New Legislation Offers Educational and Employment Support for Veterans
Representative Tony Burkley
Moving into the summer season, the Ohio House of Representatives has been busy with a variety of bills. Devoting time and attention to each piece of legislation is essential and part of the democratic process. As many of these bills have passed through the House, one of special importance has now advanced to the Senate.
House Bill 488 would affect servicemen and women that contribute to the well-being of individuals in the communities around them on a daily basis. Not only would it affect the 82nd House District I represent, but it would affect every district in Ohio.
The purpose of this bill is to give back to the veterans who have invested their lives into a career of fighting for our country. Through military careers, veterans have gained a valuable education outside of the classroom that can and should be used to accelerate their future endeavors.
This bill would offer military veterans the opportunity to receive college credit for the skills they have obtained and used while serving our country. The training our veterans have acquired can be used in a wide array of career and educational settings.
This instruction that our veterans have received is specialized and extensive. The hard work these men and women have put into our military is admirable and should be recognized leading into future opportunities.
This bill offers a gradual transition into the workforce or into a college program from the military with the training counting as credit. It would offer stability to service members as well as a jump start to their new career path.
This bill would also require a process to be created that would ensure that the credits were counted in an orderly manner. State institutions would also have to establish policies to assist these veterans wanting to receive credit.
H.B. 488 passed last week though the Ohio House and was referred to the Public Safety, Local Government & Veteran Affairs committee in the Senate. I hope to bring attention to this important legislation because honoring our veterans is part of being an American, and as a representative in Ohio, offering my support for this bill is one small way I can show my appreciation to these brave men and women.
