03/30/2023
February 7, 2023 General Law Committee HB 5433
Public Hearing Testimony of
Danté Bartolomeo
Commissioner
Department of Labor
General Law Committee
February 7, 2023
Good morning, Representative D’Agostino, Senator Maroney, Representative Rutigliano, Senator Cicarella, Representative Brown, Senator Fonfara and members of the General Law Committee. Thank you for the opportunity to provide you with written testimony regarding HB 5433: AN ACT CONCERNING OCCUPATIONAL LICENSES AND VETERANS. My name is Danté Bartolomeo, and I am the Commissioner of the Connecticut Department of Labor.
The Connecticut Department of Labor (CTDOL) understands that the intent of HB 5433 is to assist veterans in obtaining occupational licenses. Currently, it is CTDOL’s mandate and practice to ensure that veterans receive priority, one-on-one reemployment services from trained staff at American Job Centers (AJCs) throughout the state. CTDOL staff also offer specialized services to veterans reintegrating into civilian life; assist veterans in identifying careers after military service; and help veterans match their unique skills to jobs in demand by Connecticut employers.
HB 5433 states that “…the general statutes be amended to enable a person to satisfy the requirements necessary to receive an occupational license through military training.” CTDOL would like to make the committee aware that similar language to this proposal is currently in Section 31-22u of the Connecticut General Statutes, which provides that the Labor Commissioner may determine that any veteran’s military training is equivalent to part, or all the training required for completion of an apprenticeship program. If the commissioner determines that the applicant's military training is equivalent to part of the training required for completion of an apprenticeship program, such applicant's hours of qualified military training shall be deducted from the hours of apprenticeship training required for the specific trade provided. The statute further allows the Labor Commissioner then to recommend such veteran’s experience for review by the appropriate examining board which shall allow such applicant to sit for any licensure examination without participation in an apprenticeship program. Accordingly, CTDOL would be interested in discussing with the General Assembly ways it would seek to amend the statute to further support veterans in this regard.
Thank you again for the opportunity to testify, and we look forward to continuing to work with you on ways to help veterans in the workforce.
Connecticut Department of Labor • www.ct.gov/dol
An Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action Employer