Chamber reviews proposal that aids military families

Issues coming before the Texas Legislature were discussed Tuesday at the Chamber of Commerce meeting.

A key topic was a proposal by the state’s elected officials want to make it easier for professional certifications gained in another state to be supported by the state of Texas to aid the employment prospects of military spouses.

According to Gov. Greg Abbott’s website, the Spousal License Reciprocity is needed because “some state requirements for licensing can be too costly or lengthy for the spouse to reapply and renew licenses every few years. Some states require additional schooling which may be neither cost effective nor available to a military spouse.”

The proposal recommends:

■ Continue to aid military members or spouses with license reciprocity to include expedited services, waive or reduce fees.

■ Create a one-stop web location for military members or dependents to locate license reciprocity information.

■ Continue to support Veteran to Bachelor in Science in Nursing programs throughout Texas.

The chamber also nominated new committee members.

■ Two-year terms: Steve Mayo (Mayo Manufacturing), Tammy Waters (Domtar)

■ Three-year terms: Debbie Broussard (Flowers Baking Co. of Texarkana), Glen Boles (CHRISTUS St. Michael Health System), Justin White (Guaranty Bond Bank), James Patten Tidwell (RRAD), Dr. Gary Stading (Texas A&M UniversityTexarkana) Upcoming events include:

■ Lunch and Learn Program, noon Nov. 6 at the chamber. The program will inform chamber members on how to get the most from their membership.

■ Lunch on the Lawn, 11:30 a.m.-1 p.m. Nov. 2 at the chamber. Volunteers are needed to assist for the annual event for chamber members.

■ Governmental Affairs trips. There are still spaces available for chamber trips to Little Rock and Austin in 2019. Call the chamber at 903-792-7191 for information.