Michelle Obama is in Support of the Illinois Military Family Law

Michelle Obama has been championing the rights of military families since her husband was elected president, and was able to be a part of the special day that the Illinois governor signed a new law into action last week. The law allows military families an expedited transfer when they want to change their professional licenses during a military relocation. The first lady attended the bill signing, which took place at the Illinois National Guard armory in Chicago. Illinois is now the 23^rd state in the nation to support Obama’s efforts at making things easier for families that are involved with the military.

The law will be active on January 1^st, and makes it easier for veterans to transfer their out-of-state occupational licenses so that they can stay working in professions such as teaching or nursing after they relocate. This is particularly helpful for the spouses of military men and women. The first lady was moved towards this cause after hearing stories from military women who said that their husbands are striving to support their families but run into complications with every relocation.

According to the San Francisco Gate, there are about 100,000 military spouses who work in jobs that require a state license or certification, and the issue affects people in a variety of professions. For example, anyone who is a dental hygienist, physical therapist, EMT, teacher, or nurse is not allowed to work without one of these state certifications. Yet when the licensing paperwork takes weeks or months to complete, those spouses end up out of a job with every relocation. Hopefully, the new measures will change this, as Michelle Obama works hard to secure the comforts of life for the men and women that are sacrificing to serve their country.