Military spouses who are teachers will have an easier time finding work in their field in Colorado. In March, Gov. Ritter signed House Bill 1162, which states that school administrators can hire military spouses licensed to teach in another state even though they have not completed the Colorado licensure program.Rep. Amy Stephens, R-District 20, sponsored the bill. “The process started in May of 2007,” Stephens said. “Leadership Pikes Peak, of which I am an alumni, got together to seek a project that would benefit our community and state.” She said the team determined that nursing and teaching, respectively, top the list for job needs in Colorado.”We took a look at how easy or hard our state makes it for military spouses to get integrated into the state in order to work,” Stephens said. “Out of our work, House Bill 1162 and House Bill 1180 came into being. We have worked hard as a team.”The team also included the military program, Spouses to Teachers, said Mark Lester, who led the effort for Leadership Pikes Peak.”This will help military spouses who are K-12 teachers get back to work much faster,” Lester said. “This bill will make an enduring impact on our state and for our military. I’m very proud to have been part of this activity.”Stephens also sponsored HB 1180, which removes limitations on unemployment benefits provided to military spouses. Under current legislation, if a military spouse wishes to collect unemployment benefits, the active duty military spouse must have been transferred during a time of war or armed conflict and for medical-related purposes. The bill would eliminate this provision.”Fort Carson is bringing almost 12,000 jobs into the community,” Stephens said. “We need to continue letting the military know that as a state we think it is a good idea to help military families the best way we can. My goal is to continue Colorado being a military-friendly state.”
