CLEAR

Pennsylvania considers changes to occupational licensing

Bills under consideration in Pennsylvania would replace licensure with registration or certification for 13 occupations: auctioneer, barber, cemetery salesperson, campground membership salesperson, natural hair braider, orthotic fitter, practitioner of Oriental medicine, ren­tal listing referral agent and vehicle factory representative. Also a priority for the administration is ways to reduce license processing time to 10 days or less. Streamlining the licensing process for military spouse is also an issue. A House bill has passed requiring state licensing boards to issue licenses by endorsement to applicants holding the same license in another state and meeting similar requirements.

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Texas plumber regulatory board sunseted

Effective September 1, 2019, the Texas State Board of Plumbing Examiners will be abolished. The Sunset Advisory Commission had recommended that the regulatory functions of the Board be transferred to the Department of Licensing and Regulation, but the legislature adjourned without taking action. Plumbers are planning a rally at the State Capitol and calling for a special session to re-visit the issue. With a "ind-down" period of one year, the TSBPE has indicated the potential to create a database showing which plumbers were previously licensed.

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Update on Savannah tour guide case

A federal judge has ruled on the case about tour guide licensing in the city of Savannah, Georgia. Licensing requirements, including a physical, a background check and passage of a history exam, were repealed four years ago after a group of tour guides sued the city. The current case now rules that the licensing law is a violation of free speech and First Amendment rights.

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Florida occupational licensing reform bill stalls

SB 1640 and HB 27 in Florida have been permanently removed from the calendar for this legislative session without having been introduced on the chamber floors. The bills would have reduced or eliminated licensing requirements for occupations under 23 of Florida's professional licensing boards.
A related bill that did not advance through the Senate would have prohibited local governments from creating their own occupational licensing requirements and would have seen all local occupational licensing expire in 2021 with an economic impact analysis required before re-adoption.

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Rhode Island considers "Fair Chance Licensing" act

The Rhode Island General Assembly is considering bills to prohibit licensing boards from automatically denying a license based on a criminal conviction unrelated to the occupation. Only convictions directly related to the duties of the profession or occupation could be considered when reviewing applications. The bills also establish a more transparent decision-making process and notification process.

Another bill passed by the House and under consideration in the Senate would exempt natural hair braiders from licensing.

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Florida considers deregulation bill

Bills under consideration in the Florida House and Senate would eliminate licensing requirements for a number of occupations, including auctioneers, talent agents, boxing announcers and time keepers, and hairbraiders; make changes to reciprocity for some professions; and lessen requirements for some occupations. Amendments could be made to remove interior designers from the deregulation bill.

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WV: bill for occupational licensing reform submitted with incorrect version

The "Occupational Licensing Consumer Choice Act" submitted in West Virginia is intended to expand opportunities, promote innovation and increase competition by allowing consumers to make decisions in hiring and contracting with providers of their choice.” The bill would eliminate licensing requirements for some occupations and require them instead to disclose to consumers that they are not licensed, using at least "14 point font set in boldface." The bill, as written, exempts medical doctors, registered and licensed nurses, dentists and pharmacists but would apply to all other health professionals. The bill's sponsor indicated that an incorrect version of the bill was introduced and the bill should have excluded all licensed and accredited health care professionals.

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Indiana: consolidation bill meets criticism

A bill under consideration in Indiana would consolidate several licensing agencies and eliminate others, such as hearing aid dealers and auctioneers. In hearings, the Indiana Midwives Association spoke against moving the Certified Direct Entry Midwifery Committee under the Board of Nursing. Representatives also spoke against eliminating the committee of hearing aid dealer examiners, citing safety concerns of unlicensed practice.

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Oklahoma Licensing Advisory Commission report

A taskforce created by Oklahoma Governor Mary Fallin developed into the Oklahoma Licensing Advisory Commission and has released a report after reviewing 28 licenses under 15 boards. Recommendations from the report include:

• waiving the initial license fee for military members and spouses if they are already licensed in another state
• honoring of equivalent military training and experience
• license reciprocity for military spouses
• reducing licensing barriers for criminal offenders
• elimination of licensing requirements for public accountants, alarm and fire sprinkler managers and salespersons, locksmiths, motor vehicle salespersons

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Nebraska eliminates equine massager licensing requirements

The requirement for horse massagers to be licensed veterinarians, work in conjunction with a veterinarian or be certified in human massage therapy has been eliminated. The bill passed unanimously.

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