CLEAR

Update: Utah removes licensing requirements for hair stylists only

Legislation has passed in Utah to exempt from licensing requirements stylists who only "dry, style, arrange, dress, curl, hot iron, shampoo or condition hair." Unlicensed stylists would have to pass a two-hour "hair safety program."

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Utan bill to remove liccensing requirements for "blow dry bars"

A bill under consideration in Utah would eliminate cosmetologist licensing requirements for those that work at blow dry bars and only shampoo, dry and style hair. Workers would have to display a sign noting that they are not licensed.

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US: Research on de-licensing of occupations

A paper presented for the American Economic Association looks at cases in the US from 2015 to 2020 where licensing requirements have been removed for certain occupations. The research was conducted by Dr. Edward Timmons of Saint Francis University and the Knee Center for the Study of Occupational Regulation and used CLEAR's Regulatory News blog as a source. The research found 35 cases of de-licensing over the past five years.

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Arkansas: Occupational Licensing Review Subcommittee report

The Arkansas Legislative Council's Occupational Licensing Review Subcommittee has submitted recommendations to repeal licensing for sprinkler fitters, people who sell motor vehicles and new recreational vehicles, and lime vendors. They also recommend that the Board of Physical Therapy evaluate its licensing fees, including a comparison of physical therapy licensing fees in surrounding states. The subcommittee plans to review 307 occupational licenses over the next six years.

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Colorado governor vetoes private investigator licensure

Colorado's governor has vetoed a bill that would have continued the regulation of private investigators under the Department of Regulatory Agencies, claiming that occupational licensing "is too often used to protect existing professionals within an occupation against competition from newcomers entering that occupation.”  Instead, he wants to work with lawmakers next year on a bill that will oversee the industry but not require full licensure.

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Florida: Occupational Freedom and opportunity Act signed into law

Florida's governor has signed into law the Occupational Freedom and Opportunity Act. The Act reduces education requirements for auctioneers, barbers, electrical contractors, and geologists and removes some requirements for nutritionists, interior designers, landscape architects, nutritionists, accountants, alarm system installers and boxing announcers. A major component of the bill requires reciprocal license agreements if the other state's licensure requirements are substantially equivalent. The bill also prohibits license suspension or revocation based solely on default of student loans. Among other changes, the bill allows individuals to provide information, wellness recommendations or advice concerning nutrition without a license so long as services are not provided to a person under the care of a medical doctor for a condition requiring nutrition intervention and the individual does not hold themselves out to be licensed.

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Florida deregulation bill passes House

An occupational licensing deregulation bill has passed in the Florida House and now awaits a hearing in the Senate. The bill would reduce education requirements for occupations such as auctioneers, barbers, electrical contractors, and geologists. Some licensing requirements for nutritionists, interior designers, landscape architects, accountants, and boxing announcers would be eliminated. The bill would also allow for reciprocal licensing agreements with other states under certain circumstances and would prohibit licensing boards from revoking a license based solely on default of student loans.

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Florida deregulation bill advances

The Florida Senate Commerce and Tourism Committee has advanced a bill that would reduce education requirements for auctioneers, barbers and geologists and remove licensing requirements for nutritionists and boxing announcers. The bill also eliminates the requirement for local food trucks to be licensed by the local municipality, though they would still be registered with the Department of Business and Professional Regulation. A companion bill is being considered in the House.

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Florida: proposed bill to prohibit local occupational licenses

Bills under consideration in the Florida House and Senate would prohibit local governments from requiring occupational licenses that are not already mandated by the state. The measure would take effect on July 1, 2020, and any current local licensing requirements would expire on July 1, 2022.

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Texas: order to review licensing requirements

Governor Greg Abbott in Texas has sent letters to heads of state agencies directing them to reduce licensing requirement, decrease fees to 75% or less of the national average, and lower educational requirements for some professions. He also called for removing licensing barriers for those with criminal records. Agencies have until December 1 to respond with a plan to address the issues.

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