Home/Bills/A 5960New York · 2025–2026 Legislative Session
Assembly BillIntroduced

A 5960: Permits a military spouse to practice an occupation upon submission of licensure, certification or registration to practice an equivalent occupation issued by any other state; provided the licensure standards are not lower than those of this state.

New York · Assembly · 2025–2026 Legislative Session · last verified January 8, 2026

What A 5960 does, verified January 8, 2026

This act aims to provide benefits to military spouses by allowing them to practice equivalent occupations in New York state. It does this by: admitting military spouses to professions such as insurance and real estate, without requiring them to meet all the usual licensing requirements. This is done by accepting out-of-state licenses or certifications that were granted in compliance with standards similar to those in New York state. The act also provides that the military spouse's home state awards nonresident licenses to residents of New York state on the same basis as they award licenses to residents of their own state. Additionally, the act allows military spouses to maintain a business in New York state, even if they are not licensed by the state, if they have a valid license from another state or territory. The act also includes a severability clause, which states that if any part…

Bill journey
1IntroducedCurrent
2In CommitteePending
3First Chamber FloorPending
4Second ChamberPending
5GovernorPending
6ChapteredPending
Last action: referred to economic development (2026-01-07)Alert me
Quick answers about A 5960
What is the current status of A 5960?
As of January 8, 2026, A 5960 is recorded as "Introduced": it has been introduced and is waiting for its first committee hearing or floor vote. The last recorded action, on January 7, 2026, was "referred to economic development".
Did A 5960 pass?
Not yet. A 5960 has been introduced and has not passed either house.
Who wrote A 5960, and where is it now?
A 5960 was authored by Asm. Brian Miller. Its committee of record is Assembly Economic Development, Job Creation, Commerce & Industry.
Recent actions3 total · showing 3
Jan. 07, 2026referred to economic development
May. 20, 2025held for consideration in economic development
Feb. 25, 2025referred to economic development
Latest bill textIntroduced version, February 25, 2025 · 910 words
  
  STATE OF NEW YORK ________________________________________________________________________ 5960 2025-2026 Regular Sessions  IN ASSEMBLY February 25, 2025 ___________ Introduced by M. of A. MILLER -- read once and referred to the Committee on Economic Development AN ACT to amend the general business law, the insurance law and the real property law, in relation to licensing of military spouses with out- of-state licenses in equivalent occupations The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assem- bly, do enact as follows: 1 Section 1. This act enacts into law components of legislation relating 2 to the "Military Spouse Act". 3 § 2. The general business law is amended by adding a new article 2-A 4 to read as follows: 5 ARTICLE 2-A 6 ADMISSION TO A PROFESSION 7 Section 20. Admission to a profession; licensing, certification or 8 registration. 9 § 20. Admission to a profession; licensing, certification or registra- 10 tion. Admission to practice of a profession governed by this chapter in 11 this state is accomplished, where required, by a license, certification 12 or certificate of registration being issued to a qualified applicant by 13 the secretary of state. To qualify for a license, certification or 14 certificate of registration an applicant shall meet the requirements 15 prescribed in the article for the particular profession and shall meet 16 the requirements prescribed in section 3-503 of the general obligations 17 law; provided that, notwithstanding any provision of the law to the 18 contrary, any applicant who is the spouse of a member of the armed forc- 19 es of the United States, national guard or reserves may submit satisfac- 20 tory evidence of licensure, certification or registration to practice an 21 equivalent occupation issued by any other state, territory, protectorate 22 or dependency of the United States in lieu of the submissions required EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets [ ] is old law to be omitted. LBD06884-01-5 

 A. 5960 2 1 by the article of this chapter for the particular profession, provided 2 that such license, certification or certificate of registration was 3 granted in compliance with standards which were, in the judgment of the 4 secretary, not lower than those of this state. 5 § 3. Subsection (d) of section 2136 of the insurance law, as added by 6 chapter 687 of the laws of 2003, is amended to read as follows: 7 (d) (1) the applicant's home state awards nonresident insurance 8 producer licenses to residents of this state on the same basis as 9 provided in this subsection; or 10 (2) the applicant is the spouse of a member of the armed forces of the 11 United States, national guard or reserves. 12 § 4. Section 442-g of the real property law is amended by adding a new 13 subdivision 1-a to read as follows: 14 1-a. No nonresident applicant who is the spouse of a member of the 15 armed forces of the United States, national guard, or reserves regularly 16 engaged in the real estate business as a vocation, who maintains a defi- 17 nite place of business and is licensed by any other state, territory, 18 protectorate or dependency of the United States, shall be required to 19 maintain a place of business within this state. The commission shall 20 recognize the license issued by another state to an applicant who is the 21 spouse of a member of the armed forces of the United States, national 22 guard, or reserves as qualification for a license in New York, provided 23 that such license was granted in compliance with standards which were, 24 in the judgment of the secretary, not lower than those of this state. 25 § 5. Section 444-e of the real property law is amended by adding a new 26 subdivision 2-a to read as follows: 27 2-a. Any applicant for a license who is a spouse of a member of the 28 armed forces of the United States, national guard or reserves may submit 29 satisfactory evidence of licensure to practice an equivalent occupation 30 issued by any other state, territory, protectorate or dependency of the 31 United States in lieu of the evidence of education, experience and exam- 32 ination required by subdivision one of this section, provided that such 33 license was granted in compliance with standards which were, in the 34 judgment of the secretary, not lower than those of this state. 35 § 6. Severability clause. If any clause, sentence, paragraph, subdivi- 36 sion, section or part of this act shall be adjudged by any court of 37 competent jurisdiction to be invalid, such judgment shall not affect, 38 impair, or invalidate the remainder thereof, but shall be confined in 39 its operation to the clause, sentence, paragraph, subdivision, section 40 or part thereof directly involved in the controversy in which such judg- 41 ment shall have been rendered. It is hereby declared to be the intent of 42 the legislature that this act would have been enacted even if such 43 invalid provisions had not been included herein. 44 § 7. This act shall take effect on the ninetieth day after it shall 45 have become a law. Effective immediately, the addition, amendment and/or 46 repeal of any rule or regulation necessary for the implementation of 47 this act on its effective date are authorized to be made and completed 48 on or before such effective date. 

Text of A 5960 as introduced, from the official record. Connect Plus keeps every version and highlights what changed.Compare versions
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