State Representative reflects on military spouse license bill 

WARNER ROBINS – State Rep. Bethany Ballard recently announced the passage of House Bill 880, which will make it easier for Georgia’s military spouses to obtain occupational licenses. 

The bill passed unanimously through the General Assembly and is currently headed to the governor’s desk. 

“It’s always so good to get your main priority accomplished,” Ballard said. “It feels good not only to get my project done, but to do something so helpful and meaningful for such an important segment of our population.” 

Efforts to pass the bill have been going on for more than a decade. 

“We’ve been kinda moving this down the field little by little, and this is the year Sen. [Larry] Walker and I were able to get it over the finish line,” Ballard said. 

Passing any bill takes time. Ballard said she has been working on House Bill 880 for almost a year.

“From April of last year until we came back in January, I had spent time talking to our senators, specifically Sen. Walker and Sen. [John] Kennedy to make sure they knew how important this was for our community and all the base communities,” she said. 

Like all bills, the military licensure bill went through a long process. Multiple people weighed in on it and made changes to it. 

The bill must pass through the House Subcommittee, House Committee, and Rules Committee before reaching the floor. Once the House passes the bill, the same process must be followed in the Senate. 

“Everybody needs to have their thoughts and opinions listened to, so you can craft the best bill that works for everybody,” Ballard said. 

Ballard explained the passing of House Bill 880 speaks volumes about the military’s importance in Georgia and nationwide.

“There are 10 military installations within the state and statewide our military bases and all things surrounding it have a $20 billion economic impact for our state,” she said. 

The bill not only helps the spouses of these military families but also helps communities recruit employees. 

According to Ballard, military spouses are out of work for six-to-nine months when they move to Georgia. 

“That’s six-to-nine months without a second income coming into the family and that impacts what they’re able to do,” she said. “With this bill, they will actually be able to start getting their licenses in their profession switched to a Georgia license before they even get here.” 

Ballard does not see a downside for anybody in the passing of this bill.

“It’s a win for our spouses and families, our communities and our state,” she said. 

For a full look at House Bill 880, visit legis.ga.gov/legislation/65964