An Act To Implement the Recommendations of the Commission To Streamline Veterans' Licensing and Certification Regarding Licensed Practical Nurses
Maine Legislature, Session 128, LD 1857
Committee: Labor, Commerce, Research and Economic Development
Amends: 32 MRSA §2251-A

Legislative Document
No. 1857
H.P. 1294
House of Representatives, March 6, 2018
An Act To Implement the Recommendations of the Commission To 
Streamline Veterans' Licensing and Certification Regarding 
Licensed Practical Nurses
Reported by Representative FECTEAU of Biddeford for the Joint Standing Committee on 
Labor, Commerce, Research and Economic Development pursuant to Resolve 2017, chapter 
27.
Reference to the Committee on Labor, Commerce, Research and Economic Development 
suggested and ordered printed pursuant to Joint Rule 218.
ROBERT B. HUNT
Clerk
Be it enacted by the People of the State of Maine as follows:
Sec. 1.  32 MRSA §2251-A, as amended by PL 2003, c. 204, Pt. H, §6, is further 
amended to read:
§2251-A.  Qualifications
An applicant for a license to practice as a licensed practical nurse shall submit to the 
board written evidence, verified by oath, that the applicant has the following 
qualifications. satisfies one of the following qualifications:
2.  Approved program.  The applicant must have completed a prescribed curriculum 
in a state-approved program for the preparation of practical nurses and holds a diploma or 
certificate.; or
3.  Military training and experience.  The applicant:
A.  Served on active duty in the medical corps of any branch of the Armed Forces of 
the United States and spent an aggregate of at least 12 months rendering bedside 
patient care;
B.  Completed the basic course of instruction in nursing required by the branch of the 
Armed Forces of the United States in which the applicant served; and
C.  Was honorably discharged from active duty.
SUMMARY
This bill is reported out by the Joint Standing Committee on Labor, Commerce, 
Research and Economic Development pursuant to Resolve 2017, chapter 27.  The bill 
implements a recommendation of the Commission To Streamline Veterans' Licensing and 
Certification regarding licensure of military medics and corpsmen as licensed practical 
nurses.  Pursuant to the bill, a person who served on active duty in the medical corps of 
any branch of the Armed Forces of the United States, completed the basic course of 
instruction in nursing required by the branch of the Armed Forces of the United States in 
which the applicant served and was honorably discharged is eligible to take the 
examination for licensure as a licensed practical nurse.
The Joint Standing Committee on Labor, Commerce, Research and Economic 
Development has not taken a position on the substance of the bill and by reporting out 
this bill the committee is not suggesting and does not intend to suggest that it agrees or 
disagrees with any aspect of this recommendation from the Commission To Streamline 
Veterans' Licensing and Certification.  The committee is reporting the bill out for the sole 
purpose of turning the commission's recommendation into a printed bill that can be 
referred to the committee for an appropriate public hearing and subsequent processing in 
the normal course.  The committee is taking this action to ensure clarity and transparency 
in the legislative review of the commission's recommendation regarding licensure of 
military medics and corpsmen as licensed practical nurses.