Military Spouse Wins Court Fight on License Portability in First Court Decision on New Federal Provision

by ADC | Nov 21, 2023 | Congress/DoD, Military Families, On Base

A federal judge sided with a military spouse in Texas Monday, saying that by federal law, Texas education officials must accept her school counseling licensures from Ohio and Missouri, Military Times reported.

“This is a victory for all military spouses,” Hannah Magee Portée said. “I hope it makes other spouses’ lives easier, and I hope they don’t have to go through what I did just to be able to work.”

When Portée and her husband moved to Laughlin Air Force Base, Texas, the state refused to accept her out-of-state licenses. The judge ruled that was a violation of the new provision of the Servicemembers Civil Relief Act requiring states to provide reciprocity in accepting occupational licenses from other jurisdictions.

This was the first time the provision, signed into law in January, was tested in court.

“This is not just a win for Hannah, but a win for military and their spouses across the country,” said Brandon Grable, Portée’s attorney. “Other courts can rely on it elsewhere in the event spouses are in the same situation.”

Air Force photo by Airman 1st Class Joseph Barron