.
I am proud to work and serve with Rep. Steven Sainz, and I hope voters in his district send him back to continue this important work.
